Lots of Aussie Magnets customers come to us with plans to build wind turbines, but very rarely do we get to see one that’s actually functional. When Maurice emailed us with pictures (and video) of his working wind-turbine, we were thrilled. He took an old ceiling fan, some coils, some glue, some magnets and lots of ingenuity and created a working turbine:

The turbine was producing up to 35 volts AC with only one coil assembly wired in. Further developments will include connecting both coil assemblies to bridge rectifiers to produce Direct Current (DC) that will be used to charge up about three deep cell batteries to use as a off grid backup and to run a couple of motors through a 240 volt AC inverter. Adding an extra run of magnets in the spaces between the current magnets will increase the output from the turbine and having the bridge rectifiers in series or parallel changes the volts to amps ratios. More experimenting will produce improved results and the aerodynamic design of the blades is important to reduce any noise.

Maurice, Aussie Magnets customer

Genius! And it’s not just experimental either - Maurice is producing usable power that could make a real difference to his electricity bills.

Check back tomorrow for a brief video of the turbine in action.

Thanks, Maurice! Your gift is on the way.

#038: Impromptu Tool Belt

Need help holding your tools while you’re working? Put a few Rare Earth magnets in your pockets and you’ve got a home-made tool belt. Strong magnets won’t let go and will hold relatively heavy tools. You might also keep a magnet in your pocket to magnetise your screwdrivers, ensuring screws don’t fall off the tip.

Any Rare Earth magnet should do the job, but you’ll need to consider the thickness of the material (this will reduce the effective pull strength) and the weight of your tools.

#035: Instant Compass

Need a compass in a hurry? Sandwich a thread between two very strong magnets, let it hang gently and you’ve got an instant path to the Pole.

(Via evilmadscientist).

Aussie Magnet-er Tammy magnetised the inside of her doors to save space and keep things in order. It’s certainly one of the more creative uses we’ve seen for our Flexible Rubber Magnets, and sure seems to have freed up some space.

Well done Tammy, we love it. A free gift has been posted out, let us know what use you find for it!

Magnet DIY: Electric Motors

Make your own electric motor using only a battery, a magnet (we know a place) and a wire. Such great patterns!

Make your own compass using a magnet and these instructions from HowStuffWorks. Easy! Great for the kids.