Working Model Waterwheel

As one of the contacts shown on the website of the Northern Association of Model Engineers, I received the following email from Bernard Rostron:

Edited By JasonB on 18/05/2015 10:35:52

There may also be a shortcut if he wants to try it

There were loads of different models in the National Museum of Scotland for example, which I marvelled at as a youngster and waterwheel models were included

Tthese models have disappeared as a culture of de-industrialisation sweeps across Britain and they must be stored somewhere

Each one was in a big glass case with elevated 360 degree viewing and all us kids did was push a button to watch it work

Might be worth calling a few museums to see if they have any going spare

Richard,

If the museum is part of the Accreditation scheme or belongs to the Museums Association they print lists of exhibits they wish to dispose of, they are required to find another home for an item they no longer use or display.

For instance this website http://www.museumsassociation.org/about/frequently-asked-questions has a section called "search an Object" which shows what it is and whether its up for disposal etc and where it is.

A museum I volunteer for acquired some engines from the IWM for instance.

Martin P

Dozens of rugby tickets, a fire hose and a full-size lego mammoth...

Neil

If it is to be a permanent fixture, one of the first things you need to find out is the water supply, and its elevation, this will help in deciding whether the wheel is over shot, under shot, or a breast wheel. There are so many variations, so some discusion with the museum would be required. This sounds like an interesting project, I'm thinking that if it is required to do the work listed above it might be around 6ft diameter, and 2ft/3ft wide, but would need only a fraction of the water that the 18ft wheel would use.

Ian S C

I'm thinking they don't want a fancy scale model as they have the real thing. They want a distraction that involves small childern doing some of the work to lift the water ( eg in kiddie buckets up some steps) up to a tank and then let it go and see it make things move and do something if only for 30 seconds.

The wheel could be mde out of things they can relate to like aluminium drinks cans. Things to operate probably must include a generator and LED to help them appreciate just how much work goes to waste when they leave the light on in the bathroom. Other moving things can be a trip hammer and whatever the full size museum has.

You probably don't want to do the work yourself but find A) the nearest model engineerng club to Haslingden, B) advise them to get the nearest school that still has tech capability involved as a charity project.

In terms of 'What can it drive?' they need to realise that this project is at the wrong end of the scale. Tiny aeroplanes work because the weight relies on the cube of the size and the lift on the square.

Here the weight of water is the cube bit, so there is no advantage in making it small. So, the output is going to be tiny and the bearings etc need to be super. And water resistant.

Could they supply some Mercury instead of the water? No, don't bother to answer that ...

Cheers, Tim

Edited By Tim Stevens on 18/05/2015 20:43:38

Tim, the scale effect is why I suggested the wheel would need to be 6ft or so if it is to drive anything. If for example you wish to drive a generator, it would need to be geared up about 10 :1 to get sufficient rpm, so a fairly small generator.

Ian S C

Outside this national trust preserved forge there is a small water wheel at the front where you can see it from the road. Not part of the original installation but it is a real (as in not a model but an original preserved item) wheel powered pump about 2-3 ft in diameter. You can see it on google street view. Fenced off nowadays but you used to be able to grab it and feel the actual force it was producing.

A small grain mill might attract attention.