Last year I wrote an article for Make Magazine volume #17 that described the construction of an electrostatic generator of electricity, a Wimshurst Influence machine, using parts and materials commonly available at your local home center and hardware store.

I was a little surprised and quite pleased when I realized that the contract from O'Reilly Media (the publishers of Make:) had me retaining copyright for the material I submitted.  What I sold to O'Reilly was basically a right to use and to publish first.

So here it is for your enjoyment! This is the first of a five part series detailing the construction of a Wimshurst Influence machine!  (UPDATE: added large dimensioned drawing.)

Bruce writes:

Hi Jake,

Attached are a couple current images of my 20 sector Wimshurst machine based on your construction article, with changes made as needed to suit locally available materials and to resolve some issues that showed up after the initial construction. 

Click through to the full set of pictures, this is a very elegant machine and some of Bruce's innovations make it superior to my own!

This is part two in a series of articles describing how to build a Wimshurst Influence Machine with parts and materials available at your local home center and hardware store.  In this part I detail how to make a tool to cut the acrylic disks and how to prepare the drive components. If you missed part one you will find it here. This article was originally published in Make: Magazine volume #17

This is part three in a series of articles describing how to build a Wimshurst Influence Machine with parts and materials available at your local home center and hardware store.  In this part I detail the construction of the base, supports, charge collectors, and neutralizing bars. If you missed the beginning of the series start here. This article was originally published in Make: Magazine volume #17.

This is part four in a series of articles describing how to build a Wimshurst Influence Machine with parts and materials available at your local home center and hardware store.  In this part I detail the construction Leyden jars and the final assembly. If you missed the beginning of the series start here. This article was originally published in Make: Magazine volume #17.

This is the final part in a series of articles describing how to build a Wimshurst Influence Machine with parts and materials available at your local home center and hardware store.  In this part I detail setting the machine up and making some sparks! If you missed the beginning of the series start here. This article was originally published in Make: Magazine volume #17.

Another Wimshurst Machine is finished! This is the third complete one I've seen and one of at least half a dozen in process.  If you're working on a Wimshurst by all means send along some photos!

I am fascinated by the individual modification to the basic design people are coming up with.  Rick, who I had the pleasure of meeting at Maker Faire 2009, used a second set of closet pole hangers for the tops of his Leyden jars which I'm sure made the electrode supports significantly sturdier than mine.  I also really like his use of copper instead of aluminum for the sectors.  Great work! (Click through for a bigger picture)

 UPDATE: Plans for my Wimshurst Machine are now available here!

I wrote an article that appeared in the last Make: Magazine which outlined detailed steps for building a Wimshurst Influence machine. It's a fairly involved project so I am gratified to see that people are actually building it!

There are at least a half dozen people who have written me with questions about substitutions and troubleshooting but Scott is the first to send me pictures of his completed machine.

I like what he's done with the natural finish and you'll note that he's opted for more sectors which should increase the current output of his machine in comparison to mine.

Thanks Scott!

More after the cut . . .

UPDATE: Plans for my Wimshurst Machine are now available here!

Hi Everyone!

I had the distinct pleasure of joining Mark Frauenfelder and Gareth Branwyn of Make: Magazine for the first ever Make:Talk live on Friday at 12 noon PST!

We talked about Make: #17 - The Lost Knowledge Issue:

MAKE Volume 17 goes really old school with the Lost Knowledge issue, featuring projects and articles covering the steampunk scene, makers creating their own alternative Victorian world through modified computers, phones, cars, costumes, and other fantastic creations.

Projects include an elegant Wimshurst Influence Machine, an electrostatic generator built entirely from Home Depot parts, a "Florentine Flask" siphon coffee brewer, and a tea cup-powered Stirling Engine. The section will also cover watchmaking, letterpress, the early multimedia art of William Blake, and other wondrous and lost (or fading) pre-20th century technologies.

Our guest is Gareth Branwyn, who edited this volume's special section. We'll also talk with Jake von Slatt, creator of the Victorian-era Wimshurst Spark Generator that appears on the cover of our current issue.

More information is here and you can listen via the widget on this page.

UPDATE: Plans for my Wimshurst Machine are now available here!