- Joined
- Jan 22, 2014
- Messages
- 578
I posted this on another forum so some of you may have already seen it.
Some years ago I needed a project and I’ve always had a fascination with the physics of gyros so I decided to make one. I searched hi and low for plans to no avail and so I gathered all of the pics I could find (vintage and modern) on the interweb and came up with my own design.
I started at my local scrap yard and found some pipe for the ring material. I’ll have to check, but I think that I used 3 ½” and 4”. I bought a billet of steel to make the flywheel and the finished product turned out to weigh almost 2 pounds. I bought some miniature ball bearings from VXB bearing supply for about $10 each. I made the base out of aluminum to save weight.
I started this project in 2009 on my first hobby lathe, a vintage Atlas 6”. The orbit rings were really pushing the “outer limits” of this little machine. So, I shelved the project until I purchased my G0602 a few years later and I recently found some time to get the monkey off my back and the parts off my bench.
The precision of this project is critical to the performance. It has to be perfectly balanced and friction- free to get the desired effects of a gyroscope. I’m not an engineer, but I recognized the physical forces involved so I chose to use high quality ball bearings for the flywheel and made axles out of hardened set screws, as opposed to “cone centers in brass bushings” used on some low-speed gyros.
It’s fun to play with and demonstrate the physics involved with the controlled inertia of rotating mass. I won’t get into the details of the physics but there are a few good clips on You Tube that demonstrate the effects for those who wish to learn more about it. With a good pull of a string it will run strong for a minute or two. With a driving force like a die grinder w/ rubber wheel, you can reach RPM’s in the thousands for a much longer run time. I’ve read some claims in the 15-20 minute range.
I need to stress the inherent dangers associated with running high mass and high inertia at high speeds if you plan on achieving these sorts of RPMs. If it came apart and you or something/someone you love were in the way, it could destroy or possibly kill because it would effectively turn into an un-guided cannon ball. When I planned on making this project it was more for an art object to display in my curio with my other artsy wood items. If it worked, and worked safely, that would be a bonus.
Some years ago I needed a project and I’ve always had a fascination with the physics of gyros so I decided to make one. I searched hi and low for plans to no avail and so I gathered all of the pics I could find (vintage and modern) on the interweb and came up with my own design.
I started at my local scrap yard and found some pipe for the ring material. I’ll have to check, but I think that I used 3 ½” and 4”. I bought a billet of steel to make the flywheel and the finished product turned out to weigh almost 2 pounds. I bought some miniature ball bearings from VXB bearing supply for about $10 each. I made the base out of aluminum to save weight.
I started this project in 2009 on my first hobby lathe, a vintage Atlas 6”. The orbit rings were really pushing the “outer limits” of this little machine. So, I shelved the project until I purchased my G0602 a few years later and I recently found some time to get the monkey off my back and the parts off my bench.
The precision of this project is critical to the performance. It has to be perfectly balanced and friction- free to get the desired effects of a gyroscope. I’m not an engineer, but I recognized the physical forces involved so I chose to use high quality ball bearings for the flywheel and made axles out of hardened set screws, as opposed to “cone centers in brass bushings” used on some low-speed gyros.
It’s fun to play with and demonstrate the physics involved with the controlled inertia of rotating mass. I won’t get into the details of the physics but there are a few good clips on You Tube that demonstrate the effects for those who wish to learn more about it. With a good pull of a string it will run strong for a minute or two. With a driving force like a die grinder w/ rubber wheel, you can reach RPM’s in the thousands for a much longer run time. I’ve read some claims in the 15-20 minute range.
I need to stress the inherent dangers associated with running high mass and high inertia at high speeds if you plan on achieving these sorts of RPMs. If it came apart and you or something/someone you love were in the way, it could destroy or possibly kill because it would effectively turn into an un-guided cannon ball. When I planned on making this project it was more for an art object to display in my curio with my other artsy wood items. If it worked, and worked safely, that would be a bonus.