TheBackShed.com

Home	JAQForum Ver 24.01
Log In or Join
Active Topics
Local Time 04:24 18 Aug 2025	Privacy Policy
Jump to

Notice. New forum software under development. It's going to miss a few functions and look a bit ugly for a while, but I'm working on it full time now as the old forum was too unstable. Couple days, all good. If you notice any issues, please contact me.

Forum Index : Windmills : ALUM TUBES

Author

Message

GADGETS
Newbie

Joined: 10/03/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 8

Posted: 01:25pm 26 Apr 2010

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

AS A RECENTLY NEW MEMBER ( ALTHOUGH I HAVE READ A LOT ABOUT RE ON THIS SIGHT) I HAVE SEEN A LOT WRITTEN ABOUT BLADES MADE FROM PVC TUBING. BUT!!! HAS ANY BODY THOUGHT OF USING ALUMINIUM TUBING. SAME PRINCIPLE BUT COSTLIER. SHOULD OUT LAST PVC. CHARLIE

Edited by GADGETS 2010-04-27

VK4AYQ
Guru

Joined: 02/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2539

Posted: 02:13pm 26 Apr 2010

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Hi Gadgets

In the past I have used alum flat bar 150 x 12 and twisted the blades in a jig to give near constant pitch and with a airfoil shape machined on before twisting. They where quite successful but beyond the capability of the average builder as heavy milling equipment is needed, I have tried the tube ones but not very successful as the dia tube is expensive and hard to get 150 x 4 mm 6061 alloy it was hard to get them profiled properly and they didnt start very well, may work better on a high speed PMA with no cogging, they produced around 70% the power of the twisted blades on an old 32 volt field excited generator. I see some blades on ebay now that are formed in a cnc die press they may be better, one day I will buy a set to try out. There are some excellent extruded blades advertised on the forum, they are not twisted but by all reports are an excellent performer up to 700 rpm reasonable price and a hub kit available, well worth a try in the 2.5 to 3.5 meter diameter range. OZAX engineering I think

Hope this is some help

All the best

Bob

Foolin Around

GADGETS
Newbie

Joined: 10/03/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 8

Posted: 02:28pm 26 Apr 2010

Copy link to clipboard

Print this post

Hi Bob,
Thanks for the quick reply. It was just a thought as i have not read anything about alum tube blades
Charlie

Print this page

To reply to this topic, you need to log in.