Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveJanesch
Agreed, it'd be hard to hook up to a wheel hub. I suggested the headset, where the front fork and handlebars meet the frame. You could just hack the whole head tube off an old frame for something quick. Turned upside down it'll support plenty of weight and keep things nice and straight. One possible downside it that it's not really meant for continuous rotation, so friction might be a little high.
Sounds like you're well on your way, though.
One comment based on a sketch from a much earlier post - you'll probably need to support the tops of the blades as well, or make sure the material you use is plenty stiff. You may be well ahead of me on that, and just omitted it from the sketch for simplicity.
- Steve
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The issue with supporting the tops of the blades is the potential loss in effectiveness of the mechanism as a whole due to the turbulent flow caused by the presence of extra structure. Most existing turbines are fine without this additional support as long as the blades are attached to the shaft securely and rigidly.