Making a Wind Powered Car

• The video shows a wind-powered car I made, and wind energy from the fan power it. This project consists of household materials, and it is beginner-friendly.

Cereal/ regular thin cardboard box

Computer switch (Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/5Pcs-Rocker-Switch-Position...

Battery box (Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Holder-Container-Wi...

A folder (paper)

Cardboard tube from aluminum container or toilet paper roll

Broken IPhone stand (get phone case from dollar tree (break it (only need the bottom part) {for holding the motor)

Tissue box

scissors

Hobby knife

Twisty tie

Rubber band

ruler

Masking tape

Cotton swabs (3)

Optional binder material

Fan (Amazon/AAA Hobbies and Crafts) { this fan or get a propeller from a plane propellor) { the speed of the fan determines how fast the wind energy will move the car)

https://www.amazon.com/flite-Electric-Prop-Appren...

D batteries ( I used Super Heavy Duty) (CVS, Dollar Tree) (Any store that sells batteries)

Dc motor with wires(Amazon)

https://www.amazon.com/flite-Electric-Prop-Appren...

Plastic (from soda bottle)

toothpick

Marker

Pencil

Cotton balls (optional)

Foam material (from Amazon, or you can use some of the packaging foam material from an office chair

https://www.amazon.com/Customizable-Polyethylene-F...

• Phases
  • Prep
    • Gather Materials
    • Cut out necessary items
    • Make fan container
    • Set up the fan
    • Make the car

Here are the images for the materials, and some steps are needed to begin.

• Prep
  • Cut a square out of a soda bottle ( no particular measurements; it just has to be big enough to trace a circle) {I recommend using a hobby knife for this}
  • Cut the cardboard tube to make a smaller tube (this tube is for the wheel)
  • Cut a rectangle from the foam material Break the bottom part of the phone stand (the part that has the rectangle in the middle)
    • OR you can replicate the object by cutting a rectangle out of thick cardboard and cutting a smaller rectangle in the middle of the piece of cardboard.

Materials: Tissue box, marker/pencil, CPU switch, scissors, ruler

• Get tissue box
• Measure 4.6 inches with a ruler (vertically)
• Draw a line straight across the mark all around the box (at 4.6 inches)
• Cut the front (follow your lines) until you get to the end of the front side {on the right side cut up, across, and down ) {until you reach the mark {this should create a flap}
• Cut the left side (follow your lines)
• Now it should open up (with a flap on the RIGHT side of the box) {Cut part of the top off (until you have a single flat flap for the top) {Keep the leftovers}
• Now the box has a flap on the right and a flap for the top.
• Use the leftovers from the tissue box (measure 3.5 inches for the length; and 1 inch for the height) (mark up with a marker or a pencil)
• Cut the rectangle out (put it aside) {you will need it later}
• Try closing the right flap on top of the open space (if it does not line up with the edge, cut out a small rectangle from the tissue box leftovers and tape it on)
• Afterward; using your CPU switch measure, a small square near the corner of the right flap over the space (you can cut it later on)
• Optional (glue on binder material and cotton balls for decorative purposes) {or you can use construction paper, whatever you have (for decorating the back of the fan)
• Well, that is the fan container (Put it aside for later on)

Materials: fan blades, dc motor, CPU switch, masking tape, fan container (made, twisty tie, cotton swab, scissors. Foam material

• Take the red wire from the battery pack and attach it to the left silver thing on the CPU switch (twist the silver part of the wire, fold it downward) cover it with a piece of masking tape (wrap it around tightly {only around one plug thing)
• Next, take the red wire from the DC motor and connect it to the right silver part of the CPU switch. (twist the silver part of the wire, fold it downward) cover it with a piece of masking tape (wrap it around tightly over both silver things
• Take the black wire from the battery pack and connect it to the black wire of the dc motor. (twist the silver part of the wire, fold it downward) cover it with a piece of masking tape (wrap it around tightly
• Put in the d batteries (test by turning it on (- is on, the circle is off) {does not turn on, undo the tape, and repeat the steps {make sure the wires are secured)
• Take the fan and put it on the motor.
• (Side note: if it does not fit on the motor (too big), cut the cotton parts of a cotton swab off {cut it in half, get a twisty tie and fold two sides up). Stick the ½ of cotton swab inside the fan hole, put the twisty tie; in the space not occupied by the cotton swab.
• Now tape the top of the fan to secure it.
• Test it (turn on the CPU switch) {Warning: the fan may fly off if it is not attached properly
• If the fan flies, adjust the twisty tie and the cotton swab stick as necessary
• Take the fan off for now (You will put it back on later)

Materials: Fan with motor and battery pack, fan container, tape, broken phone case/replica, foam material, rubber band

• Take the fan container and the cardboard rectangle you saved
• Insert the cardboard rectangle into the front of the fan container
• Put the phone stand in the front inside the small space between the cardboard rectangle and the plastic from the tissue box
• Move the box (inside facing towards you) {put in the battery pack)
• Lift the box and tape the phone case to secure it on the box
• Lean the box forwards slightly (and use tape to secure the battery pack to the inside of the box
• (carefully push the motor through the phone case hole)
• Take the wires in one hand (use a rubber band to secure the red and black wires)
• Tape the wires onto the back of the box
• Tape the CPU switch onto the top left corner of the box (one piece on one side and another on another side)
• Take the foam material and, securing the motor in the phone stand hole, place it over the dc motor. (secure it with tape)
• Secure the dc motor with more masking tape on the outside
• Try closing the flap on the right ( cut a small square in the cardboard flap based on the location of your switch.
• Use two pieces of tape on the flap (for opening and closing it)
• Test the motor (turn it on (- on, circle off)
• Test the fan (be very careful {if it stays on it is good, if it flies off to make adjustments} {wear safety goggles just in case} [also do not aim the fan towards the ground, it will break the blades]
• Well, that is the fan and the container completed, next up is the car.

Materials: box (thin cardboard), paper folder, marker, ruler, scissors

• Take the box (cut the right edge and the bottom edge)
• {The box should open up so that it is flat}
• For the body, you have to draw a diagram.
• There are three rectangles and one square.
• The dimensions for the left and right rectangles are 4.6 inches (lengths) by 1.9 inches(width).
• The top rectangle has dimensions of 4 inches(length) by 1.9 inches (width).
• The rectangle in the middle has dimensions of 4 inches (length) by 4.6 inches (width)
• Cut out the foldable (by the outside lines)
• Fold by the creases
• Turn foldable so that the flap with the dotted lines face towards you.
• Create a smaller rectangle (0.5 inches from the ends of the rectangle){1.5 inches high)
• Connect the vertical lines (use the rectangle to trace a straight line)
• Cut out the smaller rectangle
• Tape the side edges to create a box-like figure
• Take your folder and open it up (undo the pockets)
• Take the top of the body and place it on the folder
• Trace around the model (with a marker or pencil)
• Place the side of the model on the left side of the square and trace around to create another rectangle.
• Repeat for the other side
• Cut out the foldable (following the outside lines)
• Fold by the creases
• Place it on top of the model, and secure it with masking tape.
• For the back sail, take the model (vertically) trace around the rectangle on the back.
• Move the model underneath the first rectangle and trace the bottom again
• This could create a rectangle for the back sail.
• Cut it out, get a marker (use the marker to roll up about half of the rectangle.
• Tape it to the back of the model (the space without the smaller rectangular hole)

• Materials: small cardboard tube, two cotton swabs, scissors, piece of plastic from a soda bottle, pencil, tissue box leftovers, permanent marker, hobby knife, toothpick
  • Take the piece of plastic from the soda bottle.
  • Place the small cardboard tube on top of the plastic (trace around the cardboard tube using the marker)
  • Cut out the circle.
  • Get the leftover cardboard from the tissue box and measure and draw a rectangle (length 2 inches, width 3.5 inches)
  • Cut out the rectangle.
  • Take the pencil and the cardboard ( wrap the cardboard around the pencil to create a tight roll )
  • Slip the cardboard roll off of the pencil (stick about half of the mini roll inside the cardboard tube (make a tiny mark where the cardboard tube aligns with half of the tissue box mini tube)
  • Take the tissue box tube out (cut where you marked it (this will create a smaller tube)
  • Unroll it and reroll it on the pencil (tape it with masking tape)
  • Get the plastic circle place the mini tube on top of the circle.
  • Trace around the mini tube (with marker)
  • Use a hobby knife to cut out the minicircle.
  • Stick part of the mini tube inside the small hole
  • Slide the cardboard tube below the plastic circle and the mini roll
  • Cut the circle with scissors until it aligns with the tubular circular shape.
  • Remove the cardboard tube.
  • Take the plastic circle and the mini cardboard tube and stick four pieces of tape; one on the top, two on the sides, and one on the bottom (the sticky side of the tape faces downwards)
  • Slide the circle and mini tube through the cardboard tube (secure the tape inside)
  • Next, get two cotton swabs (cut off the ends)
  • Stick the two swab sticks to the ends of a toothpick
  • Tape both ends of the cotton swab sticks on the toothpick (wrap the two pieces of tape tightly)
  • Stick the axle through the wheel and roll it back and forth

• Simply stick the axle (toothpick and cotton swab) through the wheel you made
• Tape the ends of the axle onto the ends of the front of the main body (The side that has the rectangle hole in it)

• Test your fan on your model wind-powered car (Side note: your car may go a different distance based on the wind power from your fan)
• Also, when you turn on the fan, hold it in the air so that you can let the sail catch the air at an angle.
• If it is not working for you, then you can make adjustments to improve your model.