Simple Lifting System

I made a wheel and axle that acts as a way of pulling things up and down. It's a simple machine and heres how you make it:

• A cardboard box (around the size of a soccer ball and square) Make sure the bottom is open so you can build on the inside
• A roll of ribbon (it needs to be on a cardboard bobbin)
• A large skewer or stick (I used a paint brush) Make sure its the right size to fin in the cardboard bobbin
• Tape
• A clothes pin
• Whatever you want to tie at the end (I used a bucket)

Start by cutting a hole in the top of the box, just big enough for the top of the ribbon to peek out. You also cut a slit in the front of the box, make sure it's big enough for the ribbon to fit through without getting caught.

Then you measure and cut two holes for the skewer to fit through. Be careful to make sure the holes aren't to high or small so the ribbon can fit without touching the top of the box.

Next you put the skewer through the existing hole in the ribbon, if necessary secure with tape.

The last thing you do is feed the ribbon through the small slit and attach the clothes pin to one side of the skewer or paint brush. You can also tie something at the end like a bucket. Now when you turn the paint brush the ribbon with be unfurled and the bucket will lower, you can also turn it in the opposite direction to bring it back up.