My DIY Wimshurst Machine: Cutting the Acrylic Disks at Factory eNova

When I saw the Wimshurst machine at C&H Surplus in Duarte, I knew I would one day make one.  Today is not that day.  I did, however make some progress on it, and would like to report on that progress.

For this post, I excerpt from this site.

What is a Wimshurst Influence Machine?

"A Wimshurst machine produces sparks by means of electrostatic induction."

If you've never seen a Wimshurst machine, please watch the video of the Wimshurst machine at a curious little electronics surplus store called C&H Surplus.  If you'd like to visit C&H Surplus, it's in Duarte (near Pasadena).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J5lz7KMneVw

Now, if you like the look and feel of the Victorian Era time travelers that Steam Punk culture evokes (and I do) and you like to make things (and I do) you'll want to make one of these (and I do).

If you can't wait to read any more and just want to get to the Making, please check out the Make: post on how to do this...
http://makezine.com/projects/the-wimshurst-influence-machine/
The author of that article has also got his own website and step-by-step.
http://steampunkworkshop.com/how-build-wimshurst-influence-machine-part-1

Here's my personal experience.  Warning, I'm just getting started.

Short story
I've got 2 blue acrylic disks and a roll of aluminum plumber's tape, perfectly cut and waiting for the next step of the Wimshurst machine.

Long Story
As luck would have it, I was having a garage sale several months ago with Friend Caprice Rothe.  She had a lovely piece of heavyweight blue acrylic from her college days that was one day going to be made into a table.  It didn't sell, so she graced me with it.  At the time I did not know it would be for my Wimshurst machine, but it was a nice piece of blue acrylic and someday I want to have a laser cutter at the Sea Base.  I knew that I would eventually use it.

Luckily for me, I didn't have to wait until I get a laser cutter.  Friend Walter introduced me  to new Friend Vinh at Factory eNova, a Makerspace in Fountain Valley.  Factory eNova has three Epilog Helix laser cutters and will be exhibiting at the Sea Base on April 6th when Long Beach celebrates National Robotics Week. 

I persuaded new Friend Vinh that it was a good idea to let me cut some discs out of the lovely blue acrylic that Friend Caprice gifted to me.  Friend Caprice was there to help with the layout, and actually found a way to salvage the table she was going to make AND let me get acrylic cutouts in this lovely blue acrylic, thus proving that you can have your blue acrylic disks and blue acrylic table too!

Here we are getting our discs ready for the Wimshurst machine.

The next step involves aluminum plumbing tape.  I picked some up at Lowe's hardware store.

And that's it! 

I've got 2 blue acrylic disks and a roll of aluminum plumber's tape.  The disks are perfectly cut and waiting for the next step of the Wimshurst machine.

Factory eNova's got a big member's showcase and kickoff of their reality show planned for March 26th, 7-10 PM.  Everyone is invited!

Factory eNova
16540 Harbor Blvd, 
Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Tel: (657) 210 4637