# Been going to make a Whirligig for yonks



## martinka (21 Jun 2016)

Finally got around to it. It was just propped up for the photo, so of course the wind blew it over and the propeller broke.


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## bodgerbaz (22 Jun 2016)

Whoops . . . hope its easily repairable.


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## ChrisR (22 Jun 2016)

Martin.

Looks good. =D> 
It's one thing that's also been on my to do list for a long time. :roll: 

Chris.


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## scrimper (22 Jun 2016)

I make lot's of whirligigs, here is one 

https://youtu.be/mc_Ow7KqLlg


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## ColeyS1 (22 Jun 2016)

Shame it broke. Have to say I really really like it ! it's on my list of many other things I'd like to make.

Coley


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## woodpig (22 Jun 2016)

scrimper":2htv72jx said:


> I make lot's of whirligigs, here is one
> 
> https://youtu.be/mc_Ow7KqLlg



Very nice work! Are there any plans available for that particular one?


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## NazNomad (22 Jun 2016)

They can be very addictive. I've made a few and the best tip I can give you is make the next one wind-proof. :-D


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## martinka (23 Jun 2016)

NazNomad":39dwyrvu said:


> They can be very addictive. I've made a few and the best tip I can give you is make the next one wind-proof. :-D



I'm sure there's a joke in there somewhere, involving 'wind' and 'breaking', but luckily I can't think of it. 

The propeller glued together OK but we haven't had even a slight breeze since, so I have yet to see it move, other than vertically.

Scrimper, I like that particular whirligig and it's one I considered making, but I decided to start simple. There's some say I stayed that way!


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## woodpig (23 Jun 2016)

martinka":fi0qpet0 said:


> Scrimper, I like that particular whirligig and it's one I considered making.



Martin, are there plans available for it?


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## scrimper (23 Jun 2016)

https://youtu.be/fk76GVD0QF0


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## woodpig (23 Jun 2016)

Thanks but this is the one I am interested in, the Blacksmith:

https://youtu.be/mc_Ow7KqLlg

Just wondered if there are any plans available for it? :wink:


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## martinka (23 Jun 2016)

The plan is in a book called "Action Whirligigs 25 Easy To Do Projects" by Anders S Lunde


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## woodpig (23 Jun 2016)

Thanks Martin!


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## technium (23 Jun 2016)

sorry mistake.


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## NazNomad (28 Jun 2016)

I was trying to video an old one of mine and decided to make this first ... it didn't blow over.








... and the whirligig link ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3P0kUZISuo


It represents my love of The Walking Dead and I have replaced the 'traditional' axe with a meat-cleaver for personal reasons (long story, involving me, my meat-cleaver, a gang of trespassing travellers and a fleet of cars with flashing blue lights on top) :-O


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## Claymore (28 Jun 2016)

.......


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## martinka (30 Jun 2016)

Claymore":2hqr2utp said:


> Brilliant guys love them all but for a moment I wondered why Martin was making Girly Wigs?



I'd love a girly wig! It'd keep what little sun we get off this bald head. 

My whirly gig fell apart in the rain. I guess I used the wrong sort of glue. And the long piece ended up curved along the width, so the windmill was at about 30 degrees. A $&^%*(& wood pigeon tried to sit on one of the 'sails' and broke it off (glue problem again.) All in all, a complete disaster, but I learned something - I should stick to metalwork!


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## ChrisR (30 Jun 2016)

Martin.

Tite-Bond 111.
Completely water proof.

Chris.


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## martinka (30 Jun 2016)

Cheers, Chris, I'll look out for some on my travels, though I had to buy some long drills yesterday for another job, so I'll be able to screw the next one together.


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## NazNomad (30 Jun 2016)

martinka":1yyv6otz said:


> I should stick to metalwork!



Metal whirligigs, why not? I've seen pics use a bicycle wheel axle for the 'bearing' part... and being metal you can make 'em huuuge.


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## Wuffles (1 Jul 2016)

Diresta did one out of metal. Worth a watch.

https://youtu.be/lb-uIw320TA


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## NazNomad (1 Jul 2016)

Definition of Jimmy: A Matthias that welds. :-D


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## Wuffles (1 Jul 2016)

That guy could paint a wall and I'd still watch that on YouTube. I probably have actually.


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## martinka (1 Jul 2016)

It's a shame you can't get the materials from the charity shops, like you can for woodwork


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## Claymore (1 Jul 2016)

..........


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## technium (1 Jul 2016)

Claymore":1mq5oydz said:


> Martin you could get some metal bits from scrap yards or better still nick (naughty but they leave them cluttering the hedges so why not recycle them?) a few road signs (my mate used some to make a chopper bike many years ago and I airbrushed it for him.... many of the trikes made in sheds have bits of road signs for mudguards and panels)
> 
> Cheers
> Brian



Best source for Angle Iron is the road signs, they just leave them everywhere 

Can I ask where you guys source your wood, do you go skip diving for odds and ends or just purchase new?

thanks


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## Claymore (1 Jul 2016)

.........


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## NazNomad (1 Jul 2016)

technium":2a2g0e3p said:


> Can I ask where you guys source your wood, do you go skip diving for odds and ends or just purchase new?



My local recycling tip will let you take as much wood away as you want. There is some great wood in old furniture.

All my woodturning stuff is donated or self-felled.

If I had to buy wood, I'd have a different hobby.


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## technium (1 Jul 2016)

Thanks all, ive just emailed our local recycling center to see if they would allow me to collect wood as ours you chuck over a wall so would never special access so I doubt they will allow me but worth a try. Also I will look into the project places. Do you make a donation or get it free. Also you mention charity shops but arent the stuff they sell too expensive or are you on about their scrap wood items?

thanks

Colin


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## NazNomad (5 Aug 2016)

Well, the Zombie one is no more... Despite a good slathering of lacquer, the plywood blades delaminated to the point where one failed completely and the whole thing shook itself to pieces in the high winds recently.

Sooooo, I made a new one based on the 'Forever Grinding' whirligig by Anders S. Lunde.

This one only uses hardwood scraps, no ply or softwood anywhere.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqA4mAi_tJQ

... and the chickens seem to like it.

... and yes, he's sharpening a Stanley knife blade. :-D


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## technium (5 Aug 2016)

Great, I like it. nice touch with teh Stanley blade.


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## Claymore (5 Aug 2016)

..........


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## NazNomad (5 Aug 2016)

Claymore":1j39yq1y said:


> what about using some Corian for a girly wig Naz?



I'd look stupid with a girly wig. :-D


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## Claymore (5 Aug 2016)

.......


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## martinka (7 Aug 2016)

I like that Naz, I must have a go at one of those animated ones. I rebuilt my girly wig last week and it's been performing great in this weekends wind. I also resurrected my bandsaw by making some new parts on the lathe. It cuts better, straighter and quieter than it did when I bought it, though that's not saying much as it was already about 20 years old.


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## NazNomad (10 Aug 2016)

Finished this one today. I *HATE* painting because I can never get it right.


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## woodpig (10 Aug 2016)

That looks great Naz, really need to see a video though of it going!


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## NazNomad (10 Aug 2016)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W61y69g4XQs

I used a cam and a push-rod to lift the carrot, much easier than messing about with a crank mechanism.


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## martinka (10 Aug 2016)

I like it! Is that one your own pattern? Nowt wrong with the painting, and even if it doesn't look like bird %^&* now, it will do when the birds have finished using it for target practice.


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## NazNomad (10 Aug 2016)

It was a picture I downloaded years ago. I think it was just a conceptual design and not an actual thing, I've scoured the web but can't find where it came from to credit it. :-(


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## NazNomad (16 Aug 2016)

Finished this one a couple of days ago and eventually had to fire-up the leaf-blower to get a video.

*DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED ... OR IF YOU ARE A SHEEP.*

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tmjD48gRzk


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## Claymore (16 Aug 2016)

........


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## NazNomad (17 Aug 2016)

Claymore":28y91qlg said:


> LOL Cheers Naz we now have a few fields full of worried sheep here..... lol



I think they've been worried for a while... How long have you lived there? :lol: :lol: 

My four Shetlands were watching me trying to video it. Fortunately, they can outrun me. :shock:


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## martinka (17 Aug 2016)

Hahahah, for a fleeting moment I thought it was a pig and someone we all knew.  What a pity we have young kids next door or I'd be having one of those in the garden.


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## NazNomad (21 Aug 2016)

A quick and easy one, just using a bamboo skewer as an axle.









... and a short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evT80uo7DkE


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## martinka (26 Aug 2016)

Pack it in, Naz, every time I show SWMBO one of these, she insists I make one the same.


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## NazNomad (26 Aug 2016)

Crack on then. :-D


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## DiscoStu (27 Aug 2016)

I love all of them. Might have to add one of them to my to do list!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NazNomad (4 Sep 2016)

One for Hairy Pothead fans ... 







... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvicZP--WD8


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