Midget Van de Graaff GeneratorDevelops Up to 50,000 Volts

Build the world's tiniest workingmodel for $10 and run it on drycells to perform electrostatic ex-periments for your science fairprojectBy HAROLD P. STRANDCraft Print ProjectNo. 315

Repulsion and attraction forces at work. Many strips of facialtissue taped to the sphere get a similar charge from the gen-erator and stand rigidly apart. But point your finger, whichhas an opposite charge, and they'll reach over and grab it asthough they were alive.

SCIENCE

UNTIL we see asmaller one that ac-tually works, we willcall this the smallestelectrostatic generatorin the world! Standing but 6-1/2-in. high, itwill develop 30,000 to 50,000 volts, dependingon humidity. Yet the current is so small,there is no shock hazard.Operating on 3 volts from two dry cells, itwill perform the fascinating "satellite" and"electric wind" experiments as surely as itsbig brothers (400,000-volt model, Craft Print301, and the 150,000-250,000-volt model, CraftPrint 283). With the midget, you can demon-strate many variations of repulsion and at-traction as in Figs. 1 and 2. And by adding aspark gap electrode and wire capacitor youcan produce a continuous series of lightning-146like discharges as in Fig. 3.If you're used to working with small parts,construction will not be difficult, using main-ly hand tools. Many of the pieces may wellbe in your scrap and you can obtain the slot-ted plastic tube and other plastic parts for$3.95 (see Materials List). Cost of all mate-rials for the generator alone should averageabout $10, plus batteries.Dr. Robert J. Van de Graaff invented thegenerator which bears his name in 1931. Eversince, laboratories and research organizationsthroughout the world have used it in variousforms and sizes, including the multi-million-volt machines employed in atomic research.

How the Midget Works.

Since staticcharges are created whenever two dissimilarmaterials are repeatedly brought togetherand separated, the subminiature model devel-

SCIENCE AND MECHANICS

ops its charge by passing a rubber belt overan aluminum foil-covered plastic pulley (Fig.4). Charges are carried by the belt inside theplastic tube and up to the sphere where theyare picked up by a comb brush and directedto the outer surface. The charges build upto a high potential until they are either dis-charged by jumping the spark gap providedat one end of the base or taken off and di-rected elsewhere for experimentation.

Constructing the Generator.

Cut out thebase from aluminum sheet as in Fig. 6, drillall holes indicated and bend to shape. Attachsmall end tabs to sides with small rivets tohold lower corners together. Shape a clampfrom soft brass or aluminum for a snug slidefit with a 1/8 in. rod as in Fig. 6A and rivet itto the end of the base nearest the columnlocation.Now invert the base and position a #55

Cer-Mag d-c

motor as in Fig. 7A, so that a3/8-in. section at the end of the shaft is cen-tered over the 7/8-in. hole. Locate and drillmounting holes, then attach motor to the basewith 4-40 x 1/4-in. binder head machine screwsand nuts. Install insulated banana jacks inthe two 1/4-in. holes on one end and solder amotor lead to each as in Fig. 7A. Insert a6-32 x 1/4-in. binder head machine screw inthe tapped hole between jacks to hold thewire capacitor when an experiment calls forits use.Make the small bracket for theground brush as in Fig. 7B and solder ashort piece of copper or bronze screenwire at the free end. Mount brush as-sembly to side of box as in Fig. 7A.Return base to upright position for in-stallation of the column.

Column and Pulleys.

If plastic partsare easily available, you can cut andshape the generator column and pul-

Husky spark, 3/4-in. long and representing about50,000 volts, occurs when spark gap electrode andcapacitor accessories are attached to energized gen-erator. Electrode alone produces thinner spark, dem-onstrating effect of capacitance.

MAY,

1961

leys as in Fig. 8A and C; however, you canget all the pieces slotted and drilled for in-stallation in a package deal for $3.95, (seeMaterials List). The same source offers analternate package at slightly higher cost tosimplify the installation by eliminating theneed for stop rings.Place lower end of the column, with plasticstop rings cemented in place as in Fig. 8Aor ends turned as in Fig. 8B, in the base holeto make a tight press fit as in Fig. 5. Addsome

Pliobond

cement at the joint to assurea tight job. Turn the column in the hole

before the cement sets

to align pulley slots atthe top with motor shaft below the hole.Pulleys will be cut to correct length andcenter drilled as required, if you order oneof the plastic kits specified, but you can makeyour own as in Fig. 8C if you have 3/8 " plas-tic rod stock and can drill the shaft holesperfectly centered. Cut a 7/8 " length of 1/16-in, dia. smooth steel rod for a press fit in theupper pulley hole. Center pulley on shaftwith spacers of brass tubing about 5/32-in.long to leave just enough of the shaft exposedat each end to fit in the column slots,Cover the upper pulley with a turn of black plastic adhesive tape and butt ends asin Fig. 8C. Add two additional turns of thetape cut 1/8" wide and applied the same wayat the center. Thiscrowns the pulley tohelp keep the belt inplace. Apply tapesmoothly by rubbingit down with a smallround object.The lower pulleyshould be drilled for apress fit on the motorshaft, but before in-stalling, cover it inthe same manner asthe other pulley, sub-stituting aluminumfoil adhesive tape forthe black tape. If youdo not have the ad-hesive product, usestrips of aluminumfoil cemented on with

Pliobond.

You can

now press the pulleyon the motor shaft, be-ing sure to center itunder the column.

Im- portant:

Wipe all fin-ger marks off the foilwhen pulley is in

148

SCIENCE AND MECHANICS