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Helicopter rotor blades to build wind turbine? I have 4 rotor blades from a Bell helicopter.

I haven’t got a generator or alternator design yet. Love to hear everyones thoughts. The gearbox doesn’t have lots of friction. Pretty simple. Output shaft is like 2” splined. I can always machine it to anything I need. No idea yet for a brake. But I plan to furl the blades when the Oklahoma Squall lines show up. I have thought about using a Ford automatic transmission between the gearbox and generator to change gear ratio from light wind to heavy wind. Using rpm sensor and wind speed to set diff shift points. Would eat some energy though. I also have a combine hydrostatic pump and motor system that would be infinitely variable. Fun brainstorming
 
Quite the bird catcher it would be.

Seriously though, how about a Vertical Axis contraption? A 6 to 10 foot diameter plate, top & bottom. A couple supports midway to keep them from bowing too much.
They just don’t appeal to me. I have a 100 year old windmill that just spins in the wind and is pretty. Hoping for a nice slow turning turbine that will make some energy. Doesn’t have to be super efficient
 
The gearbox doesn’t have lots of friction. Pretty simple. Output shaft is like 2” splined. I can always machine it to anything I need. No idea yet for a brake. But I plan to furl the blades when the Oklahoma Squall lines show up. I have thought about using a Ford automatic transmission between the gearbox and generator to change gear ratio from light wind to heavy wind.

Static friction to overcome from a standstill?
Helical gear reduction being run in reverse?

A magnetic load and bearings, no gears, could have less start-up drag. Except for "cogging" with permanent magnets, so powered rotor coil might have less drag (brushes would be drag, and magnetic remanence would be drag if not degaussed)

Big turbines are rotated into the wind by motors, and spun up by motors rather than by wind.
 
They just don’t appeal to me. I have a 100 year old windmill that just spins in the wind and is pretty. Hoping for a nice slow turning turbine that will make some energy. Doesn’t have to be super efficient
That's Okay, your blades have some momentum now. Off ya go!

To what degree can the blades be feathered & reversed?
I don't think I would chop or reshape the blades. If the design turns out to be Good-N-Simple perhaps a bunch of old blades will find a new life.
 
I’ll have to work on that as I build my rotor head. I’m hoping for full feather. What would be my lightest angle?
 
I’ll have to work on that as I build my rotor head. I’m hoping for full feather. What would be my lightest angle?
If you're asking me about angles, depending upon difficulty of build I would say -10 to 100 degrees. You could practice autorotation, reverse the gears to dislodge ultralights and geese or just play around while enjoying a cold one with your buddies. ?

If we're discussing your plane. Damn nice taildragger ya got there. (y)
 
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A noble idea but honestly not a practical one. Just because you got a free box of nails doesn't mean it's a good idea to build a house :)
Please tell me why it’s not practica! I don’t want to go to all this work and find the wind won’t move the blades around.
 
If you're asking me about angles, depending upon difficulty of build I would say -10 to 100 degrees. You could practice autorotation, reverse the gears to dislodge ultralights and geese or just play around while enjoying a cold one with your buddies. ?

If we're discussing your plane. Damn nice taildragger ya got there. (y)
It’s fast too! 188 kts is my max
 
I love to fly! So a turbine with helicopter blades just sounds too cool
It was definitely risky flying. I was invincible when I joined at 17. We came close to taking a long dirt nap in that $6m Blackhawk with 3120 hp...several times. I’m very cautious now. Weather and showing off will usher one into retirement early.
 
It was definitely risky flying. I was invincible when I joined at 17. We came close to taking a long dirt nap in that $6m Blackhawk with 3120 hp...several times. I’m very cautious now. Weather and showing off will usher one into retirement early.
There are old pilots and there are bold pilots but there are very few old bold pilots.

I'm a good pilit, I can pile it here and I can pile it there. :ROFLMAO:
 
Please tell me why it’s not practica! I don’t want to go to all this work and find the wind won’t move the blades around.
I'm sure you could come up with a way to build a wind turbine from free chopper blades. When I say "practical" I really mean "financially feasible". Anything can be done given enough money and time. If you really want to build a wind generator there are designs better suited to a non-commercial situation. If you decide to go ahead then start a thread and post lots of pics.
 
Here’s a question for everyone. How often does the wind shift around the compass Compared to N W S W N. Course diff locations would vary. Here in Oklahoma it only blows hard N and S. All other direction are light. I’m thinking of sensing wind direction and turning the head electromechanically and limiting it to 350 degrees or so travel. I’m planning on a hydraulic monopole for a tower and I could stabilize the turbine for raise and lowering. Hey! Here’s a thought. What if I don’t let it rotate at all. Just N and S. i rotate the blades 180 when the wind shifts and ignore the light stuff from diff directions.
 
I'm sure you could come up with a way to build a wind turbine from free chopper blades. When I say "practical" I really mean "financially feasible". Anything can be done given enough money and time. If you really want to build a wind generator there are designs better suited to a non-commercial situation. If you decide to go ahead then start a thread and post lots of pics.
Gosh what will it cost? Blades are free. Transmission is free. And I have many. Alternator or generator I’m still in the dark about but I bet I’ll learn to build one for not too much. The tower will be probably my biggest expense. But I’m a great hunter and scrounger. A 32 ft 15 kw turbine sells for $90k installed. They must be financially feasible or they wouldn’t be building them. And I can see buying one if a business uses lots of electricity and can use the tax credits. I think I can build mine for $10k and it will have much more swept area then the one for sale. If mine only puts out 7.5kw on these crazy windy Oklahoma days then I think I’ll be pretty happy. Of course I’ll share my pics. Even if it goes in the “hey it didn’t work pile of scrap metal”
 
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