Making A Motor

Exploring the Magic of Electricity

TOOLSFlathead screwdriver

Phillips Screwdriver

Diagonal Cutters

Needle Nose Pliers

Wire Strippers

Wire Materials

12 gauge solid copper

2’ 20 gauge enamel coated magnet wire

18 gauge bell wire

Motor Parts

Wood block 3”x3”x 3/4”

Alligator Clips

2 wood screws ¾” 1” cardboard tubemagnet

Step 1: Making connecting wires

Attach an alligator clip to one end of black bell wire. Repeat for 2nd black wire.

Attach an alligator clip to both ends of white bell wire.

Step 2: Forming the motor brushes

Cut a 1’ piece of 12 gauge copper wire in half.

You should have two 6” copper wires…

Using needle nose pliers, form a small hoop at one end

Holding the hoop, bend a right angle 1” below hoop…

Form a second hoop off the right angle

Bend another right angle from second hoop. First

hoop

Second hoop

First hoop

Repeat Step 2 for the other half of copper wire. You will have two brushes.

Second hoop

First hoop

Using wood screws, mount the brushes 1-1/2” apart on the wood block, hoops facing out.

The brushes should look like the picture below.

Wire connection pointWire connection point

First hoop First

hoop

Step 3: Place a magnet in center of brushes.

Step 4: Making the Rotor

Materials: 1” cardboard tube, enamel wire, sandpaper.

Using cardboard tube begin making a coil.

Leave 2” of wire at ends.

Keep coils neat. 5-6 turns should do.

Carefully move coil of form,

pinching coils together.

Pinching one side of the coil, make a loop with a free end around the coil to secure it.

Like this! Make two loops to secure.

Repeat for the other end of coil to secure windings.

Place coil in middle of brushes, trim excess wire.

Repeat for other side.

Using sandpaper, sand away enamel all the away around one end of coil.

Bare copper end

Enamel removed all the way around this end.

Remove half the enamel from this end! (semi-circle bare)

The complete rotor.

Sand away enamel 1/2 the away around other end of coil.

Step 5: Inserting rotor in Brushes.

Slide coil through brushes, use needle nose pliers to bend one brush to ease installation.

Motor brush

A Completed Motor Assembly

Attach wires to brushes using alligator clips on connection points.

Making Simple Switch

STEP 1:

Cut two pieces of black bell wire, equal lengths

STEP 2: Strip wire ½”

STEP 3: Make a hook in wire

STEP 4: Fasten wire and strap metal to wood

STEP 5: Screw into place

STEP 6: Fasten bell wire at other end of switch block

STEP 7: Screw in place

Completed Simple Switch

Complete motor wiring using a simple switch and 6 volt lantern battery.