Windmill Instructions

How To Construct Your Own Windmill

These days everyone is complaining about rising energy costs.  However, it seems very few people are actively seeking solutions to the problem.  The truth is that there are a lot of sources of cheap, renewable energy that are simply being overlooked. 

Wind is one of those sources, and building your own windmill is a great way to reduce your monthly energy costs and do the environment a big favor. 

Windmills work by catching the wind with fan blades and turning its energy into electricity.  Surprisingly, it is possible to build your own, following some basic windmill instructions, in just a few days with as little as $200 invested. 

Click Here for a Complete Set of Windmill Instructions

The first step is to determine the amount of energy you would like to generate.  This will help you choose from the many available designs online, which are typically accompanied by detailed instructions and energy ratings. 

Necessary Materials

Hardware retailers typically sell all the building materials you will need, and everything else can be found online. 

Before you actually begin construction, make sure you have everything you need.  Once you begin, make sure you keep your detailed set of instructions with you at all times and refer to it often. 

Construction

Since your goal is to create a windmill that is as efficient as possible, you should have a basic understanding of aerodynamics before you begin.  Some sets of windmill instructions will go over the concepts of drag and resistance . 

In the end, your windmill should have four basic parts: the tower, the base, the blades, and the nacelle, or gearbox. 

Blades:  The average length of the blades on windmills five feet tall or greater is three feet in residential areas.  Common materials used include lightweight wood, plexiglass, and plastic.  Remember to keep in mind the shape of the blades aerodynamics comes in handy here. 

Base:  Your base must be heavy enough to hold your windmill down.  Additionally, it must be wide enough to support your windmill; 18 square inches is a good size for a five-foot tall windmill. 

Tower:  PVC pipes make great towers, but make sure you use piping that is sturdy enough to support your windmill while it is in action. 

Nacelle:  Your nacelle is the part of the windmill that will actually generate the electricity.  It should be composed of copper wire and magnets. 

Advantages of Using Wind Energy

For many people, a single windmill is enough to power their entire house.  It typically only takes about a month to make up for the initial investment with energy-savings. 

Not only are windmills great for you, but they are also great for the environment, as they produce clean, renewable energy. 

Further Information

If you are planning to build a larger windmill it is a good idea to do a little bit more research and purchase a set of windmill instructions from a well-established and respected company.  The U.S. Department of Energy's website has a lot of valuable information both about windmills and about regional wind patterns to help you determine if a windmill is right for you.