AstroMedia Wimshurst Machine pt.1

AstroMedia ( https://astromedia.de ) specialize in functioning models of machines, including scientific and astronomical instruments. I’d never seen a card model of a Wimshurst Machine before, much less working Wimshurst with many structural parts made of paper. I’d tried building a Wimshurst from scratch, but never got it to work. Someone posted a video of his AstroMedia Wimshurst making sparks on https://www.facebook.com/groups/electrostaticmachines and I was intrigued. 

I ordered the kit from AstroMedia’s UK distributor, https://www.astromediashop.co.uk , £44.40 plus shipping. Due to a favorable exchange rate, the total came to about $70. (I opted to pay extra for tracking.)

Everything came neatly packed flat with a layer of packing peanuts to keep it that way.

Not everything is made of card: the conductors are adhesive-backed aluminum foil, the electrodes are wood wrapped in foil, the discs are Plexiglas (acrylic, Perspex) and there are various bits of metal and plastic hardware.

The kit has a Steampunk feel, fitting, since Wimshurst built his machines in the 1880s. Parts are printed to resemble materials like brass and leather, with tiny screw heads printed in appropriate places.

Structural parts are built up from card. There are 11 pages, 8.25” x 11.625” (210 mm x 296 mm)  printed on both sides, and labeled “Bogen 1” through “Bogen 11”. Thickness varies by function, ranging from .018” to .025” (0.47 mm x 0.65 mm).