Esplora Oggetti

Wind Tunnel (Tabletop, Educational Model)

Scaled replica of the wind tunnel Wilbur and I built from a starch box. Test wing shapes, measure lift and drag. We tested 200 airfoils in two months with a rig like this. Every aircraft flying today traces back to data from this box. Includes smoke wand for flow visualization.

Aerodynamics Workshop -- Why Things Fly

Hands-on session. We'll build and test paper gliders, balsa models, and wing sections. You'll learn Bernoulli's principle the way it actually works (not the oversimplified textbook version). Tip: Lift isn't magic. It's geometry plus airspeed. Get the angle of attack wrong and the wing stalls. I learned that at Kitty Hawk in ways that bruised.

Model Aircraft Kit (Balsa Wood, Rubber Band Powered)

Complete balsa wood kit to build a flying model aircraft. Rubber band motor, tissue covering, adjustable tail surfaces. Takes about 4 hours to build, flies for 30-45 seconds. It's the same principle as the Flyer -- just smaller and less terrifying.

Prototyping Workshop -- Test Before You Build

Small group (max 4). Bring your design idea. We'll build a quick scale model and test it. The Wright method: never build the full-size version until the model works. Langley spent $50,000 of government money and his aircraft crashed into the Potomac. We spent under $1,000 and flew. The difference was testing.

Kite Building Workshop -- Control Surfaces

Build a biplane kite with working control surfaces. We tested our wing-warping concept on kites before we ever risked our necks in a glider. You'll learn about roll, pitch, and yaw -- the three axes that every pilot controls. Also great fun on a windy beach.

Steam Engine Model (Working, Watt Type with Separate Condenser)

Working model of my improved steam engine with separate condenser. Brass and steel, spirit-fired boiler, governor mechanism. Watch it run and understand why the Industrial Revolution happened. The separate condenser is the key -- you can see the cylinder stays hot while the condenser stays cold. That's a 75% efficiency improvement over Newcomen.

Engineering Mentoring -- From Idea to Industry

One-on-one sessions for aspiring engineers. I'll help you refine your mechanical design, calculate stresses and tolerances, and -- most importantly -- find your Matthew Boulton. The greatest engine in the world is worthless without someone to sell it. I was nearly bankrupt before Boulton. Technical genius plus business sense equals the Industrial Revolution.

Model Rocketry Workshop -- Build & Launch

Build a solid-fuel model rocket, learn thrust, drag, stability, recovery, then launch. We calculate expected altitude before launch and measure after. Tip: Center of pressure behind center of gravity. If not, it tumbles.

Rocket Engine Test Stand (Educational)

Tabletop test stand for small solid rocket motors. Measures thrust with a load cell and data logger. See the thrust curve, calculate impulse and burn time. I tested engines hundreds of times at my aunt Effie farm in Auburn. The neighbors complained. Worth it.

Nozzle Design Workshop -- Convergent-Divergent

Small group (max 3). The nozzle is the heart of any rocket engine. Why a convergent-divergent nozzle accelerates gas to supersonic speeds, how to calculate throat area and expansion ratio. We will machine a simple nozzle from aluminum stock.

Assembly Line Simulation Workshop

Small group (max 8). Simulate a moving assembly line. First round: each person builds complete item. Second round: each person does one step. Measure the difference. Tip: The bottleneck is the slowest station. Fix that first.

Engine Rebuilding Workshop -- Gasoline Fundamentals

Disassemble and reassemble a small gasoline engine. Pistons, valves, crankshaft, carburetor, ignition. You will understand the four-stroke cycle by touching every part. I built my first engine on the kitchen table. Clara held the fuel line.