Mini waterwheel model making method with drawings

The waterwheel is a kind of operating machinery invented by the working people in ancient China. It appeared around the Eastern Han Dynasty. The waterwheel is also called a crane. It is generally more than 10 meters high. It is supported by an axle that is 5 meters long and 0.5 meters in diameter. It supports 24 wooden spokes that spread out radially in all directions. The top of each spoke carries a scraper and water bucket. The scraper scrapes water and the water bucket fills it with water. The river water rushes in, and the inertia of the water force slowly pushes the spokes, causing the waterwheel to rotate. Each bucket is filled with river water and is lifted up step by step. At the top, the water bucket naturally tilts and flows into the farmland that needs irrigation.

Share a small handicraft with your friends. Use bamboo skewers and thin wooden sticks to make a mini waterwheel model. If you put it in the water, it can really rotate and operate like a real windmill! Are you also a little wary of this handmade model? If you like it, just follow the illustrated steps below to learn!~

1. This is a windmill drawing for your reference. You can find it yourself, or you can enlarge and print it.

2. Cut the bamboo sticks short, paste them and place them along the marks on the drawing.

3. Then cut a shorter piece from the bamboo stick and paste it between every two long bamboo sticks.

4. Paste the shortened bamboo sticks on the outermost edge as well. Then stick the bamboo skewer between the two rings.

5. As shown in the picture after completion. Then take a square drilled piece of wood and glue it to the center. Follow the same method and make another one.

6. On the small ring, stick the short bamboo stick vertically.

7. Glue the two circular structures together and glue the rectangular wood pieces between them.

8. Thread a short wooden stick through its center. This is the axis of rotation.

9.This is the drawing used to make the bracket.

10. As shown in the picture, use thin wooden sticks to stick the bracket of the water tanker.

11. Make two door-like support structures.

12. Place the waterwheel on the stand and stick a wooden board on the base. This mini waterwheel model is ready~