How to make a helicopter hat?

Wings_of_Ambition

Well, the title pretty much says it all! I realise this isn't an electronic techie question, and more of an electrics thing.

In short, I occasionally do charity collections for an Air Ambulance, and would like to make a baseball cap with a model of the helicopter on top, on which the blades slowly turn (perhaps 1-2 rotations per second, nothing super fast, maybe the ability to change the speed) to make myself a bit more noticeable and increase the likelihood of donations.

What sort of equipment would I need to make this? How big a contraption would the motor/battery/control unit be? Would it be particularly difficult to do, or could someone with relatively little experience, and a few hours spare, manage it?

All help, advice and ideas appreciated

Wings

timbim_2

Getting the motor to turn that slowly might be an issue, attaching a big resistor in series would drain the battery quite quickly, and the motor probably wouldn't like it. The other way would be a gear mechanism, but you'd need a big cog and a very secure mounting.

jaygrunt

Could you not just get a toy helicopter and rig up a small motor (say out of one of them hand held fans).Should be easy enough.Then you could have a switch which goes via wires to the motor and it enable you to turn it on and off but not alter the speed.

Either that or go for one of those small indoor type.Get one for about £10 off ebay etc and just stick that to your hat

Wings_of_Ambition

jaygrunt wrote: »

Could you not just get a toy helicopter and rig up a small motor (say out of one of them hand held fans).Should be easy enough.Then you could have a switch which goes via wires to the motor and it enable you to turn it on and off but not alter the speed.

Yeah, I'm thinking this is probably going to be the easiest. There is a toy helicopter the charity sells, so may get one of those and carefully take it apart to fit the motor inside. Anyone know how big a hand fan motor is?

isofa

They may also be comic/toy hats with rotors on too, try some joke shops, gadget shops etc.

The motors inside a hand fan are pretty tiny.

isofa

PS Rather than gearing, setup a drive belt (elastic band would do), from a small pulley to a much larger one, and maybe again if you need it slower, much quieter and simpler than gears.

timbim_2

That's a better method, but still needs a really firm anchorage in the model, otherwise it'll fall apart.

NickMidgley

I went to my local shop the other day to get some helicopter crisps.

But they only had plane.






Taxi!!!

Gavin57

How about an Inspector Gadget Hat

Marty_J

Wings_of_Ambition wrote: »

In short, I occasionally do charity collections for an Air Ambulance, and would like to make a baseball cap with a model of the helicopter on top, on which the blades slowly turn (perhaps 1-2 rotations per second, nothing super fast, maybe the ability to change the speed) to make myself a bit more noticeable and increase the likelihood of donations.

You're going to look absolutely mental.

I still want to see some pictures though.