How to Make/Build a Lifter or Ionocraft

A step-by-step guide to making a lifter/ionocraft, a small, very lightweight, triangular ion wind propelled device powered with a high voltage and substantial current power supply. This uses an aluminum foil skirt for the bottom electrode, a 30 gauge (30 AWG) bare wire for the top electrode and balsa wood for the support structure. The glue is cyanoacrylate. The means of propulsion is ion wind (also called ion cloud or electric wind.)

I also demonstrate some high voltage safety features, how to work safely with high voltage.

To see the lifter air flow very clearly, watch my "Lifter Voltage/Current and Smoke/Airflow Test Measurements" video:
   • Lifter Voltage/Current and Smoke/Airf...  

To see "How Ion Propulsion, Lifters and Ionocrafts Work"
   • How Ion Propulsion, Lifters and Ionoc...  

See also:
"Star Trek Enterprise Model with Ion Propulsion added"
   • Star Trek Enterprise Model with Ion P...  
"How to add Ion Propulsion to Star Wars TIE Fighter Model"
   • How to add Ion Propulsion to Star War...  

Watch my "Ion Wind Rotor" video for a slightly different design and some discussion about ion wind:
   • Ion Wind Rotor  

I also demonstrate this lifter/ionocraft in my "How to Make 30kV High Voltage DC Power Supply" video:
   • How to Make 30kV High Voltage DC Powe...  

For more about lifters, see:
http://rimstar.org/sdprop/lifter/lift...

For more about my homemade/diy power supply used in this video, see:
http://rimstar.org/equip/30kv_pwr_sup...

For how to make a high voltage power supply using a computer monitor, see:
http://rimstar.org/equip/hvgmon24kv.htm

And if you can't build a power supply then you can buy one. I've bought from here in the past. Just tell them what you're doing, they're familiar with lifters:
http://www.amazing1.com

Materials needed (see the video for the dimensions):
aluminum foil, the same one use in your kitchen. Use the lightweight one, not the heavy duty one.
bare, uninsulated very thin wire. It should be 30 gauge (AWG) or thinner.
balsa wood 1/16" x 1/16"
thread
cyanoacrylate glue or krazy glue
For the power supply see the links given above.

The CGI animation of the astronaut was made using Blender 2.59.

To follow me on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/#!/RimStarz

http://rimstar.org