A hovercraft floats on a "cushion" of air that is generated through a fan blowing from underneath the chassis. To make your Do-It-Yourself (DIY) model hovercraft float above the ground, assemble the fan that will be mounted to it. You will need supplies from a hobby store as well as tools from around the house.
Instructions
1. Place the square on a work surface. Measure from the left side to the right side with a ruler and make a dot at the halfway mark with a pencil.
2. Stand the hobby fan on the work surface. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from the ends of the two wires attached to the fan, using a wire stripper.
3. Place the micro switch on its side on the work surface so that you can see the contacts on the bottom. Stand the battery pack next to the switch on the work surface.
4. Cut an 8-inch length of electric wire from the spool with a scissors. Strip 1/2 inch of insulation from both ends of the wire with the wire stripper.
5. Insert the exposed end of the black wire attached to the fan into the "+" labeled clip on the side of the battery pack. Insert an exposed end of one of the two wires into the "-" labeled clip on the side of the battery pack. Heat up the soldering iron for six minutes. Apply a drop of solder to each clip. Let the solder cool for a minute.
6. Solder the exposed end of the wire attached to the "-" labeled clip to the leftmost contact on the bottom of the switch. Let the solder cool for a minute. Solder the exposed end of the red wire attached to the fan to the other contact on the switch. Let the solder cool for a minute. Unplug the soldering iron.
7. Apply bonding glue to the back edges of the fan. Press the fan, back side down, on the balsa wood so it is centered on the dot. Press the fan against the balsa wood for a minute before letting go.
8. Apply bonding glue to a side of the switch. Press the side of the switch that has been glued against the balsa wood next to a corner. Hold the switch against the balsa wood for a minute before letting go.
9. Apply bonding glue to the bottom of the battery pack. Press the battery pack's bottom against the balsa wood at one end. Release the battery pack after a minute has passed. Leave the balsa wood alone overnight. Insert the appropriate batteries into the battery pack to complete the bottom of the hovercraft's fan assembly.
Tags: balsa wood, battery pack, against balsa, against balsa wood, work surface