2 Wimshurst-Machines from AliExpress...

[@Biokemist-o3k]

I just ordered one of these a few weeks ago and now I found your video. I really hope I will be able to fix all the problems if indeed there are any with my unit. I will get back in touch with you and let you know what I receive.. Thank you for sharing all this information.

[@johncoops6897]

8:58 - That is a very funny comment from the normally 100% totally calm Roger!

[@Tarbard]

I laughed when it fell over and you said "as you can see it's of Chinese origin"

[@toldyouso5588]

No one beats the Germans at being serious funny.

[@KeritechElectronics]

As seen on EEVBlog, haha - I saw that episode or livestream recently :) I remember playing with one at school back in my teen years. Oh boy, that was a nice Polish one, made in '70s or '80s, real deal stuff - glass, metal and wood, and did it work! Sure as hell it did, these sparks were indeed beautiful. Waaaaaaaaaay better than modern Chinese shit. And I love your rants. Cheap, fast, good... choose up to two. Makes me want to take them both apart and use the best parts of either to make a working one. It was so fun to watch

[@JUANKERR2000]

Carbon fibre brushes would be good for the neutralisers.

[@tomstrum6259]

Thx much for putting up this video.....At a minimum, All the metallics should be Reasonably

[@tomstrum6259]

Measurably conductive (especially the leyden jar connections to spark gap balls) except the intended insulated parts...Totally surprised how well that Pos constructed machine eventually produced nice sparks !! Appreciate the honest review with comments.....Helps me to better evaluate similar machines currently offered..

[@MisterBonetti]

Maske sure you are cranking in the right direction, the discs (When observed from the outside faces should rotate CLOCKWISE based on your neutralizer angles)

[@tomstrum6259]

My all time favorite Wimshurst Machine review !! Roger tells it like he really feels as he struggles with a Totally glued un-repairable Dammit BS Chinesium product... Funny as Hell

[@tomstrum6259]

"The thing is Working !" .....These old electrostatic machines don't use traditional conductive current flow principles that we moderns are trained for....Very tempmental machines that work when they shouldn't.....

[@aerofart]

I suppose you could use copper tape to make conductive surfaces where needed. Easy to shape and apply. Not sure if it is worth the time … it’s a shame that someone would go to the trouble of doing all this just to steal someone’s hard-earned money and break their heart.

[@franzliszt3195]

Maybe the pads on the wheels are supposted to be non-conductive?

[@osmanfb1]

I think you had the LCR set to capacitance measurement when you were checking the conductivity (I saw pF showing on the screen). But in any case would interesting to find out what they were made out of. They really need to be conductive for this to work. 50 euros for broken machines not worth it. You need to put them on a stable wood base to start with.thanks for the video.

[@KainkaLabs]

With the LCR-meter I measured the capacitance of the Leyden jars. The resistance I tried to measure with the 121GW meter and with the insulation tester.

[@andye2005]

Turn the crank in the other direction, then the nut with tighten rather than undo. The segments do not really need to be conductive (it would prob be better if they were) but that just need to be metallic so that they can pick up a charge as they pass each other. It's got all the basics of the machine, so spend a little time remounting things better and it will do the job. As you have found it is quite a forgiving machine. Andy

[@KainkaLabs]

Hm, the metallic-looking coating is perhaps made of aluminium flakes which are glued together/coated with epoxi or another non-conductive chemical. But how then can the neutralizers work? Is the voltage high enough that the charge can "break through" the isolating glue/coating? And BTW. I turn the crank in the diection that I want to :-)))

[@andye2005]

@@KainkaLabs the voltage would be very high, and easily leak across I would think. I'm remembering the various effect of charging up plastic rods to move streams of water, and also the belt of a Van Der Graff which was basically a wide rubber band. That had pointed pickupt at the top and also at the bottom of the column The charge moved on the belt with no metal required.. We are so used to thinking about current flow, then we tend to forget that this is all about moving static charges about, which is a rather different thing, and a fully conductive path from one point to another is not always required. On the crank, well don't blame me when you test the your AF voltmeter.. Ouch! :-]] A spot of strong threadlock compound would do the job as well... I'm so tempted to make one of these machines... Andy

[@tomstrum6259]

I'd sure like to read Roger's customer Review on this Impossible disaster !! .....How possibly can this "machine" work with non-conductive "Painted" segments ?? ....Maybe it's really a Bonetti "Sectorless" Machine !!

[@KainkaLabs]

The answer is "corona discharge" and "electrostatic influence" :-)

[@WabuhWabuh]

why are the chinese selling these random machines??