David Hamel three cones device, solution may already been out there!

[bs2012]

Vince, may I know the size of your device.

Have you let the device run (with the shell on) to let it accumulate sufficient power to wobble again?

Any isolation between the cone and the shell cover?

According to my study,  the initial wobble is not perpetual.   It only trigger certain electrical and magnetic movement along the cones and the shell.  When the movements accumulated sufficient power,  mechanic movement on the cones would be resulted.  The device would start to wobble again.  The time required is determined by the size of the device and the distance between the magnets and the shell.  It won't work if the shell is too big.

Pls share your experience.

Do you still have the device for easy tuning / fixing?

[FatBird]

Vince, Thank you VERY much for posting your picture.
I can tell you have a LOT of time & money in that.

Thanks for sharing sir.


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[bs2012]

Vince, I almost missed your wonderful  picture as I access the page in wap mode.

Your device is very sophisticated.  I wish I could have this skill.

The principal for Hamel's device basis on electromagnetism theory.  A changing electric field
generates a magnetic field; conversely a changing
magnetic field generates an electric field.  Change in magnetic fields in the device would also affect the balance of the cones to cause it move and eventually wobble.  The move and wobble of the cones cause more electric and magnetic fields change.

Would it be the case for your device that the gap between the magnets and the shell too far away?  It will work if the outer magnet ring is directly mount on the outer metal shell rather than on the vertical support bars.

[vince]

@Bs2012

The device was about 36" high. I do not have it anymore as I cleaning up and decided I did not want to spend any more time on it so I scraped it.  I too did a lot of research into the device and considered building it in a shell but found that it was too difficult to adjust in that configuration.  With my setup I was able to adjust the position of the outer ring to the cones very precisely and then insert it into a barrel to which it was designed to fit into.  Believe me I played with that thing a long time and no matter what I did, it would always find a point to stop.  I do not believe that David Hamel made his device any more precise than mine was as most of his work was quite rough and made out of scavenged material. The gap between the outer rings and the inner rings was about 1/4" at any point on the circumference. When I first read about the device it made total sense to me and I thought that if I made it correctly there is a good possibility that at best it would not be able to find a equilibrium and at least wobble continuously. The top of the cones were made from aluminum sheaves and the cones were rolled from aluminum sheet and welded to the sheaves. The base was made out of six concave aluminum cup bases that were facing each other and had large glass marbles between them. the Top magnet was on a brass threaded rod with a crank that allowed exact positioning. On Hamel's original he put a magnet on the lid of a barrel and place it in position with no method of adjustment. After building this thing and looking at all the possible inacuracy that can arise and not go into making it never find equilibrium I read the accounts of Hamel device with a different perspective. 

Maybe it worked as accounted but I am finding it far more difficult to believe than ever before.

[bs2012]

Vince,

What is your barrel made of?  Is it metal?  What is the gap between the barrel and the magnets?

From your information, the distance between the inner and outer magnet ring is 1/4".  Could that be the gap between the barrel and the magnets over 1/2" which is beyond the effective range of your magnets?

I am considering to fix the outer manget ring on the shell.  The magnets on the cones are fixed on adjustable screws.  This design could allow easy adjustment but also expand the size of the device.

Have you look into the electromagneticism possibility of the device?  I belive adding some voltage to the shell might affect the magnetic field inside to kick start the wobble too.