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Hello Caryl,<br>
<br>
<img src="cid:part1.03010309.04000705@olpc-peru.info" alt=""><br>
This is the sewing machine that you talk about. The feet goes in the
"green" lines that I have draw. This machines exist in Peru. They
cost around US$100 new. They are out of the reach of the poor people.
Low probabilities to find used ones (they are so good for the task that
they are kept during generations... my mother gave me her old one...
all the metal parts work as new, but the wood parts are destroyed due
to lack of care by more than 20 years (that the machines was stored in
a garage). My ex wife got in love to the machine and she has kept it,
fix it and use it for many things (well... she got the car and the
house too! <span class="moz-smiley-s5"><span> :-D </span></span>)<br>
<br>
My idea is that we can develop the "pedaling" or "treadling" machine
with "spinning wheel" technology. In the spinning wheels typically the
foot (just one is good enough) goes over the "red line" that I have
draw. It is a simpler mechanism. It is efficient and it has been
used by human beens from very old times. At the end some paintings
that reflects how they were used normally by old people and children
(just to comment that you don't need to spend huge energy for moving
these spinning wheels, the spinning wheel of the girl is a "mini"
spinning wheel.. in both cases they need to sit down and move one
foot.. not the whole leg... every kid can do it... no damage
involved... I speak from first hand experience because I have managed a
group of ladies that spin natural yarns using spinning wheels... I
imported models from India and USA and then I have found the ones that
exist in Peru... from all that experience I order to some artisans to
manufacture them, they build them with amazing results. Lucky we are
that I have some spinning wheels in the garage yet, so we can do pilots
and testing. Other advantage is that they are manufactured here in
Peru, with wood.<br>
<br>
More on next message.<br>
<br>
Javier Rodriguez<br>
Lima, Peru<br>
<br>
<img src="cid:part2.07040304.07060101@olpc-peru.info" alt=""> <img
src="cid:part3.01040106.07020801@olpc-peru.info" alt=""><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Caryl Bigenho wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:BLU108-W40798E83494CA5CAB3D780CCD70@phx.gbl"
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</style>Hello Javier Rodriguez and, all the other folks on the
peripherals list,<br>
<br>
After seeing the creative things Arjun Sarwal is doing with cow-power
in India, I started thinking of other possibilities. I remembered my
grandmother's old treadle sewing machine and how excited she was to
have it electrified. Later, I saw many being used 35 years ago in
regions in the Yucatan where there was no electricity.<br>
<br>
Here is a link to a picture of what they look like. It is the one on
the left.<br>
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade%2DLiterature/Sewing%2DMachines/">http://www.sil.si.edu/DigitalCollections/Trade%2DLiterature/Sewing%2DMachines/</a><br>
<br>
Many of these machines still exist. i see them at estate auctions
every summer in Montana. There must be thousands throughout the
world. I have twice tried bidding on just the treadle mechanism of one
on ebay. I lost out on the bidding for both, but have hopes of finding
one in Montana this summer.<br>
<br>
When I get one, I intend to try to set it up as a combination
desk/power source to run an XO. If it works and doesn't cost too much
to set up, it might be something that could be replicated all over the
world where these old machines still exist...some probably still being
used without electricity.<br>
<br>
Javier, have you seen any of these machines in rural Peru? Are they
still being used to sew? Would there be a need to try to design it to
continue to be used as a sewing machine but to generate power at the
same time?<br>
<br>
It might also be possible to manufacture a similar mechanism, at a
modest cost. But, the idea of recycling the old ones has a lot of
appeal. I was also wondering if an old automobile generator could be
adapted to work with it. Perhaps it would require too much torque to
work.<br>
<br>
It may be just a crazy idea, but if cow-power works, maybe this will
too. If and when I do this project, I will probably need some advice
from you folks. Any suggestions for starters?<br>
<br>
Caryl<br>
<br>
BTW, Could AJ's Cow-power generator be adapted to run on Llama power?
How about donkey power? Goat power?<br>
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