AstroMedia (
https://astromedia.de ) specialize in functioning models of machines, including scientific and astronomical instruments. I’d never seen a card model of a Wimshurst Machine before, much less working Wimshurst with many structural parts made of paper. I’d tried building a Wimshurst from scratch, but never got it to work. Someone posted a video of his AstroMedia Wimshurst making sparks on
https://www.facebook.com/groups/electrostaticmachines and I was intrigued.
I ordered the kit from AstroMedia’s UK distributor,
https://www.astromediashop.co.uk/ , £44.40 plus shipping. Due to a favorable exchange rate, the total came to about $70. (I opted to pay extra for tracking.)
Everything came neatly packed flat with a layer of packing peanuts to keep it that way.
Not everything is made of card: the conductors are adhesive-backed aluminum foil, the electrodes are wood wrapped in foil, the discs are Plexiglas (acrylic, Perspex) and there are various bits of metal and plastic hardware.
The kit has a Steampunk feel, fitting, since Wimhurst built his machines in the 1880s. Parts are printed to resemble materials like brass and leather, with tiny screw heads printed in appropriate places.
