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• Success!
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  after a bit of trial and error bending, the motor took off. What really made it work were the 3/4" x 1/8" NdFeB Rare Earth magnets that I bought off Ebay. the supplier is http://www.forcefieldmagnets.com, ebay seller = "pie"
  
  Here is a link to a YouTube video showing the motor in action:
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZpzOmrnmnc

  Posted by morewind on November 08, 2007 at 21:09:35 Pacific Time

• Easy motor - not so easy?
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  Okay, this is my third try and I've been at it for over an hour. The spiral/balance thing is hard!! Every once in a while I get a little hint of self-generated motion but ... any hints on winding up a good spiral? I've tried using a just a bit thicker cylinder but the fine adjustments always end up askew.

  Posted by afbach on October 19, 2007 at 20:58:48 Pacific Time

• Easy motor - not so easy?
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  Here are some tips that I hope will help your project:
  
  1) Use stiff, but thin wire and be sure it's stripped of insulation at the top and bottom (some 'copper' wire actually has a coating of insulation on it)
  
  2) Use pliers to press the top tip into a fine point so it can pivot and spin freely on the top of the battery.
  
  3) The coil should not touch the battery but shouldn't be too wide as it allows the wire to move too much side-to-side.
  
  4) If necessary, use two, metallic magnets stacked on each other to provide a stronger force. Make sure the top and sides of the magnets are clean and that the wire rests on it slightly (not too much or it will force the top tip to move too much).
  
  5) Also, use another strong, alkaline battery if the steps above don't work.
  
  Hope this helps,
  
  Cy - www.sneakyuses.com

  Posted by Sneakyuser on October 20, 2007 at 12:27:35 Pacific Time