HackerMaker

Emiel, of the Practical Engineer , shows how to make a crankshaft-based solenoid engine, demonstrating a press drill and a lathe. There's a detailed blog post with instructions  as well as a YouTube video  also show below.

Simple electric motors From the Russian site Zabatsay , some demonstration to build a simple electric motor, requires: A Single AA battery A couple of regular steel paper clips Some sticky tape Some enamelled copper wire or verowire A knife or scraper I don't know why it works properly with a DC power supply and no brushes.  I think it maybe to do with an irregularly formed coil so that the magnetic field is uneven and there can be an average force. VIDEO WARNING : The background music is too funky for you, don't click to view!