SGMG-13AWA-YR13 Yaskawa 1300w High Power Electric Servo Controller

Structure: I recommend using wood as main construction material, as it is a good enough insulator, cheap and easy to work with. If you use woodscrews, make sure they don’t come closer than about two inches to the HV-carrying parts. The structure mostly consists of a stable frame on which the upper and lower bearings and the stator panels can be mounted. I have used nylon screws to mount the stator panels. I recommend mounting the HV circuitry on the outside of the frame and covering it with plexiglass. This will result in a compact package with a nice view onto the HV parts. The plexiglass cover will allow you to explain the circuitry to spectators while keeping the HV mostly contained to where it belongs.

Mechanical load: I suggest you integrate a simple weight-lifting rig into your structure design. You may wind about one meter of fine yarn on the axle and feed the end of the string over the side of the device over a low-friction pulley. Rollers for patio doors work well; seek one out that has low friction and add some oil. You may also just feed the string over a ceramic or glass part with a glossy smooth surface. Attach a light weight to the end of the string. Expect that it can lift between 5 and 10 small paperclips when operated with 7.5kV.