16-Year-Old Seeks Help Building a Coil Gun

[PhysicsIsNeat]

Hey!
Im 16 and love physics, but I am starting to get board with the regular school course and want to start a little project of my own, i thaught a coil gun would be a good start .
Any way, I've looked on google on how to make one but all the instructions suck so i was wondering if anyone could help me out by giving me a list of what ill need, and instructions on how to make a coil gun.

thanks

 

[Mk]

For one thing, coil guns usually require killer Amps and high Voltages.

http://www.oz.net/~coilgun/mark1/home.htm
http://powerlabs.org/emguns.htm

Those are my two most helpful sites for coil gunning I've found. You're not going to get instructions like you get in the LEGO kits, you're going to have to really know what you are doing, work out the equations, and construct your own model. Powerlab's site is crazy, don't ever try and do something like that. Oz.net's is more workable, makes it look fun!

 

[Mk]

http://www.jeffhove.com/robots/coilgunhowto.html
Oh look, I found rather complete instructions on how to make a small coil gun with a disposable camera! It semi-automatic and shoots BBs ~20 ft.

 

[chriss-russell]

Here is another most helpful site for coil gunning I've found.
http://www.anothercoilgunsite.com
Has all kinds of coilguns big and small. I saw a few get actually turned into reqular sized pistons. The pistols pack a punch straight clean through soup cans! And it just keeps getting better, more powerfull, and sophisticated.