16-Year-Old Seeks Help Building a Coil Gun

  • Context: High School 
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    Building Coil Gun
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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around building a coil gun, with a focus on the necessary materials, instructions, and safety considerations. Participants share resources and insights related to the construction of coil guns, which are electromagnetic devices that propel projectiles using coils of wire.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses enthusiasm for physics and seeks guidance on building a coil gun, indicating a desire for a project beyond standard schoolwork.
  • Another participant warns that coil guns require significant electrical power, specifically high amperage and voltage, and emphasizes the need for a solid understanding of the underlying physics and equations.
  • Participants share links to various resources, including one that provides instructions for a small coil gun using a disposable camera, which is described as semi-automatic and capable of shooting BBs.
  • Additional resources are shared that showcase a variety of coil gun designs, including some that are powerful enough to penetrate soup cans, suggesting advancements in coil gun technology.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the complexity and power requirements of building a coil gun, but there is no consensus on a single set of instructions or approach, as multiple resources and designs are presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not clarify specific safety measures or the potential risks associated with building and operating coil guns, which may be important considerations for a novice builder.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for young physics enthusiasts, hobbyists interested in electromagnetism, or individuals looking to undertake DIY projects involving electromagnetic propulsion.

PhysicsIsNeat
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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:biggrin: .
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:cool:
 
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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!
 
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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.
 

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