As the title says: What can I do with 20 strong 1/2" disc magnets? I'm thinking of building something, but what? (except a Gauss Rifle). The project can use the magnets, and electronic parts and a 9V battery. It's for a school project.

Thanks.

Make a homopolar, or disk dynamo. This is an electrical generator consisting of a conducting disk rotating in a magnetic field with one electrical contact on the axis and the other on the edge of the disk. attach it across a DC source and it will become a homopolar motor.

 

Not only is this neat in it self, but there is a lot of non-intuitive electro magnetic stuff hapening here.

Thanks. However, are my magnets too small? They're half an inch in diameter.

How about a reed switch motor? Maybe I'll build one of those and control its speed with another magnet. It's extremely simple to build. Now, I'll just have to find a reed switch and I don't think Radio Shack has one...

They should, they use to stock them. If not try Addison's

The thing is, I'm not in the States. I'm in Canada, and the Radio Shack is The Source by Circuit City here. I'm pretty sure they don't have reed switches, but I'll try to get one.

Any other ideas?

Look at my address, I'm Canadian too

 

http://www.addison-electronique.com/home.htm

 

Canadian company, Canadian dollars

Err... I'm on the other side of the country . Vancouver.

That's what UPS is for.

a scaled-down version of this: http://www.windstuffnow.com/main/microwave_wind_generator.htm

would be great!