5614 Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 basically, as the title suggests im a little bored, what can i do to keep myself busy? home made experiments? i've got some strong magnets, which im making the repel each other, which gets quite boring after a while!!! i have general house hold items, can get hold of electronics, dont have many chemicals readily and/or locally available sadly.... any ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 how long is a peice of string? I`ll help you all I can, but I REFUSE to be your Imagination as well! I think I speak for most here in that respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 what is the best way to get more hydrogen outta my electrolysis of water, im going store it in a plastic bottle and set it all on fire! i think, or hope, but i dont get much hydrogen. i use tap water, as pure H20 isnt that good, i add a bit of table salt to increase conductivity, im using a 9V battery with normal wires! i cant find any thick metal rods anywhere, and cant think of a random place which sells that kinda stuff [in the UK]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 how long is a peice of string? mathematically its X long, Y wide and Z in volume any fun things to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YT2095 Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 what is the best way to get more hydrogen outta my electrolysis of water' date=' im going store it in a plastic bottle and set it all on fire! i think, or hope, but i dont get much hydrogen. i use tap water, as pure H20 isnt that good, i add a bit of table salt to increase conductivity, im using a 9V battery with normal wires! i cant find any thick metal rods anywhere, and cant think of a random place which sells that kinda stuff [in the UK']. set it on fire? ROFLOL ) addind salt to increase conductivity, sure it`ll do that ) MUhahahahaaaa after the Chlorine gas dissipates you MIGHT get close enough to it with a match! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 if i collect it all in a plastic bottle or sumin, put a lid on, take it outside open the lid, pop a match inside the bottle, but thinking of it, i think that that might hurt me too. how can i get my magnet to shoot across my room? make a coil of wire, put the magnet inside and turn on the current, what kinda voltage do i want? for the magnet [quite powerfull] to shoot 4 or 5 meters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drz Posted September 8, 2004 Share Posted September 8, 2004 hmm, rail gun, sounds dangerous. What if you had a magentic piston, inside a cylinder which was large enough for an average grape? Flip a switch one way, the magnet returns, allowing you to load a grape, flip the switch on and boom, grape gun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 8, 2004 Author Share Posted September 8, 2004 i like this idea, i would need a powerful battery, maybe two 9V batteries, a DPDT switch to get the alternating current at the flick of a single switch, however i think that the magnet would shoot out with the grape, retaining the magnet would slow down the grape shot. i looked at rail guns, can't remember why i didnt like the idea, i'll have a look at it again, could make a tesla coil or van de graph, but maybe not, i think about it! any more ideas for the grape gun? could i get a magnet to launch a grape that far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drz Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 if the magnet was held back by some kinda opening, but the grape was small enough to go through, you wouldn't launch. But you would probably be better of to try some kinda air powered grape launcher. Use like a 25-30 psi check valve, build up some psi with a hand pump for a bike into a chamber, have the grape fit inside a tube on the output side of the check valve. You might need to use some paper for packing. Think high pressure spitballs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ydoaPs Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 household chemicals, huh? you can make some good stuff with most of them. if you have ephedrine based pills, they are even better. not*cough* from my *cough* experience. DRUGS ARE NOT CONDONED BY SFN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ydoaPs Posted September 9, 2004 Share Posted September 9, 2004 I have one that everyone would have no problem with. Use the string and the magnets to make a pendulum. Have one magnet place so that it repels the one on the string. Let the pendulum go and see how long it takes to stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsatan Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 make a water sprayer, that uses electrolysis. lol. pretty simple. Or make a water rocket they're always fun, or if u want take a 2li bottle make a small hole near the base (7mmOD) and use that for burning your hydrogen in, buy lighting it with the small hole (make sure the lid is off) it will make a great woosh and pop sound and give a good recoil. wont hurt u (well never did me, lol) js Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 11, 2004 Author Share Posted September 11, 2004 one sec, sounds good, but i dont follow jsatan, you have a 2li bottle, you do electrolysis on it, where do the rods go in? then you have a hole in the bottom, for burning the hydrogen, but the hydrogen goes up, so why is there a whole in the bottom? why is there a recoil? i cant see where the pressure is if there are wholes in the bottle? i dont think i quite understand you, can you explain more clearly please!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 You could just build a simple coil gun. If you're interested I can break it down for you but if you're not then I wont waste my time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 11, 2004 Author Share Posted September 11, 2004 im interested yes, what exactly is a coil gun?? shoots springs? or electromagents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lance Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 A coil gun uses an electromagnetic pulse to propel a ferromagnetic projectile. Just go to a photo developing place and ask for one of the disposable flash cameras in the recycle bin. Then go to radio shack and buy some magnet wire. Take a nail and cut the flat end of so it fits in a pen tube. Take the pen tube and glue two washers the same length apart as the length of the nail you plan on using. Then wind all of the thinnest magnet wire in-between the washers (it come in packs of 3 widths). Then just wire the coil in series with a switch parallel to the large capacitor in the camera. Then simply press the button to charge the flash on the camera. Put the projectile in front of the coil and press the button. The pulse will attract the nail towards the center of the coil but by the time it reaches that point the pulse will have stopped and the nail will keep going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 11, 2004 Author Share Posted September 11, 2004 im sure i've heard of them before, i remember a similar description... i look into it, thanks any other ideas anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilded Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 Isolate potassium chlorate/perchlorate from match heads and burn it with some sucrose (it's a lot of fun, check the instructions at the chemistry forum). I did it today and damn was it cool. And with those strong magnets of yours you can do lots of fun stuff! http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/magnets/pyrolytic_graphite.html ; magnet experiments (suspending magnet in mid-air, rail gun, etc.). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 What household chemicals are available to you ? Lye-based drain cleaners and aluminum foil would generate your hydrogren gas faster than electrolysis if you have a relatively heat resistant container to mix them in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilded Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 It sure does produce hydrogen fast (not sure though what else it produces). It's also great fun to put some Al-foil and drain cleaner in a plastic bottle. Seal the bottle, put a lit candle/torch near it and take cover. A nice fireball should follow. (If there's an experiment that has injured more pre-teens/teenagers than this, I'm not sure if I want to hear about it :< ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsatan Posted September 11, 2004 Share Posted September 11, 2004 I made that bottle first by using deodorant (not Antiperspirant) so you'll have to use your creativeness to adapt it for electrolysis, maybe add some small tubing (air line, fish take tubing) from your electrolysis bubbler to the bottle (combustion chamber). But instead of putting a little hole to light it with a match or something get one of those little sparkers from BBQ or cigarette lighters, add some extra wire to the bottle, use a small bottle for this as it can give a kick and I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. The air mix burns fast and pushes out the lid at the top which is a lot bigger than the little hole at the bottom, which also helps to allow fresh air to enter, but as this will have its own supply of air and fuel it will not need it. Add a solar panel and you have water electric run potato shooter, lol. js Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 i think im gonna make a gauss rifle. (a) are ball bearings steel? (b) ive only got smallish magnets, diameter the size of a medium ball bearing, and about 1.5cm long, with ball bearing, will that make a good gauss rifle? © whats the difference between a home gauss rifle and a proper big one, like what gives the big ones the extra power? http://www.scitoys.com/scitoys/scitoys/magnets/gauss.html is the site, posted earlier on this thread, which is where i got the idea from, i've seen them in other places as well.... quite popular. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 it doesnt seem to be working too well, out of 5 atempts, it has only worked once.... the balls shoot off the 1st magnet, but dont have enough power to pass onto the next ball through the ball. is it because im using long, well 1.5cm long magnets, not square ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5614 Posted September 12, 2004 Author Share Posted September 12, 2004 guass rifle update: well, my magnets, whilst strong are not the shape shown in all examples i can see, plus the small ball bearings are'nt that good, they're metalic, but who knows what material, when i next go to a shop which sells magnets, i get some... i know a place where i can get a nice variety of ball bearings for free, so thats not a problem. nice idea though p.s. my gauss rifle did work, but outta about 20 tries, only did it 5 times, also it really wasnt that powerful, it was like flicking myself with my fingers or sumin, not powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Garyr Posted October 7, 2004 Share Posted October 7, 2004 Hi folks first time here. I do notice you seem to use surplus supplyers more than I do. While I do have a a list of them, I also have a list of manufactures I deal with. I have a source for photo strobe capacitors. They have a min. order, but I may have a few to spare . As of next week I'll have 2 caps 500v 950Mf to spare for $35 each + shipping. I can get others but have to settle for what is in stock. Anybody interested? I'm not a dealer......but I could be if there is enough interest. GaryR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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