Accurate Starting Position?
waffle, Sun May 20 2007, 03:45PMHow do you all get an accurate starting position for projectiles in a coilgun? Right now i'm just measuring the distance from the end of the projectile to the end of the barrel and pushing the projectile in with a peice of metal. Teach me your techniques.
Re: Accurate Starting Position?
uzzors2k, Sun May 20 2007, 08:20PM
Quite frankly, I just drop them in at random. I have a magnet loading system so they stay in place, but starting position is different each time. Then again, I don't have two identical projectiles so it wouldn't matter anyway. Barry made a smart projectile system in which a bolt is threaded in or out to adjust the starting position.
uzzors2k, Sun May 20 2007, 08:20PM
Quite frankly, I just drop them in at random. I have a magnet loading system so they stay in place, but starting position is different each time. Then again, I don't have two identical projectiles so it wouldn't matter anyway. Barry made a smart projectile system in which a bolt is threaded in or out to adjust the starting position.
Re: Accurate Starting Position?
Simon, Sun May 20 2007, 11:55PM
Starting position can make a huge difference in performance, though it's not something you can practically predict.
How you keep the starting position consistent depends completely on how your coilgun is built.
Don't forget simple solutions, like blocking the back of the barrel with something or sticking a small block behind it.
Simon, Sun May 20 2007, 11:55PM
Starting position can make a huge difference in performance, though it's not something you can practically predict.
How you keep the starting position consistent depends completely on how your coilgun is built.
Don't forget simple solutions, like blocking the back of the barrel with something or sticking a small block behind it.
Re: Accurate Starting Position?
Barry, Sat Jul 28 2007, 07:19PM
Most of my coilguns allow me to align the projectile with the end of the plastic firing tube. As in: push in the projectile until the back end is flush with the tube end.
The tube itself is in a tight sliding fit, letting the operator twist and push the tube in and out until the best launching position is found. Note that the "best" position also depends on the capacitor's voltage. This small coilgun photo shows the white plastic tube.
A lightly magnetized retention bolt works very well. A photo from the top shows the general construction, and a close-up photo shows the size of bolt that was used.
Cheers, Barry
PS - I really should have kept up with current posts! Sorry this answer is so delayed.
Barry, Sat Jul 28 2007, 07:19PM
Most of my coilguns allow me to align the projectile with the end of the plastic firing tube. As in: push in the projectile until the back end is flush with the tube end.
The tube itself is in a tight sliding fit, letting the operator twist and push the tube in and out until the best launching position is found. Note that the "best" position also depends on the capacitor's voltage. This small coilgun photo shows the white plastic tube.
A lightly magnetized retention bolt works very well. A photo from the top shows the general construction, and a close-up photo shows the size of bolt that was used.
Cheers, Barry
PS - I really should have kept up with current posts! Sorry this answer is so delayed.
Print this page