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Newton Brawn

Sun Sept 09 2012, 01:46AM

Registered Member #3343 Joined: Thu Oct 21 2010, 04:06PM
Location: Toronto
Posts: 311

Hi !

Im trying to construct a Levitron, so I am looking for information.

There are several sites in the Internet, however such sites do not provide precise info regarding dimensions and position of the magnetics.

Any one can help ?

Regards

Newton

Patrick

Sun Sept 09 2012, 02:09AM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

First, Im scared to ask, but your not trying to do any bogus pseudo-science right?

Second, are you trying to levitate a small object, like one of those odd desk orniments?
-or- are you trying to put a 5 gram frog into zero g, using a 160 ton electromagnet?

this subject is broad, well need to know your intent first before any one can advise you.

i presume youve already read this?

in the worst case scenaerio, you may have to take one apart to figure it out. i wonder if the bottom magnetic plate is a circular concave up dish?

BigBad

Mon Sept 10 2012, 12:20AM

Registered Member #2529 Joined: Thu Dec 10 2009, 02:43AM
Location:
Posts: 600

Original patent:

Wiki page:

There's a lot more stuff about this out there; one physics group made a very stable version and spun it for many hours.

I don't think the base magnet shape is critical; I think a simple disk works or a loudspeaker magnet type shape.

Yanom

Mon Sept 10 2012, 01:25AM

Registered Member #4659 Joined: Sun Apr 29 2012, 06:14PM
Location:
Posts: 158

Patrick wrote ...

put a 5 gram frog into zero g, using a 160 ton electromagnet?

They won an Ignobel Prize for that one, didn't they?

Tony Matt

Mon Sept 10 2012, 01:44AM

Registered Member #3700 Joined: Sat Feb 19 2011, 12:59PM
Location:
Posts: 107

Hi Newton:

Some time ago I have collected info re Levitron, however I leave the project for a future opportunity.

Here some info that may help the construction:

Japanese Levitron
Base: 18 neodymium magnetics

Japanese Levitron
Base: 18 microwave magnetron magnetics

Colombian Levitron
Rotor: D=50mm, d=19mm, h=12mm
Base: D=140~150mm.

More info:

The last Levitron:

\\

Cheers

Newton Brawn

Mon Sept 10 2012, 05:11PM

Registered Member #3343 Joined: Thu Oct 21 2010, 04:06PM
Location: Toronto
Posts: 311

Hi Patric:

Do not be scare to ask wath I'm looking for ... All people need understand the question to provide the proper answer.
Yes, Im not looking for any pseudo-science device, just a schematic and some data for construct a small toy.
and using easy to find materials...
Do you have a schema?
Thanks

Newton Brawn

Mon Sept 10 2012, 05:44PM

Registered Member #3343 Joined: Thu Oct 21 2010, 04:06PM
Location: Toronto
Posts: 311

Hi Tony!

Good information, now I learn that simple lowdspeaker magnets may be used in the project.

The japanese levitron is impressive. Can you or someone else translate what they are talking in the video ?

Regards

Newton Brawn

Fri Nov 16 2012, 11:18PM

Registered Member #3343 Joined: Thu Oct 21 2010, 04:06PM
Location: Toronto
Posts: 311

any other info??

Patrick

Fri Nov 16 2012, 11:34PM

Registered Member #2431 Joined: Tue Oct 13 2009, 09:47PM
Location: Chico, CA. USA
Posts: 5639

is this what your meaning?

The top spins stable in the range from about 20 to 35 revolutions per second (rps). It is completely unstable above 35-40 rps and below 18 rps. After the top is spun and levitated, it slows down because of air resistance. After a few minutes it reaches the lower stability limit (18 rps) and falls. The spin lifetime of the LEVITRON can be extended by placing it in a vacuum. In a few vacuum experiments that have been done the top fell after about 30 minutes. Why it does so is not clear; perhaps the temperature changes, pushing the equilibrium out of the stable range; perhaps there is some tiny residual long-term instability because the top is not spinning fast enough; or perhaps vibrations of the vacuum equipment jog the field and gradually drive the precession axis away from the field direction. Levitation can be greatly prolonged by blowing air against an appropriately serrated air collar placed around the top's periphery so as to maintain the spin frequency in the stable range. Recently a LEVITRON top was kept rotating for several days in this way. But the most successful means to prolong the top's levitation is with Fascinations' new PERPETUATOR Â®, an electro-magnetic pulsed device which can keep the top levitating for many days or even weeks.

if you want to build the EM or pnuematic version, thats a pretty exact device and physics youd be aiming for...

teravolt

Sat Nov 17 2012, 02:29AM

Registered Member #195 Joined: Fri Feb 17 2006, 08:27PM
Location: Berkeley, ca.
Posts: 1111

what would be cool is to super size a levitron to 4ft or so.

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