Coilgun sounds like a real good choice for a project. Certainly will get
attention (in other words - not boring).
Here is a link from a previous message on this list with some very
straightforward design ideas and plans:
http://www.oz.net/~coilgun/home.htm
As well as an excellent, free field analysis software package, that you can
download. It is called QuickField, and links are contained in the above.
Good luck!
(personal opinion: you might want to consider making your "projectiles" in
the shape of a space shuttle or the like, with the steel rod down the middle.
This is to get away from the resemblance to a weapon that a coilgun has.
The current hypersensitivity of schools and weapons/zero tolerance - might
work against you if you present this project in the wrong way) (I saw a spot
on the news lately about students expelled or suspended for carrying a metal
fingernail file or nail clippers to school - so a coilgun that "shoots" nails
at a significant velocity [15 or 20 feet per second] might not be well
received at such schools!) (so emphasize the non weapon aspect of this
project - i.e. space launch augmentation or whatever) (this way you can
make/get a lightweight model, and have it run on two guide wires, with a soft
foam end stop, and the coilgun is used to accelerate the model on this closed
track) (give it a different name as well - "coilgun" will almost certainly be
very controversial - how about electromagnetic accelerator? there are many
other less threatening names than "coilgun")
(in business, or any institution, it is often the perception of an idea or
project that makes or breaks whether it is well recieved, as opposed to
simply if it works! And sadly, sometimes you have to spend a lot of effort
to present it in a certain light - and it is much easier to do this before
you start than after) (good salesmanship is an important aspect to any
successful project)
DMBoss1021
-------------------------------------------------------------
To leave this list, email <listserver@keelynet.com>
with the body text: leave Interact
list archives and on line subscription forms are at
http://keelynet.com/interact/
-------------------------------------------------------------