Week 1, The Idea

I plan on my final project being my attempt at an electromagnetic projectile accelerator. Essentially, it uses an electric current to create a magnetic field to propel a projectile a high speed

For safety's sake, the one I will end up making will not be as poweful as it could be... but it will still be pretty cool

A very VERY basic model of the main chamber may end up looking like this

Is this insane idea actually plausable?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ no hecking clue.

There is a lot of physics, wiring, and programing that will have to go into this project, I don't have much experence in any of these so this if going to be one heck of a trip

Regardless of whether it works or not, it will probably be funny either way. So I’m excited to see how it turns out

I will most likely end up doing most if not all of the modeling in a web-based CAD software called Onshape. *note to later me, link to onshape here, thx* I have used onshape for legitmately most of my life so I am at least a little experenced with it :)

The research

As per the usual for me, I plan on doing the majority of my research myself via real world tests and the like, I find that I understand the topics better by experencing them first hand (even if they may give me a shock or two)

My general plan of attack

while there is a pretty fair amount that I would need to get done with this, I do have a very basic plan

Do the research on electromagnitism, Make a capasator bank (and try not to electocute myself) Make a very basic prototype, make a better body/chamber design, Somehow make something to monitor charge, Implement "safeties"(shouldn't need them but it coulden't hurt) Suffer probably, Go to a machine shop and mill a bunch of more permanent rails, make a better housing and chamber. Prototype, test, adjust, repeat until I'm satasfied enough. (note, not necessarily in that order)