Tiny Rail Gun

thingiverse

This is an Ultra-Powerful rail gun... nearly complete. To construct a rail gun, acquire 15 magnets, each measuring 1/8 x 1/8 x 1/2 inch in size: https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=B228. Print two copies of the M15365_RailGun_1 design. Next, insert the magnets into their designated spaces with all poles facing inward or outward - it doesn't matter, as long as they are consistent. I used clear tape to secure the magnets while assembling the rest of the rail gun; they tend to shift until you're finished. You should be left with one magnet unused. Now, attach your two rail gun halves (using tape or glue) to a stable base with a 1/8th inch gap between them. Simply push your leftover magnet through the resulting slot, starting with the north side first. Does the north-facing rail shoot further than the south-facing rail? NOTE: This is an underwhelming, poorly constructed rail gun; even when perfectly aligned, it won't exceed a couple inches in distance. If you're off by even a fraction, you may not be able to fire at all... CHALLENGE: Remix this design to amplify its power and see if you can improve the results.