Disclaimers

This material is for educational purposes only! These things can be dangerous! There's high voltage, and current that may cause heart fibrillation. There's fast flying pointy projectiles, and even a distinct possibility of paper cuts. Seriously, there are many dangerous aspects here, so be sure to use extreme caution at all times.

I'm not responsible for anything you do, or anything you build! Or for anything that happens using stuff you build. Or any other stupid stuff you do!

Everyone is invited to learn from this, and I encourage you to ask questions about anything you don't understand. But please, don't build a coil gun unless you know what you're doing. You should be skilled with electronic construction and safety techniques.

My schematics and designs are not a "how-to" guide. Don't start building this unless it's obvious to you how these subassemblies are hooked up together.

I do not sell parts, or kits, or boards or wire or anything. I answer questions but do not help with construction.

I am not interested in scaling up my design. I would like to make it more efficient, more reliable, and easier to build. But don't ask me how to make it more powerful. My coil gun is fast enough to be fun, slow enough to avoid serious damage, and that's enough for me. But if you understand the principles, you will know how to make it go much faster.

Do you need a consultant? I am available through my company Electromagnetic Software. You can learn more about my background from the resume for Barry Hansen.

Please note I am always happy to answer e-mail questions and I enjoy chatting about electromagnetics. If the question is too involved for a simple answer, then I will let you know my pay rates. But if you are a student then please do not ask me to design your maglev train, science fair project, jumping ring, railgun, or whatever. I love to hear about ideas and refinements, and the more specific your question the better. But don't ask me to do your design work for you.