IR application - Coilgun

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resident_genius

Joined Aug 23, 2009
3
howdy. saw this thread and was hoping that this would work for my application.

what i need is a IR break-beam circuit that closes a switch when the beam is broken. the breech of the gun(multistage coil gun) will be empty most of the time. in a multistage coil gun, the first stage is triggered by the operator, and the 2nd, 3rd, (and so on) stages are triggered by this break-beam circuit. as the projectile travels down the barrel, accelerated by the first stage, it breaks the beam. i need the break beam circuit to close a switch while the beam is broken, and open the switch again when the beam is restablished. if this break-beam circuit is not an energy-hog and will work well, then that'll be just fine, i'll buy and build. however is there is something better for my application, please tell me how. FYI, the switch requires little to no current, just a completed circuit.

i'm kind of a beginner to circuits so please explain in everyday language. i can build basic circuits and wire LED's and whatnot, but im not quite fluent in building a 555 timer, so that should give you an idea of where im at.
 

hgmjr

Joined Jan 28, 2005
9,027
Greetings resident genius,

I have moved your post out of the existing thread into which you had initially placed it and into its own thread. This will make sure that it gets the dedicated attention that it deserves.

Appending your request for assistance to an existing thread is discouraged since it introduces the potential for confusion.

hgmjr
 

ItsTheFark

Joined Jun 14, 2009
24
I too am building one, just single staged. The hardest part in my build is the boost converter which i FINALLY figured out (Thank you those who helped).

But thank you anyway, now i know how those multi-staged ones work! i was curious how do you time those that well!
 

Thread Starter

resident_genius

Joined Aug 23, 2009
3
they say coilguns are something you have to build up to- so i would reccommend building a simple cheap stupid one that barely fires finishing nails into styrofoam, then upgrade your capacitor, then the charger circuit, then the power source, then the coil....

i have a huge bag of disposable cameras- must have been 150 in there. besides the enourmous amount of 120uF and 80uF caps, and the circuits, i have a million AA's now, and they were all free.
 

ItsTheFark

Joined Jun 14, 2009
24
I have already built small grade coilgun and railguns. I am now slowly enhancing everything. First step is the charger circuit, 2nd step is the capacitors, 3rd step is the coil.

BY any chance do you know the rating on the capacitors from disposable cameras?

I got like 6 capacitors 2200 uF, 35V for $1 in total.. anyone know where to get some higher-grade ones? not just the low grade ones you can get at radio shack.
 
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