Powerful gauss gun with your own hands. How to make a multi-stage gauss gun. Do-it-yourself powerful gauss cannon. How to make a Gauss gun. Water and steam

A variety of devices have been invented to heat rooms of all sizes, but none of them can compare in efficiency with a heat gun. It is noteworthy that such a device is easy to assemble yourself, having a set of ready-made parts and assemblies available. How to do it yourself and which variety to give preference to is the subject of our conversation.

Purpose and principle of operation of a heat gun

Today, a special variety is often used in everyday life. heating devices- fan heaters. A relatively small device, due to the forced supply of air blowing across heating coils, can heat a room in a matter of minutes. A heat gun is like the older brother of a fan heater. Here's how it differs from him:

  • both the heater and fan are more powerful;
  • not only electricity is used as a heat source, but also various types fuel.

A heat gun is indispensable if you need to heat a room with a large area and high ceilings: a hangar, warehouse, trade or exhibition pavilion, greenhouse. Such facilities are not equipped with a traditional heating system with radiators, since with such volumes it is pointless: dozens of radiators or convectors would have to be installed. A heat gun with sufficient power, even alone, will easily solve the problem of heating a large space.

In addition to the purely heating function, heat guns help solve various technical problems, for example:

  • in everyday life: heating polymer stretch ceiling and the room in which it is installed (makes it possible to greatly stretch the panel);
  • in food production: fruit drying;
  • in construction: drying freshly laid plaster and screed.

Types of heat guns

Electrical

The function of the heat generator in such a device is performed by a spiral made of nichrome or another alloy with high electrical resistance or a tubular electric heater (TEH). In heating element main role The same spiral plays, but it is placed in a copper or brass tube filled with sand.

The electric heat gun is characterized by the absence of increased noise and harmful emissions

Thus, the heating element heats up less than the spiral in its pure form, but the difference in temperature is compensated by the increased surface area. That is, the heating element is not inferior in performance to the spiral, but dust does not burn on it and, therefore, users will not experience an unpleasant odor.

An electric heat gun has the following advantages:

  • simple design, minimum parts;
  • light weight;
  • minimal noise level (only the fan makes noise);
  • absence of any emissions;
  • safety due to the absence of open flame.

All these properties make electric heat guns the most convenient. But you also need to take into account the following features:

  1. Electric heating, even despite its efficiency close to 100%, is by far the most expensive.
  2. The permissible power of the device depends on the load the supply network is designed for. There are often significant restrictions, for example, the household electrical network allows you to connect devices with a power of no more than 7 kW.
  3. At high humidity the electric gun becomes dangerous.

Burner

Heaters of this type are equipped with a burner, through which one or another type of fuel is burned. An important advantage of burner heat guns compared to electric ones is their practically unlimited power, which does not depend on anything. An equally important drawback is the emission of smoke. The units are available in two versions:


Based on the type of fuel used, burner heat guns are divided into several types.

Gas


The disadvantages are the following:

  • For autonomous operation you need to refill the cylinder liquefied gas, which requires special equipment;
  • Gas fuel is explosive, but its leakage is not visually detectable.

In case of spontaneous extinguishing of the burner, the gas gun is equipped solenoid valve, which in such a situation automatically shuts off the gas supply based on a signal from the temperature sensor.

Diesel

In addition to the housing, heater and fan, a diesel heat gun is necessarily equipped with a tank, a pump for supplying fuel and a filter for cleaning it. High pressure pump (it’s called a fuel pump high pressure or injection pump) supplies fuel to the injector installed in the combustion chamber. At the exit it is sprayed into a fog. To make the fuel more liquid, a preheating chamber is installed near the injector.

Indirectly heated diesel heat gun equipped with a stainless flue pipe

There may not be a fuel pump: some heat guns use the ejector principle of fuel supply. Due to the pressure difference, it is drawn into the fast-moving air flow, as a result of which a fuel-air mixture enters the chamber.

Gas analogues diesel units lose in the following:

  • use more expensive fuel;
  • they make louder noise;
  • they work poorly in cold weather (fuel becomes viscous);
  • publish bad smell even in the version with indirect heating;
  • are more expensive (the cost increases due to the high pressure fuel injection pump and injector being difficult to manufacture);
  • due to more complex design less reliable, but repairs are more expensive;
  • need a fuel tank and periodically require refilling.

Positive qualities are explosion safety and the ability to pour fuel into the tank without the use of special equipment.

Under no circumstances should you refuel a diesel gun with gasoline or any other flammable fuel!

Multi-fuel

These guns are similar to diesel ones, only they can also run on waste oil. When using such fuel, the operation of the installation is even cheaper than gas.

Kerosene and waste oils - motor, hydraulic, etc. - are used as fuel for multi-fuel guns.

Solid fuel

Bulky and least practical option, since fuel has to be added manually all the time. But such an installation is most accessible to self-made: Of the purchased components, only a fan is required.

Diagram of a heat gun operating on solid fuel

Water and steam

In such models, air blows over a radiator into which hot water or steam is supplied. Guns of this type are an excellent option for objects with centralized system heating (at enterprises it is steam) or hot water supply. No electric heaters or burners are needed. It is enough to connect the heater to any of the listed systems - and you can use the energy hot water or coolant.

Water heat guns are hung on the wall or ceiling without occupying the usable area of ​​the heated room

Infrared

As you know, bodies are given away thermal energy not only due to contact with the environment, but also by emitting infrared (IR) electromagnetic waves. The higher the body temperature, the more intense the infrared radiation is. The operation of IR heat guns is based on this phenomenon: they have a metal element, heated to very high temperature(red glow).

A reflector is installed behind it, so that all radiation is directed in one direction. There is no fan, since it is not necessary: ​​heat is transferred without the participation of air directly to the object located in the field of action of the device.

An infrared heat gun differs from other types in the absence of a fan, which ensures its quiet operation

The following can be said about IR guns:

  1. They are very effective in open areas and in well-ventilated areas, that is, in areas where the air heated by a conventional heat gun would quickly evaporate.
  2. Due to the absence of a fan, they produce less noise.
  3. People find it more comfortable to bask in their rays, since they do not create an air flow.
  1. An IR gun is unable to create an even microclimate in a large room, since it does not provide forced air mixing.
  2. Heating with such a gun is not always comfortable, since it can be hot at a close distance from it, and cool at a distance. In addition, it only heats on one side, and if the user’s head gets into the field of action, unpleasant sensations are possible.

IR guns can be either electric or burner.

Many of the modern heat guns, except for solid fuel ones, are capable of automatically maintaining a user-specified room temperature by timely switching on and off. In burner guns, automatic ignition is carried out by a piezoelectric element that generates a spark.

What guns can you make with your own hands?

You can independently assemble the following types of guns:

  • electrical;
  • diesel;
  • gas;
  • solid fuel (designed for wood fuel).

What elements does it consist of?

So, in general, this device consists of:

  • a cylindrical body (it gives the device a resemblance to a cannon) with gratings at the inlet and outlet;
  • heating element;
  • a fan blowing the heating element;
  • filters for air purification at the suction.

This set can be expanded or, conversely, reduced, depending on what is used as a heat source. There are several options and each of them is worth considering in detail.

Diagram of a heat gun running on diesel fuel

Calculation

First of all, you need to determine how much power a homemade heat gun should have. Obviously, this parameter will depend on the volume of the room, as well as on how quickly the generated heat is dissipated in external environment. It is customary to use the following empirical formula: Q = V x T x K, where Q is the power of the heat gun, kcal/h; V is the volume of the room, m3; T - temperature difference inside and outside the room, 0 C; K is a dimensionless coefficient that takes into account the intensity of thermal energy dissipation in environment, in other words, the heat loss of the building. Taken equal to:

  • for non-insulated frame buildings with wooden or metal cladding: K = 3–4;
  • for poorly insulated light buildings with single-layer brick walls, ordinary non-heat-saving windows and a non-insulated roof: K = 2–2.9;
  • For permanent buildings with two-layer brick walls, windows of regular sizes and a moderately insulated roof: K = 1–1.9;
  • for buildings well insulated with modern highly efficient thermal insulators (including the roof and floor) and equipped with modern energy-saving windows with double-glazed windows: K = 0.6–0.9.

To convert power Q into more familiar kilowatts, its value in kcal/h must be divided by 860.

Thus, to heat an uninsulated warehouse sheathed with corrugated steel sheets (assuming K = 4) with an area of ​​10x15 m with a ceiling height of 5 m at an outside temperature of -5 0 C (inside it is necessary to maintain a temperature of +18 0 C), heat guns with a total capacity will be required:

Q = (10 x 15 x 5) x (18 – (-5)) x 4 = 750 x 23 x 4 = 69,000 kcal/h = 69,000 / 860 = 80.2 kW.

Tools and materials

To make a heat gun you will need:

  • steel equal angles 40x4 mm or 50x4 mm;
  • a pipe with a diameter of about 250 cm or a sheet of galvanized steel 0.7–1 mm thick;
  • a duct fan with an impeller diameter corresponding to the diameter of the pipe (you can take a fan with a motor from an old vacuum cleaner);
  • copper two-core wire with plug;
  • metal tank, lined thermal insulation material(for a diesel heat gun).

Depending on the type of homemade heater, you will additionally need:

  • for the electric model: heating elements (it is better to remove the spiral heater from the old electric furnace), ceramic insulator, terminals, fuses;
  • for gas: gas burner with piezo ignition and solenoid valve;
  • for diesel: injector, injection pump, fuel filter, copper tube;
  • for wood burning: sheet steel, corners.

You also need to prepare the following tools:

  • electric welding machine;
  • soldering iron;
  • drill with a set of metal drills;
  • hacksaw for metal;
  • wrenches;
  • pliers;
  • rivet machine.

Making a heat gun with your own hands

The process of creating a homemade heat gun always begins with making a frame from the corners to which the body and other components will be attached. Further actions depend on the type of installation.

First, a diagram is drawn up electrical circuit installations. If the master does not have the relevant knowledge, he can use ready-made developments.

This is what the basic drawing looks like electrical diagram heat gun

Mistakes made when assembling an electric heater can result in electrical damage or electric shock. When performing work, follow safety regulations.

An electric heat gun is made as follows:

Video: DIY electric gun for heating the garage

Heat gun on diesel fuel and diesel fuel

The manufacturing process consists of the following stages:


We draw the reader's attention to the fact that this heat gun operates according to a direct heating scheme, so it cannot be used in residential or other premises with people or animals.

To check the correct assembly, it is advisable to invite a specialist from some auto repair shop.

IN homemade model There is no flame control sensor and overheat protection system, so it cannot be left unattended during operation.

Video: multi-fuel heat gun

Gas heat gun

This installation is made as follows:

  1. A meter section of pipe with a diameter of 180 mm is used as a body. In the absence of a finished pipe, it is made from a galvanized sheet, fastening its edges with rivets.
  2. At the ends of the housing on the side you need to cut a hole with a diameter of 80 mm (here the pipe for removing heated air will be connected) and 10 mm (here the burner will be installed).
  3. A combustion chamber is made from a meter-long piece of pipe with a diameter of 80 mm. It needs to be welded into the body exactly in the center, for which it is necessary to use several plates.
  4. Next, a disk is cut out of the steel sheet to be used as a plug. Its diameter must correspond to the diameter of the heat gun body (180 mm). A hole with a diameter of 80 mm is cut in the center of the disk for the combustion chamber. Thus, a plug welded to the body on one side will close the gap between it and the combustion chamber. The plug must be welded on the heated air supply side.
  5. A heated air supply pipe is welded to a hole with a diameter of 80 mm made in the housing.
  6. A burner with a piezoelectric element is installed in a 10 mm hole. Next, a gas supply hose is connected to it using a clamp.
  7. The manufacture of the heat gun is completed by installing the fan and connecting it and the piezo igniter to the power supply via a switch.

Video: homemade gas heat gun

The easiest way to make such a heater is from an old gas cylinder. If it is not available, you can use a thick-walled pipe with a diameter of 300–400 mm as the main blank - then the lid and bottom will need to be welded yourself (the cylinder already has these elements).

One of the options for a wood-burning heat gun is shown in the drawing:

Drawing general view heat gun indicating its main dimensions

As you can see, the body of the heat gun is divided into a firebox and an air chamber with inlet and outlet openings. The partition between them and the improvised plate radiator act as a heating element for the air passed through the chamber. The location of the radiator fins is shown in the sections.

Sections - frontal and horizontal, which show internal structure guns

Fastened to the outlet pipe air chamber corrugated hose, the user will be able to supply hot air to any point in the room.

The installation is made as follows:


Too much powerful fan This heat gun is not required. It is enough to install a model for bathroom exhaust with a capacity of about 50 m 3 /h. You can use a fan from a car heater. If the room is very small, a cooler from a computer power supply will do.

Video: solid fuel homemade gun

Features of operation and care

The owner of a heat gun should adhere to the following rules:

  1. Do not use the heater if there are gasoline or solvent vapors in the air. High humidity is also unacceptable for an electric gun.
  2. The exhaust pipe must be located no closer than 1.5 m to any kind of flammable substances.
  3. There should be a pause of at least 2 minutes between turning off and then turning on the heat gun.
  4. If the unit is equipped with air filters, they should be changed or washed with soap, if possible, every 500 hours of operation.
  5. Fuel filters of diesel and multi-fuel heat guns should be cleaned every 2-3 months. Operation.
  6. The fan should be cleaned at the beginning or end of each season.
  7. At the end of the season, you need to clean the combustion chamber of carbon deposits using a vacuum cleaner or brush.
  8. Transportation of diesel and multi-fuel guns is only permitted with an empty fuel tank. If, during emptying, sediment is found in the drained fuel, the tank should be flushed with kerosene (fill in a couple of liters and shake). Without flushing, the next time you start, the fuel filter is likely to be clogged.
  9. It is not recommended to fill the cannon with fuel left over from last season. It is more correct to dispose of such residues and refill the installation with fresh fuel.
  10. During storage, the heat gun should be covered with plastic film or thick cloth so that it does not become covered with dust.
  11. If the gas heat gun is supposed to be powered from the gas supply network, then the connection to the pipe must be made using a special steel liner. To ensure that the gas pressure at the connection point remains constant, the connection angle must be at least 10 degrees towards the outlet.
  12. The gun is connected to the electrical network after connecting to the pipe.
  13. Installation on gas gun liquid gas cylinder and its connection may only be carried out outdoors. In this case, all joints must be lubricated. soap solution to make sure there are no leaks (if there is, the solution will bubble).
  14. When starting the heat gun, you need to set the maximum temperature on the thermostat. The desired temperature is set after the combustion chamber has warmed up and the main fan has started.
  15. The operation of the heat gun must necessarily end with a cooling cycle: the burner goes out (the electric heater turns off), but the fan continues to work for some time. In factory-made heaters, this mode starts automatically when the switch is set to the “off” position. If you simply remove the plug from the socket, the cooling phase will not be completed and the unit may fail as a result of overheating.
  16. For a homemade heat gun, the user must provide cooling manually: turn off the burner and turn off the fan only after the installation has cooled down sufficiently.
  17. Fuel guns can only be refueled when they are cold.
  18. To prevent fuel leakage, the heat gun should be placed on a flat, stable surface.
  19. It is allowed to store only a daily supply of fuel near the heat gun and other equipment (no closer than 0.5 m). The main stock should be stored in a separate room.
  20. Do not curtain or block a working heat gun, especially the openings for air intake and supply. Also, you should not place things to dry on a running unit.

The effectiveness of heat guns has been proven in practice: if you need to warm up a large room or dry something, you won’t find a more suitable installation. At the same time, its design is quite simple, which allows you to make a simple model with your own hands. The main thing is to remember that such heaters, by definition, are very powerful, so when using them, especially homemade options, you should be extremely careful.

Hi all. In this article we will look at how to make a portable electromagnetic Gauss gun assembled using a microcontroller. Well, about the Gauss gun, of course, I got excited, but there is no doubt that it is an electromagnetic gun. This microcontroller device was designed to teach beginners how to program microcontrollers using a design example electromagnetic gun with our own hands. Let's look at some design points both in the electromagnetic Gauss gun itself and in the program for the microcontroller.

From the very beginning, you need to decide on the diameter and length of the barrel of the gun itself and the material from which it will be made. I used a 10mm plastic case from a mercury thermometer because I had one lying around. You can use any available material, which has non-ferromagnetic properties. These are glass, plastic, copper tube, etc. The length of the barrel may depend on the number of electromagnetic coils used. In my case, four electromagnetic coils are used, the barrel length was twenty centimeters.

As for the diameter of the tube used, during operation the electromagnetic gun showed that it is necessary to take into account the diameter of the barrel relative to the projectile used. Simply put, the diameter of the barrel should not be much larger than the diameter of the projectile used. Ideally, the barrel of the electromagnetic gun should fit the projectile itself.

The material for creating the projectiles was the axle from a printer with a diameter of five millimeters. Five blanks 2.5 centimeters long were made from this material. Although you can also use steel blanks, say, wire or electrode - whatever you can find.

You need to pay attention to the weight of the projectile itself. Weight should be as light as possible. My shells turned out to be a little heavy.

Before creating this gun, experiments were carried out. An empty paste from a pen was used as a barrel, and a needle as a projectile. The needle easily pierced the cover of a magazine installed near the electromagnetic gun.

Since the original Gauss electromagnetic gun is built on the principle of charging a capacitor with a high voltage, about three hundred volts, for safety reasons, novice radio amateurs should power it with a low voltage, about twenty volts. Low voltage means that the projectile's flight range is not very long. But again, it all depends on the number of electromagnetic coils used. The more electromagnetic coils are used, the greater the acceleration of the projectile in the electromagnetic gun. The diameter of the barrel also matters (the smaller the diameter of the barrel, the further the projectile flies) and the quality of winding of the electromagnetic coils themselves. Perhaps, electromagnetic coils are the most basic thing in the design of an electromagnetic gun; serious attention must be paid to this in order to achieve maximum projectile flight.

I will give the parameters of my electromagnetic coils; yours may be different. The coil is wound with wire with a diameter of 0.2 mm. The winding length of the electromagnetic coil layer is two centimeters and contains six such rows. I did not insulate each new layer, but began winding a new layer on the previous one. Due to the fact that the electromagnetic coils are powered by low voltage, you need to get the maximum quality factor of the coil. Therefore, we wind all the turns tightly to each other, turn to turn.

As for the feeding device, no special explanation is needed. Everything was soldered from waste foil PCB left over from production printed circuit boards. Everything is shown in detail in the pictures. The heart of the feeder is the SG90 servo drive, controlled by a microcontroller.

The feed rod is made of a steel rod with a diameter of 1.5 mm; an M3 nut is sealed at the end of the rod for coupling with the servo drive. On the servo drive rocker, to increase the arm, there is a curved one at both ends. copper wire with a diameter of 1.5 mm.

This simple device, assembled from scrap materials, is enough to fire a projectile into the barrel of an electromagnetic gun. The feed rod must extend completely out of the loading magazine. A cracked brass stand with an internal diameter of 3 mm and a length of 7 mm served as a guide for the feed rod. It was a pity to throw it away, so it came in handy, just like the pieces of foil PCB.

The program for the atmega16 microcontroller was created in AtmelStudio, and is a completely open project for you. Let's look at some settings in the microcontroller program that will have to be made. For maximum efficient work electromagnetic gun, you will need to configure the operating time of each electromagnetic coil in the program. The settings are made in order. First, solder the first coil into the circuit, do not connect all the others. Set the operating time in the program (in milliseconds).

PORTA |=(1<<1); // катушка 1
_delay_ms(350); // work time

Flash the microcontroller and run the program on the microcontroller. The force of the coil should be enough to retract the projectile and give initial acceleration. Having achieved the maximum projectile reach, adjusting the coil operating time in the microcontroller program, connect the second coil and also adjust the time, achieving an even greater projectile flight range. Accordingly, the first coil remains switched on.

PORTA |=(1<<1); // катушка 1
_delay_ms(350);
PORTA &=~(1<<1);
PORTA |=(1<<2); // катушка 2
_delay_ms(150);

In this way, you configure the operation of each electromagnetic coil, connecting them in order. As the number of electromagnetic coils in the device of an electromagnetic Gauss gun increases, the speed and, accordingly, the range of the projectile should also increase.

This painstaking procedure of setting each coil can be avoided. But to do this, you will have to modernize the device of the electromagnetic gun itself, installing sensors between the electromagnetic coils to monitor the movement of the projectile from one coil to another. Sensors in combination with a microcontroller will not only simplify the setup process, but will also increase the projectile’s flight range. I did not add these bells and whistles and did not complicate the microcontroller program. The goal was to implement an interesting and simple project using a microcontroller. How interesting it is, of course, is up to you to judge. To be honest, I was happy like a child, “grinding” from this device, and the idea of ​​a more serious device on a microcontroller matured. But this is a topic for another article.

Program and scheme -

The scope of application of thermal electric guns is quite wide. Industrial units are used to heat production, warehouse and even residential premises. And in small areas, you can get by with a homemade heat generator design, which is quite capable of heating a garage or country house.

If you make an electric heat gun with your own hands, it will cost literally pennies. However, in making useful homemade products you must follow the rules. Only in this case will the device serve no worse than the factory product.

We will tell you how to properly make an electric gun. From the article we have proposed, you will learn what materials and components will be required to assemble the unit. Our advice will help in the manufacture of efficient and economical equipment.

Unlike other types of heat guns, an electrical device can be made by almost any home craftsman familiar with the basics of electronics.

Although the efficiency of an electric gun is much lower than diesel or, it does not emit combustion products harmful to health and can be installed in any room - a residential building, a greenhouse, ancillary buildings.

The power of industrial guns varies from 2 to 45 kW, and the number of heating elements in them can reach up to 15 pieces

Let's look at how an electric unit works.

Design and principle of operation of the heat generator

Any electric gun consists of three main components: a housing, an electric motor with a fan and a heating element. The varieties of this type of device are described in detail, devoted to the classification and principles of operation of heat guns.

Additionally, the device can be equipped with any “bonuses” from the factory units - speed switch, heat regulator, room thermostat, housing heating sensor, engine protection and other elements, but they increase not only comfort and safety during operation, but also the cost of the homemade product.

The rate of heating of air throughout the entire volume of the room depends on the number and power of heating elements - the larger their area, the more active heat transfer will occur

Works electric gun So:

  • when connected to the network, the heating element converts electric current into thermal energy, due to which it heats itself;
  • the electric motor drives the impeller blades;
  • the fan forces air from the room inside the case;
  • the cold air flow comes into contact with the surface of the heating element, heats up and, forced by the fan, is removed from the “barrel” of the gun.

If the appliance is equipped with a thermostatic element, it will stop the heater when the programmed temperature is reached. In primitive devices you will have to control the heating yourself.

Advantages and disadvantages of homemade guns

The main advantage of a thermal electric generator is the ability to use it in any room where there is a network of at least 220 W.

Such devices, even in a home-made version, are mobile, weigh little and are quite capable of heating an area of ​​up to 50 m2 (theoretically, more is possible, but it is better not to experiment with high-power devices and buy a ready-made unit, and a gun from 5 kW will already require connection to a three-phase network ).

The performance characteristics of the device must correspond to the heated area. On average, for every 10 m2 you will need 1 kW, but much depends on the room itself - building materials, quality of glazing and the presence of insulation

Pros of a homemade electric gun:

  • Saving money– factory units are not cheap, and a heating device can be assembled with a minimum of purchased parts or even entirely from improvised means, removing the missing elements from old devices.
  • Safety– of all the homemade heat generators, the electric device is the easiest to operate, since it does not require a connection to gas or refueling with flammable fuel. With proper assembly of the electrical circuit, the risk of spontaneous combustion for such guns is minimal.
  • Fast room heating– the operation of a heat gun is much more efficient than other options for homemade electric heaters, for example, fireplaces or oil radiators.

One of the disadvantages is the high energy consumption (the amount depends on the power of the engine and heating element). In addition, the operation of the fan is quite noisy, and the larger the wingspan and rotation speed, the stronger the noise produced will be.

Well, any drawback of a homemade electrical device is the likelihood of an error during assembly or connection, which can cause a short circuit in the network, electric shock and spontaneous combustion of the device.

Electric gun manufacturing options

The most difficult stage when assembling a device is to draw up the correct electrical circuit diagram for connecting the device to the network. Therefore, we suggest using a ready-made example, taking it as the basis for a future heat gun. As can be seen in the diagram, the toggle switch and thermostats must be connected in series, and the circuit must be closed on the heating element and the electric motor with the fan.

The thermostat is responsible for the heating level of the heating element and automatically disconnecting the circuit when the desired room temperature is reached, and if you exclude it from the circuit, you will have to independently monitor the equipment to avoid overheating

Let's look at the manufacturing features of two simple options.

A simple fan heater with a ready-made heating element

For the body of the future gun, you can select a piece of metal or asbestos-cement pipe of a suitable diameter. It is best to adjust the size according to the span of the fan “wings”, because it should overlap one of the ends of the device.

If desired, the heat generator can be made from a small metal tank, a galvanized bucket, an old saucepan or a waste gas cylinder, the main thing is that the walls of the “casing” are not thin.

The power of the fan for a heat gun is not decisive, because the speed of heating the air depends solely on the heating element, and the impeller only disperses the warm flow throughout the room, so you can safely take a fragment from a household hood or vacuum cleaner

As for the heating element, you can remove this element from a used tile or boiler, or purchase it in a store - now it’s not a problem to find a heater of any shape. If you buy ready-made, the best option would be a finned part, specifically designed to quickly warm up the moving air flow.

The power of the heating element should be stamped on its body or stated in the accompanying documentation, but if it is an old device, you can measure its resistance with a multimeter and determine the power using the above formula

In addition to the three main elements (housing, motor and heating element), for work you will need a three-core cable, bolts, and an RCD that disconnects the network in a dangerous situation.

Step-by-step work plan:

  1. Determining the required power for a future electric gun. As a starting point, you can take the common formula, according to which 1 kW is required per 10 m2 (with a ceiling height of 2.5-3 m). And if the room is not insulated, is located in the basement or has a large glass area, feel free to add another 20-30% to the data obtained. But if the required power exceeds 2.5-3 kW, think about whether your wiring can withstand such a load.
  2. Case manufacturing. If it is a metal sheet, it needs to be bent and fixed in shape by welding, hoops or rivets. For a bucket, cylinder or pan, saw off the bottom and lid. In short, the result should be a cylindrical or rectangular frame with two open holes at the ends.
  3. Checking the resistance of the heating element and comparing it with the calculated one. If necessary, you can add 1-2 more elements by connecting them in series, or increase the power by shortening the element.
  4. Mounting the electric motor with fan(you can use standard fasteners). The impeller should close the gap as tightly as possible, but at the same time rotate freely. The wires are connected to the network through a 6A fuse and are equipped with a switch.
  5. Securing the heating element inside the pipe(approximately in the center) using rivets or plates made of refractory materials. The distance should be far enough away from the fan so as not to overheat the electric motor. The wires are led out of the housing and are also connected to the network, but through a 25A fuse.

After checking the insulation of all connections, you can test run the device. If everything is assembled correctly, when you plug the plug into the socket, a fan will begin to rotate at one end of the gun, and warm air will come out of the other, gradually increasing in temperature.

Device with nichrome heater

If you don’t have an old household appliance in your home craftsman’s arsenal from which you can remove the heating element, but for some reason you don’t want to buy a ready-made heater, you can make it yourself from a nichrome spiral.

In addition to low cost, such an element has an important advantage over factory-made copies - the ability to independently adjust the desired size to the body format and increase the heating rate to a safe maximum.

Devices with an open spiral are considered a fire hazard by default, so making a heating element yourself requires good electrical skills

For homemade products, you will need to buy nichrome wire with a suitable diameter and resistance parameter. And this depends on the planned power of your device (for household devices and a 220 V network, it is advisable not to exceed 5 kW).

For example, for a gun up to 2 kW you will need wire with a resistance of 27-30 ohm, which must be wound on a ceramic rod or other heat-resistant material (in extreme cases, you can break off a plate of refractory brick).

The size of the spiral can be determined experimentally by selecting the number of turns according to the degree of heating of the wire, but it is much easier to use the table, where D is the diameter of the rod on which the wire of length L will be wound

Another option is to make a homemade heating element from a small piece of asbestos-cement pipe, placing a coiled spiral of the same nichrome wire inside. The coils can be arranged horizontally and vertically to cover a larger area.

Homemade heating element for 1.6 kW from six spiral fragments that almost completely block the lumen of the pipe, which ensures rapid heating of the air flow

The assembly of the structure is carried out by analogy with the instructions described above, so we will not repeat the same points, but will only consider the nuances of connecting a homemade heating element:

  • To keep the spiral in the correct shape, make special notches on the rod for each turn. The wire must be wound tightly enough, but always in one layer.
  • The ends of the wire must be connected to electrical wires using bolted connections and insulated.
  • The wires brought out through the holes drilled in the housing must be connected to the network through a 25A fuse.

A significant drawback of such a homemade product, in addition to energy consumption and other disadvantages of electric guns, is the unpleasant burnt smell that arises from the combustion of dust on an open coil.

The rules for the safe operation of a homemade gun are practically no different from the operation of other electrical appliances: you must avoid tipping the device and getting moisture inside it, do not touch the heated body and do not leave the unit working unattended.

One of the important features is that before turning it off, you must first stop the operation of the heating element, let the fan run idle for a few minutes, and only then pull the plug from the power supply.

Homemade heat guns without thermostats are not intended for long-term operation - they can cause a short circuit in the network or ignite from a hot spiral, in addition, electrical appliances dry out the air very much, so it is recommended to ventilate the room more often

Tips for assembling homemade products:

  1. The body for any type of electric gun is best made of metal with a wall thickness of at least 1 mm or asbestos cement. Although you can buy a thermoplastic container of suitable size, such a “casing” can emit unpleasant odors when heated, and will require strict control over the temperature of the coil.
  2. The annoying noise from the operation of the impeller can be reduced if relatively quiet car fans are used for the design.
  3. To prevent the hot surface of the housing from causing a fire, it can be installed on a frame made of reinforcement, an asbestos-cement stand, or a heat-absorbing coating can be applied.
  4. The power supply to the fan and heating element is always carried out separately.
  5. Monitor the quality of the insulation of all wires protruding beyond the gun body.

Grounding the metal body of the device will help prevent accidental electric shock.

And the last piece of advice - if your knowledge of electrics is at the level of an amateur beginner, then before connecting your homemade device to the network, consult with a specialist who will evaluate the performance and safety of your creation with a professional eye.

He will introduce you to the criteria for choosing a factory-made electric fan heater. If you doubt your own abilities or you don’t have time to assemble a homemade product, read the material we recommend.

Video #3. 2 kW heat gun from an old fire extinguisher:

As you can see, making an electric gun with your own hands is really not difficult. But if you are not confident in your skills in working with the electrical part, it is better to consult an experienced electrician or buy a ready-made device.

If you have recommendations or have any questions while reading the material, leave posts in the block below. Please comment on the material we present and post photos on the topic. Perhaps your advice will be useful to site visitors.

We present the electromagnetic gun circuit based on the NE555 timer and the 4017B chip.

The operating principle of an electromagnetic (Gauss) gun is based on the rapid sequential operation of electromagnets L1-L4, each of which creates an additional force that accelerates the metal charge. The NE555 timer sends pulses with a period of approximately 10 ms to the 4017 chip, the pulse frequency is signaled by LED D1.

When you press the PB1 button, the IC2 microcircuit with the same interval sequentially opens transistors TR1 to TR4, the collector circuit of which includes electromagnets L1-L4.

To make these electromagnets we need a copper tube 25 cm long and 3 mm in diameter. Each coil contains 500 turns of 0.315mm enamel coated wire. The coils must be made in such a way that they can move freely. The projectile is a piece of nail 3 cm long and 2 mm in diameter.

The gun can be powered either from a 25 V battery or from an AC mains.

By changing the position of the electromagnets we achieve the best effect; from the figure above it can be seen that the interval between each coil increases - this is due to an increase in the speed of the projectile.

This is, of course, not a real Gauss gun, but a working prototype, on the basis of which it is possible, by strengthening the circuit, to assemble a more powerful Gauss gun.

Other types of electromagnetic weapons.

In addition to magnetic mass accelerators, there are many other types of weapons that use electromagnetic energy to operate. Let's look at the most famous and common types of them.

Electromagnetic mass accelerators.

In addition to “Gauss guns”, there are at least 2 more types of mass accelerators - induction mass accelerators (Thompson coil) and rail mass accelerators, also known as “rail guns”.

The operation of an induction mass accelerator is based on the principle of electromagnetic induction. A rapidly increasing electric current is created in a flat winding, which causes an alternating magnetic field in the space around it. A ferrite core is inserted into the winding, on the free end of which a ring of conductive material is put on. Under the influence of an alternating magnetic flux penetrating the ring, an electric current arises in it, creating a magnetic field in the opposite direction relative to the field of the winding. With its field, the ring begins to push away from the field of the winding and accelerates, flying off the free end of the ferrite rod. The shorter and stronger the current pulse in the winding, the more powerful the ring flies out.

The rail mass accelerator functions differently. In it, a conducting projectile moves between two rails - electrodes (where it got its name - railgun), through which current is supplied.

The current source is connected to the rails at their base, so the current flows as if in pursuit of the projectile, and the magnetic field created around the current-carrying conductors is completely concentrated behind the conducting projectile. In this case, the projectile is a current-carrying conductor placed in a perpendicular magnetic field created by the rails. According to all the laws of physics, the projectile is subject to the Lorentz force, directed in the direction opposite to the place where the rails are connected and accelerating the projectile. There are a number of serious problems associated with the manufacture of a railgun - the current pulse must be so powerful and sharp that the projectile would not have time to evaporate (after all, a huge current flows through it!), but an accelerating force would arise, accelerating it forward. Therefore, the material of the projectile and the rail must have the highest possible conductivity, the projectile must have as little mass as possible, and the current source must have as much power and less inductance as possible. However, the peculiarity of the rail accelerator is that it is capable of accelerating ultra-low masses to extremely high speeds. In practice, the rails are made of oxygen-free copper coated with silver, aluminum bars are used as projectiles, a battery of high-voltage capacitors is used as a power source, and before entering the rails they try to give the projectile itself the highest possible initial speed, using pneumatic or fire guns.

In addition to mass accelerators, electromagnetic weapons include sources of powerful electromagnetic radiation, such as lasers and magnetrons.

Everyone knows the laser. It consists of a working fluid in which, when fired, an inverse population of quantum levels with electrons is created, a resonator to increase the range of photons inside the working fluid, and a generator that will create this very inverse population. In principle, population inversion can be created in any substance, and nowadays it is easier to say what lasers are NOT made of.

Lasers can be classified by working fluid: ruby, CO2, argon, helium-neon, solid-state (GaAs), alcohol, etc., by operating mode: pulsed, continuous, pseudo-continuous, can be classified by the number of quantum levels used: 3-level , 4-level, 5-level. Lasers are also classified according to the frequency of the generated radiation - microwave, infrared, green, ultraviolet, x-ray, etc. The laser efficiency usually does not exceed 0.5%, but now the situation has changed - semiconductor lasers (solid-state lasers based on GaAs) have an efficiency of over 30% and today can have an output power of up to 100(!) W, i.e. comparable to powerful “classical” ruby ​​or CO2 lasers. In addition, there are gas-dynamic lasers, which are least similar to other types of lasers. Their difference is that they are capable of producing a continuous beam of enormous power, which allows them to be used for military purposes. In essence, a gas-dynamic laser is a jet engine with a resonator perpendicular to the gas flow. The hot gas leaving the nozzle is in a state of population inversion.

If you add a resonator to it, a multi-megawatt stream of photons will fly into space.

Microwave guns - the main functional unit is a magnetron - a powerful source of microwave radiation. The disadvantage of microwave guns is that they are extremely dangerous to use, even compared to lasers - microwave radiation is highly reflected from obstacles and if fired indoors, literally everything inside will be irradiated! In addition, powerful microwave radiation is fatal to any electronics, which must also be taken into account.

And why, in fact, exactly the “Gauss gun”, and not Thompson disc launchers, railguns or beam weapons?

The fact is that of all types of electromagnetic weapons, it is the Gauss Gun that is the easiest to manufacture. In addition, it has a fairly high efficiency compared to other electromagnetic shooters and can operate at low voltages.

At the next most complex stage are induction accelerators - Thompson disc throwers (or transformers). Their operation requires slightly higher voltages than for a conventional Gaussian, then, perhaps, in terms of complexity are lasers and microwaves, and in the very last place is the railgun, which requires expensive construction materials, impeccable calculation and manufacturing accuracy, an expensive and powerful source energy (a battery of high-voltage capacitors) and many other expensive things.

In addition, the Gauss gun, despite its simplicity, has incredibly large scope for design solutions and engineering research - so this direction is quite interesting and promising.

DIY microwave gun

First of all, I warn you: this weapon is very dangerous; use the maximum degree of caution during manufacture and operation!

In short, I warned you. Now let's start manufacturing.

We take any microwave oven, preferably the lowest-power and cheapest one.

If it is burnt out, it does not matter - as long as the magnetron is working. Here is its simplified diagram and internal view.

1. Lighting lamp.
2. Ventilation holes.
3. Magnetron.
4. Antenna.
5. Waveguide.
6. Capacitor.
7. Transformer.
8. Control panel.
9. Drive.
10. Rotating tray.
11. Separator with rollers.
12. Door latch.

Next, we extract this same magnetron from there. The magnetron was developed as a powerful generator of electromagnetic oscillations in the microwave range for use in radar systems. Microwave ovens contain magnetrons with a microwave frequency of 2450 MHz. The operation of a magnetron uses the process of electron movement in the presence of two fields - magnetic and electric, perpendicular to each other. A magnetron is a two-electrode tube or diode containing a hot cathode that emits electrons and a cold anode. The magnetron is placed in an external magnetic field.

DIY Gauss gun

The magnetron anode has a complex monolithic structure with a system of resonators necessary to complicate the structure of the electric field inside the magnetron. The magnetic field is created by coils with current (electromagnet), between the poles of which a magnetron is placed. If there were no magnetic field, then the electrons flying out of the cathode with virtually no initial velocity would move in the electric field along straight lines perpendicular to the cathode, and all would end up on the anode. In the presence of a perpendicular magnetic field, electron trajectories are bent by the Lorentz force.

At our radio market we sell used magnetrons for 15e.

This is a magnetron in cross-section and without a radiator.

Now you need to find out how to power it. The diagram shows that the required filament is 3V 5A and the anode is 3kV 0.1A. The indicated power values ​​apply to magnetrons from weak microwaves, and for powerful ones they may be slightly higher. The magnetron power of modern microwave ovens is about 700 W.

For the compactness and mobility of the microwave gun, these values ​​can be reduced somewhat - as long as generation occurs. We will power the magnetron from a converter with a battery from a computer uninterruptible power supply.

The rated value is 12 volts 7.5 amperes. A few minutes of battle should be enough. The magnetron heat is 3V, obtained using the LM150 stabilizer chip.

It is advisable to turn on the heat a few seconds before turning on the anode voltage. And we take kilovolts to the anode from the converter (see diagram below).

Power to the filament and P210 is supplied by turning on the main toggle switch a few seconds before the shot, and the shot itself is fired with a button that supplies power to the master oscillator on the P217. The transformer data is taken from the same article, only we wind the Tr2 secondary with 2000 - 3000 turns of PEL0.2. From the resulting winding, the alternating current is fed to a simple half-wave rectifier.

A high-voltage capacitor and diode can be taken from the microwave, or, if not available, replaced with a 0.5 µF - 2 kV diode - KTs201E.

To direct the radiation and cut off the reverse lobes (so that it doesn’t get caught), we place the magnetron in the horn. To do this, we use a metal horn from school bells or stadium speakers. As a last resort, you can take a cylindrical liter paint can.

The entire microwave gun is placed in a housing made of a thick pipe with a diameter of 150-200 mm.

Well, the gun is ready. It can be used to burn out the on-board computer and car alarms, burn out the brains and televisions of evil neighbors, and hunt running and flying creatures. I hope you never launch this microwave weapon - for your own safety.

Compiled by: Patlakh V.V.
http://patlah.ru

ATTENTION!

Gauss cannon (Gauss rifle)

Other names: Gauss gun, Gauss gun, Gauss rifle, Gauss gun, accelerating rifle.

The Gauss rifle (or its larger variant, the Gauss gun), like the railgun, is an electromagnetic weapon.

Gauss gun

At the moment, there are no military industrial samples, although a number of laboratories (mostly amateur and university) continue to persistently work on the creation of these weapons. The system is named after the German scientist Carl Gauss (1777-1855). I personally cannot understand why the mathematician was so frightened (I still can’t, or rather, I don’t have the relevant information). Gauss had much less to do with the theory of electromagnetism than, for example, Oersted, Ampere, Faraday or Maxwell, but, nevertheless, the gun was named in his honor. The name stuck, and therefore we will use it too.

Operating principle:
A Gauss rifle consists of coils (powerful electromagnets) mounted on a barrel made of dielectric. When current is applied, the electromagnets are turned on one after another for a short moment in the direction from the receiver to the barrel. They take turns attracting a steel bullet (a needle, a dart or a projectile, if we talk about a cannon) and thereby accelerate it to significant speeds.

Advantages of the weapon:
1. Lack of cartridge. This allows you to significantly increase the magazine capacity. For example, a magazine that holds 30 rounds can load 100-150 bullets.
2. High rate of fire. Theoretically, the system allows you to begin accelerating the next bullet even before the previous one has left the barrel.
3. Silent shooting. The design of the weapon itself allows you to get rid of most of the acoustic components of the shot (see reviews), so shooting from a gauss rifle looks like a series of barely audible pops.
4. No unmasking flash. This property is especially useful at night.
5. Low recoil. For this reason, when firing, the barrel of the weapon practically does not lift up, and therefore the accuracy of the fire increases.
6. Reliability. The Gauss rifle does not use cartridges, and therefore the question of low-quality ammunition immediately disappears. If, in addition to this, we remember the absence of a firing mechanism, then the very concept of “misfire” can be forgotten like a bad dream.
7. Increased wear resistance. This property is due to the small number of moving parts, low loads on components and parts when firing, and the absence of gunpowder combustion products.
8. Possibility of use both in outer space and in atmospheres that suppress the combustion of gunpowder.
9. Adjustable bullet speed. This function allows, if necessary, to reduce the speed of the bullet below sound. As a result, the characteristic pops disappear, and the Gauss rifle becomes completely silent, and therefore suitable for secret special operations.

Weapon disadvantages:
Among the disadvantages of Gauss rifles, the following are often cited: low efficiency, high energy consumption, large weight and dimensions, long recharging time for capacitors, etc. I want to say that all these problems are due only to the level of modern technology development. In the future, with the creation of compact and powerful power sources, using new structural materials and superconductors, the Gauss gun can truly become a powerful and effective weapon.

In literature, of course, fantastic literature, William Keith armed the legionnaires with a gauss rifle in his “Fifth Foreign Legion” series. (One of my favorite books!) It was also in service with the militarists from the planet Klisand, to which Jim di Gris landed in Harrison’s novel “Revenge of the Stainless Steel Rat.” They say that Gausovka is also found in books from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, but I have only read five of them. I didn’t find anything like that there, and I won’t speak for others.

As for my personal work, in my new novel “Marauders” I gave a Tula-made Metel-16 gauss carbine to my main character Sergei Korn. True, he owned it only at the beginning of the book. After all, he is the main character, which means he is entitled to a more impressive gun.

Oleg Shovkunenko

Reviews and comments:

Alexander 12/29/13
According to point 3, a shot with supersonic bullet speed will be loud in any case. For this reason, special subsonic cartridges are used for silent weapons.
According to point 5, recoil will be inherent in any weapon that shoots “material objects” and depends on the ratio of the masses of the bullet and the weapon, and the impulse of the force accelerating the bullet.
According to paragraph 8, no atmosphere can affect the combustion of gunpowder in a sealed cartridge. In outer space, firearms will also fire.
The problem can only be in the mechanical stability of weapon parts and lubricant properties at ultra-low temperatures. But this issue can be resolved, and back in 1972, test firing was carried out in outer space from an orbital cannon from the military orbital station OPS-2 (Salyut-3).

Oleg Shovkunenko
Alexander, it’s good that you wrote it.

To be honest, I made a description of the weapon based on my own understanding of the topic. But maybe I was wrong about something. Let's figure it out together point by point.

Point No. 3. "Silent shooting."
As far as I know, the sound of a shot from any firearm consists of several components:
1) The sound, or better yet, the sounds of the weapon mechanism operating. This includes the impact of the firing pin on the capsule, the clanging of the bolt, etc.
2) The sound created by the air filling the barrel before the shot. It is displaced by both the bullet and the powder gases seeping through the rifle channels.
3) The sound that the powder gases themselves create during sudden expansion and cooling.
4) Sound created by an acoustic shock wave.
The first three points do not apply to Gaussian at all.

I foresee a question about the air in the barrel, but in a Gauss-vintage barrel it is not at all necessary to be solid and tubular, which means the problem disappears by itself. So that leaves point number 4, which is exactly what you, Alexander, are talking about. I want to say that the acoustic shock wave is far from the loudest part of the shot. Silencers of modern weapons practically do not fight it at all. And yet, a firearm with a silencer is still called silent. Consequently, the Gaussian can also be called noiseless. By the way, thank you so much for reminding me. I forgot to mention among the advantages of the Gauss gun the ability to adjust the speed of the bullet. After all, it is possible to set a subsonic mode (which will make the weapon completely silent and intended for covert actions in close combat) and supersonic (this is for real war).

Point No. 5. “Almost no return.”
Of course, the gas gun also has recoil. Where would we be without her?! The law of conservation of momentum has not yet been canceled. Only the operating principle of a gauss rifle will make it not explosive, as in a firearm, but rather stretched out and smooth, and therefore much less noticeable to the shooter. Although, to be honest, these are just my suspicions. I've never fired a gun like this before :))

Point No. 8. “Possibility of use as in outer space...”.
Well, I didn’t say anything at all about the impossibility of using firearms in outer space. Only it will need to be remade in such a way, so many technical problems will need to be solved that it will be easier to create a gauss gun :)) As for planets with specific atmospheres, the use of firearms on them can indeed be not only difficult, but also unsafe. But this is already from the fantasy section, in fact, which is what your humble servant is doing.

Vyacheslav 04/05/14
Thanks for the interesting story about weapons. Everything is very accessible and laid out on the shelves. I would also like a diagram for greater clarity.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Vyacheslav, I inserted the schematic, as you asked).

interested 02.22.15
“Why a Gaus rifle?” - Wikipedia says that because he laid the foundations of the theory of electromagnetism.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Firstly, based on this logic, the aerial bomb should have been called the “Newton Bomb”, because it falls to the ground, obeying the Law of Universal Gravitation. Secondly, in the same Wikipedia, Gauss is not mentioned at all in the article “Electromagnetic interaction”. It’s good that we are all educated people and remember that Gauss derived the theorem of the same name. True, this theorem is included in Maxwell’s more general equations, so Gauss seems to be back on track here with “laying the foundations of the theory of electromagnetism.”

Evgeniy 05.11.15
Gaus rifle is a made up name for the weapon. It first appeared in the legendary post-apocalyptic game Fallout 2.

Roman 11/26/16
1) about what Gauss has to do with the name) read on Wikipedia, but not electromagnetism, but Gauss’s theorem; this theorem is the basis of electromagnetism and is the basis for Maxwell’s equations.
2) the roar of a shot is mainly due to sharply expanding powder gases. because the bullet is supersonic and 500m from the barrel cut, but there is no roar from it! only a whistle from the air being cut by the shock wave from a bullet and that’s all!)
3) about the fact that they say there are samples of small arms and they are silent because they say the bullet is subsonic - this is nonsense! When any arguments are presented, you need to understand the essence of the issue! the shot is silent not because the bullet is subsonic, but because the powder gases do not escape from the barrel! read about the PSS pistol in Wik.

Oleg Shovkunenko
Roman, are you by any chance a relative of Gauss? You are too zealously defending his right to this name. Personally, I don’t give a damn, if people like it, let it be a gauss gun. As for everything else, read the reviews to the article, the issue of noiselessness has already been discussed in detail there. I can’t add anything new to this.

Dasha 03/12/17
I write science fiction. Opinion: ACCELERATION is the weapon of the future. I would not attribute to a foreigner the right to have primacy in this weapon. Russian ACCELERATION WILL SURELY ADVANCE the rotten West. It's better not to give a rotten foreigner the RIGHT TO CALL A WEAPON BY HIS SHITTY NAME! The Russians have plenty of their own smart guys! (undeservedly forgotten). By the way, the Gatling machine gun (gun) appeared LATER than the Russian SOROKA (rotating barrel system). Gatling simply patented an idea stolen from Russia. (We will henceforth call him Goat Gatl for this!). Therefore, Gauss also has nothing to do with accelerating weapons!

Oleg Shovkunenko
Dasha, patriotism is of course good, but only healthy and reasonable. But with the Gauss gun, as they say, the train has left. The term has already caught on, like many others. We will not change the concepts: Internet, carburetor, football, etc. However, it is not so important whose name this or that invention is named, the main thing is who can bring it to perfection or, as in the case of the Gauss rifle, at least to a combat state. Unfortunately, I have not yet heard about serious developments of combat gauss systems, both in Russia and abroad.

Bozhkov Alexander 09/26/17
Everything is clear. But is it possible to add articles about other types of weapons?: About thermite cannon, electrothrower, BFG-9000, Gauss crossbow, ectoplasmic machine gun.

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DIY Gauss pistol

Despite its relatively modest size, the Gauss pistol is the most serious weapon we have ever built. From the earliest stages of its manufacture, the slightest carelessness in handling the device or its individual components can lead to electric shock.

Gauss gun. The simplest scheme

Be careful!

The main power element of our gun is the inductor

X-ray Gauss gun

Location of contacts on the charging circuit of a Kodak disposable camera

Having a weapon that, even in computer games, can only be found in the laboratory of a mad scientist or near a time portal to the future is cool. Watching how people indifferent to technology involuntarily fix their eyes on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up their jaw from the floor - for this it is worth spending a day assembling a Gauss cannon.

As usual, we decided to start with the simplest design - a single-coil induction gun. Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of a projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers who were able to build a complex switching system using powerful thyristors and fine-tune the moments of sequential activation of the coils. Instead, we focused on the ability to create a dish using widely available ingredients. So, to build a Gauss cannon, first of all you have to go shopping. In a radio store you need to buy several capacitors with a voltage of 350–400 V and a total capacity of 1000–2000 microfarads, an enameled copper wire with a diameter of 0.8 mm, battery compartments for the Krona and two 1.5-volt C-type batteries, a toggle switch and a button. In photographic goods, let's take five Kodak disposable cameras, in auto parts - a simple four-pin relay from a Zhiguli, in "products" - a pack of cocktail straws, and in "toys" - a plastic pistol, machine gun, shotgun, shotgun or any other gun that you want to turn it into a weapon of the future.

Let's go crazy

The main power element of our gun is the inductor. With its manufacture it is worth starting assembling the weapon. Take a piece of straw 30 mm long and two large washers (plastic or cardboard), assemble them into a bobbin using a screw and nut. Start winding the enameled wire onto it carefully, turn to turn (with a large wire diameter this is quite simple). Be careful not to allow sharp bends in the wire or damage the insulation. Having finished the first layer, fill it with superglue and begin winding the next one. Do this with each layer. In total you need to wind 12 layers. Then you can disassemble the reel, remove the washers and put the reel on a long straw, which will serve as a barrel. One end of the straw should be plugged. It's easy to test the finished coil by connecting it to a 9-volt battery: if it holds a paper clip, you've succeeded. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it as a solenoid: it should actively draw a piece of paper clip into itself, and when connected pulsed, even throw it out of the barrel by 20–30 cm.

Dissecting values

A battery of capacitors is ideally suited for generating a powerful electrical pulse (in this opinion, we agree with the creators of the most powerful laboratory railguns). Capacitors are good not only for their high energy capacity, but also for their ability to release all the energy within a very short time, before the projectile reaches the center of the coil. However, capacitors need to be charged somehow. Fortunately, the charger we need is in any camera: a capacitor is used there to generate a high-voltage pulse for the ignition electrode of the flash. Disposable cameras work best for us because the capacitor and “charger” are the only electrical components they have, which means getting the charging circuit out of them is a piece of cake.

Disassembling a disposable camera is a step where you should start being careful. When opening the case, try not to touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain a charge for a long time. Having gained access to the capacitor, first short-circuit its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle. Only after this can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery brackets from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, solder a jumper to the contacts of the charging button - we will no longer need it. Prepare at least five charging boards in this manner. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

Setting priorities

Selection of capacitor capacity is a matter of compromise between shot energy and gun charging time. We settled on four 470 microfarad (400 V) capacitors connected in parallel. Before each shot, we wait for about a minute for a signal from the LEDs on the charging circuits, indicating that the voltage in the capacitors has reached the required 330 V. You can speed up the charging process by connecting several 3-volt battery compartments in parallel to the charging circuits. However, it is worth keeping in mind that powerful “C” batteries have excessive current for weak camera circuits. To prevent the transistors on the boards from burning out, each 3-volt assembly should have 3–5 charging circuits connected in parallel. On our gun, only one battery compartment is connected to the “chargers”. All others serve as spare stores.

Defining safety zones

We would not advise anyone to hold a button under their finger that discharges a battery of 400-volt capacitors. To control the descent, it is better to install a relay. Its control circuit is connected to a 9-volt battery through the shutter button, and the control circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. A schematic diagram will help you assemble the gun correctly. When assembling a high-voltage circuit, use a wire with a cross-section of at least a millimeter; any thin wires are suitable for the charging and control circuits.

When experimenting with the circuit, remember: capacitors may have residual charge. Discharge by short circuit before touching them.

Let's sum it up

The shooting process looks like this: turn on the power switch; wait for the LEDs to glow brightly; lower the projectile into the barrel so that it is slightly behind the coil; turn off the power so that when firing, the batteries do not take energy from themselves; take aim and press the shutter button. The result largely depends on the mass of the projectile. Using a short nail with a bitten off head, we managed to shoot through a can of energy drink, which exploded and flooded half the editorial office. Then the cannon, cleared of sticky soda, launched a nail into the wall from a distance of fifty meters. And our weapon strikes the hearts of fans of science fiction and computer games without any shells.

Compiled by: Patlakh V.V.
http://patlah.ru

© “Encyclopedia of Technologies and Methods” Patlakh V.V. 1993-2007

ATTENTION!
Any republication, full or partial reproduction of the materials of this article, as well as photographs, drawings and diagrams posted in it, is prohibited without prior written consent from the editors of the encyclopedia.

I remind you! That the editors are not responsible for any unlawful and illegal use of materials published in the encyclopedia.

Having a weapon that, even in computer games, can only be found in the laboratory of a mad scientist or near a time portal to the future is cool. Watching how people indifferent to technology involuntarily fix their gaze on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up a jaw from the floor - it’s worth spending a day on assembly for this DIY Gauss guns.

As usual, we decided to start with the simplest design - single coil induction gun. Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of a projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers who were able to build a complex switching system using powerful thyristors and fine-tune the moments of sequential activation of the coils. Instead, we focused on the ability to create a dish using widely available ingredients.

So, to build a Gauss cannon, first of all you have to go shopping. In the radio shop for homemade products need to buy several capacitors with tension 350–400 V and total capacity 1000–2000 microfarads, enameled copper wire diameter 0.8 mm, battery compartments For « Crowns"and two 1.5 volt C batteries, toggle switch and button. Let's take five in photo products disposable cameras Kodak, in auto parts - the simplest four-pin relay from “Zhiguli”, in “products” - a pack straws For cocktails, and in “toys” - a plastic pistol, machine gun, shotgun, shotgun or any other gun that you want to turn into a weapon of the future.

Let's keep talking...

The main power element of our gun is inductor. With its manufacture it is worth starting assembling the weapon. Take a length of straw 30 mm and two big ones washers(plastic or cardboard), assemble them into a bobbin using a screw and nut. Start winding the enameled wire onto it carefully, turn to turn (with a large wire diameter this is quite simple). Be careful not to allow sharp bends in the wire or damage the insulation. After finishing the first layer, fill it superglue and start winding the next one. Do this with each layer. All you need to do is reel 12 layers. Then you can disassemble the reel, remove the washers and put the reel on a long straw, which will serve as a barrel. One end of the straw should be plugged. It is easy to check the finished coil by connecting it to 9 volt battery: If it holds a paper clip suspended, then you have succeeded. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it as a solenoid: it should actively draw a piece of paper clip into itself, and when connected pulsed, even throw it out of the barrel at 20–30 cm.

Dissecting values

It is perfectly suited for the formation of a powerful electrical impulse (in this opinion we agree with the creators of the most powerful laboratory railguns). Capacitors are good not only for their high energy capacity, but also for their ability to release all the energy within a very short time, before the projectile reaches the center of the coil. However, capacitors need to be charged somehow. Fortunately, the charger we need is in any camera: a capacitor is used there to generate a high-voltage pulse for the ignition electrode of the flash. Disposable cameras are best for us, because the capacitor and “charging” are the only electrical components they have, which means getting the charging circuit out of them is as easy as shelling pears.

Disassembling a disposable camera is the stage at which you should begin to develop caution. When opening the case, try do not touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain its charge for a long time. Having gained access to the capacitor, the first thing to do is close its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle . Only after this can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery brackets from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, and the jumper to the contacts of the charging button - we will no longer need it. Prepare the minimum in this way five charging boards. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

Setting priorities

Selection of capacitor capacity is a matter of compromise between shot energy and gun charging time. We settled on four capacitors 470 microfarads (400 V), connected in parallel. Before each shot, we spend approximately minutes We are waiting for the signal from the LEDs on the charging circuits, indicating that the voltage in the capacitors has reached the required level 330 V. You can speed up the charging process by connecting several 3-volt battery compartments in parallel to the charging circuits. However, it is worth keeping in mind that powerful “C” batteries have excessive current for weak camera circuits. To prevent the transistors on the boards from burning out, each 3-volt assembly should have 3–5 charging circuits connected in parallel. On our gun, only one battery compartment is connected to the “chargers”. All others serve as spare stores.

Defining safety zones

We would not advise anyone to hold a button under their finger that discharges a battery of 400-volt capacitors. To control the descent it is better to install relay. Its control circuit is connected to a 9-volt battery through the shutter button, and the control circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. A schematic diagram will help you assemble the gun correctly. When assembling a high-voltage circuit, use a wire with a cross-section of at least millimeters, any thin wires are suitable for the charging and control circuits. When experimenting with the circuit, remember: capacitors may have residual charge. Discharge by short circuit before touching them.


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Let's sum it up

The shooting process looks like this:

  • turn on the power switch;
  • wait for the LEDs to glow brightly;
  • lower the projectile into the barrel so that it is slightly behind the coil;
  • turn off the power so that when firing, the batteries do not take energy from themselves; take aim and press the shutter button.

The result largely depends on the mass of the projectile.

Be careful, the weapon is real danger.