StridAst
0
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2009
- Messages
- 344
- Points
- 0
Well, I can finally start moving forward with my coilgun 
The boost converter I was working on is now working. I had switched two wires somehow on the mosfet. A rather simple mistake but it took retracing every connection to figure out what I had done wrong.
This one will end up making it into the coilgun. Next step is designing the frame and molding it. Using ABS plastic for this one.
If anyone is curious and unaware on plastic molding, get some black sewer pipe from your local hardware store. Cut a section out, and place in your oven at around 300 degrees. Place it on top of some aluminum foil, (preferably as smooth as possible) make a wire frame (any wire will do that's strong enough to support the weight of a wet towel + the plastic)
Watch the plastic in the oven, it will soften and sag. When it is flat on the foil, take it out of the oven (make certain the windows are open with a fan blowing) this will give off fumes. You need to have a cold wet towel over your wire frame, and flip the hot plastic onto it. (oven mitts are a must of course) the cold water will harden it fairly quickly, and you have a plastic shell the shape of the wire frame and towel. You can do this outside with a toaster oven if the sections you are using are small enough sections of plastic to fit inside it.
You will need to sand out lumps and sand off any undesired markings, then give it a light buffing with a soft buffing wheel. Any sort of nice balloon buff should work well for a final polish on the black plastic, using any sort of fine metal polish buffing compound.
The boost converter I was working on is now working. I had switched two wires somehow on the mosfet. A rather simple mistake but it took retracing every connection to figure out what I had done wrong.This one will end up making it into the coilgun. Next step is designing the frame and molding it. Using ABS plastic for this one.
If anyone is curious and unaware on plastic molding, get some black sewer pipe from your local hardware store. Cut a section out, and place in your oven at around 300 degrees. Place it on top of some aluminum foil, (preferably as smooth as possible) make a wire frame (any wire will do that's strong enough to support the weight of a wet towel + the plastic)
Watch the plastic in the oven, it will soften and sag. When it is flat on the foil, take it out of the oven (make certain the windows are open with a fan blowing) this will give off fumes. You need to have a cold wet towel over your wire frame, and flip the hot plastic onto it. (oven mitts are a must of course) the cold water will harden it fairly quickly, and you have a plastic shell the shape of the wire frame and towel. You can do this outside with a toaster oven if the sections you are using are small enough sections of plastic to fit inside it.
You will need to sand out lumps and sand off any undesired markings, then give it a light buffing with a soft buffing wheel. Any sort of nice balloon buff should work well for a final polish on the black plastic, using any sort of fine metal polish buffing compound.
