I just recently ripped apart an old RC car and was planning to use the steering coil to make a scanner.
The first one was a small car and was different that I expected. I expected a coil and magnet. Instead, it was just a 3 volt motor with gears. I was disappointed.
The next car was a little better and it had what I wanted. There was a magnet and a coil of wire. Sending power through one way made the magnet move left, and the opposite polarity made it go right. I nailed the moving magnet part to a board so it could move freely. I hooked up the coil to my stereo and sent about 10 watts through it. It works well and the magnet part moves nicely!
I glued a mirror onto the side of the magnet to I can shine the laser at it. It works quite well, but there is an unstable "extra" axis that results because the magnet is moving in all directions.
How can I make it stable so in only moves left and right? At the moment, it seems to make zig-zags all over the place.
The first one was a small car and was different that I expected. I expected a coil and magnet. Instead, it was just a 3 volt motor with gears. I was disappointed.
The next car was a little better and it had what I wanted. There was a magnet and a coil of wire. Sending power through one way made the magnet move left, and the opposite polarity made it go right. I nailed the moving magnet part to a board so it could move freely. I hooked up the coil to my stereo and sent about 10 watts through it. It works well and the magnet part moves nicely!
I glued a mirror onto the side of the magnet to I can shine the laser at it. It works quite well, but there is an unstable "extra" axis that results because the magnet is moving in all directions.
How can I make it stable so in only moves left and right? At the moment, it seems to make zig-zags all over the place.
