Mole

Thanks... I've already been all over howstuffworks for spark plugs, coils for them, inductors, and everything else I could think of...

Smashing. You've been loads of help. Yeah, Tazers start at 50,000 V and the most I've seen is a million... as for 120 trillion... no... just no. Crocodile clips you say??? Hmm... I'll Look into that. As for short-circuiting batteries... So THATS why they got so warm!!! I was wondering :s I don't quite get how the coil next to the spark gap works... But I'll take your word on it... after croc-clips. Thanks!!!

BLIMEY!!! THANKS!!! 1.2e17??? If I'm not mistaken... thats 120 000 000 000 000 000. If You can easily produce that from a few 9V batteries and components from an electronics store... I'll be prepared to set up a small cult worshipping your mastery of electronics. Ohyeah, and I love the Safety angle... with the discharging the capacitor... I'd never have thought of that. Right... I really hope those red & blue things aren't important... because I really don't get their significance. Now, That really big Green thing, I'm guessing is an electromagnet to close the spark circuit??? (See Purple ???'s) And I'm assuming the Thing in the circle with *capacitor?* written is the capacitor... Same for the Electrmagnet in the sparker circuit... And... what's the purpose of the resistor marked "100"??? The rest I can ... roughly grasp.

Damnit... I was in NZ for 5 months... Just got back in may. I think I know a Similar store Called maples here in the UK... and by think I mean hope. Hangon... In the Relay circuit, what's the capacitor for??? Isn't the relay circuit just power source, relay switch, and on switch??? (If using IR, then powersource and on swich are same... like you said) And the Ignition circuit the Capacitor and power source??? What do you need the resistor for? Thanks for this btw.

I'm not Dead keen on Infra red, as I'll probably be using the Cannon in broad daylight, from quite a distance. I've found remotes to stop functioning from the other side of the room, let alone the other side of a garden, In broad daylight... But that does sound really good and simple Just to clarify: The actual Ignition circuit involves: Power source, Capacitor, Spark Gap, and relay switch. The ignition circuit is controlled by the relay switch, which is controlled & powered by the I.R. receptor. Right? Great... Now where can I get the components I need, how much would they cost, and what sort of capacitor/relay switch do I need??? I'd imagine the capacitor would say its... capacity on the label... but relay switches & I.R. controlls???

"How to build a time machine" by Paul Davies. I read it at around my exams... hell if they went pear-shaped and I had a pair or two of black holes handy I could take resits without eating into my summer hols. Basically this book states that you can't go back further than your start point. It also said something about rotating black holes and a hell of a lot of energy, but I've forgotten most of it. Long story short: Take two black holes which are orbiting one another, Input alot of energy, wait a while (as long as you want your time machine to stretch between) then do the same thing with another pair of black holes... and voila, you'll have a bridge between the two times and places in space-time. Or something like that. Plus: If time travel WAS (was/is/will be) possible, wouldn't someone have come back (come back/gone forth/etc) to tell us so???

I'm surprised how many posts there are here... Mole's a nickname I was given at school... Can't say I Object. Starting Uni In October (ChemEng) - lets hope I can pick up something useful.

I have a similar problem. I need to get a Spark from a 9V battery, using a remote control. I've built several Spudcannons and So Far I've had no problems using peizo-electric ignitors. However, my latest spudgun is a big big. I've got approx. 1.5m of 4" diameter combustion chamber. I'm not too comfortable holding that on my shoulder, because if it goes pear shaped, It'll probably take off my head, and that's bad, as I'm rather attached to my head... Unfortunately, I haven't done much in the way of physics, so all I can draw on is my GCSE... Ideally, I'd like to be able to press a button on a radio-handset which will set off a spark inside the chamber. So far, I've tried: - Dismantling transformers (battery chargers for old phones/portable vaccuum cleaners) but I've found that they dont spark. However, they are plenty of fun for shocking your friends. - Dismantling Peizo-electric ignitor & wiring them up to 15ft of wire - No spark (I'm guessing too much resistance in wires) - Using thread to tie down a Peizo-ignitor and pulling a length of string to cut the thread... crap if the cannon doesn't go off first time, which it didn't... so I walked over and I pressed the ignitor in to reset it... and it did. (Very smart, yes I know). Were Tazers legal here in the UK I'd gladly use one of them, however they're hard to come by. And they're not legal in France, Italy, or NZ. I've thought about cattle prods, however they don't actually spark, they just shock, kinda like the transformers. I've considered trying to get the transformer directly from electronics stores, but I don't really know exactly what I'm looking for, or where to find it. Latest plan: Spark Plug & Coil from an engine. I'd like to keep costs low so this wasn't my first option. That and the parts aren't so easy to come by, AND it sounds rather more complicated. I have no idea where to go to get the parts, or what to do with them. Past actually getting the Spark, I also need to get it activated by remote. I was hoping to buy a cheap R/C car and hack it to pieces, or going to an electronics store to get a DIY R/C kit... and by hoping, I mean haven't looked into this at all. Its not essential to run them off 9V batteries, I just assumed that they'd be the most convenient power source. Any suggestions???