2012-05-31, 10:07 PM
Don't worry about trying to raise the voltage. Like Holypie said, it shouldn't be difficult to lift a paperclip.
Just coil many turns (maybe 50 to 100) of fine wire (eg 26 gauge) around one end of a big nail, or a few small nails bundled together.
Try with 3V battery. If not strong enough, add more turns of wire to the coil.
At above: Yes putting batteries in series adds the voltages together. But you don't need high voltage to drive sufficient current through some small hand-made coil.
Just coil many turns (maybe 50 to 100) of fine wire (eg 26 gauge) around one end of a big nail, or a few small nails bundled together.
Try with 3V battery. If not strong enough, add more turns of wire to the coil.
At above: Yes putting batteries in series adds the voltages together. But you don't need high voltage to drive sufficient current through some small hand-made coil.