May the 4th be with you this Star Wars Day!
For those who don’t know, Star Wars Day, formally known as May 4th, is a day where enthusiasts come together to celebrate the franchise! For instance in Sydney, one local burger bar has launched the Star Wars burger and here in the UK, entertainment stores are slashing prices on retro Star Wars games!
Here at FIRST4MAGNETS.COM, we are no different and we’re celebrating Star Wars Day with magnets! Our experts have been working with Darth Vader himself to levitate coins and today we’re giving you the chance to do the same with our step by step guide! In 4 easy steps you could have an amazing magnetic trick to show your friends and family.
May the magnetic force be with you!
Let’s get started…
Step 1 –
Collect the following:
- Your favourite Star Wars character (or anything to act as a platform for the coins)
- Coins (need to be magnetic)
- 2 large bottles, half full with water for stability
- Ferrite magnets from FIRST4MAGNETS (we used 4, we will tell you why shortly)
- A ruler
- A thin plank of wood
Now, before you try this at home, please make sure there is someone there to supervise you and your experiment, especially if you’re a young Star Wars fan! Get an adult to help out, they’ll enjoy it just as much as you!
Step 2 –
Now you have everything you need, it’s time to build a structure!
Place a bottle of water either side of your Star Wars character and balance the plank of wood along the top. Attach your magnets directly above Darth Vader’s arm (or the surface that you will be resting your coins on).
Step 3 –
Next, you need to find the perfect air gap! This is why we used 4 ferrite magnets! Attach your coins to the bottom of the magnet and the magnetism will induce the coins and attract them together. Then, carefully pull them away from the magnet and towards the resting surface. For us, that is Darth Vader’s hand as shown in the picture. As you are resting them with one hand, use your other hand to keep an eye on the distance between the coins and the magnet. If your magnets lose magnetism and crash to the ground, you know the air gap needs to be less. However, if they are pulling towards the magnet you know the air gap is not big enough! It will take a little trial and error but you will get there.
Trust the magnetic force, stay calm and don’t go to the dark side.
Step 4 and JOB DONE! –
Once you have the magnets resting against your surface, kept in place by magnetism, you can show off to your friends and family by running a ruler through the magnetic field (in-between the top coin and the magnet) to show there is no string! This magnetic illusion will have them stunned!
With a little practice, you can even make them spin by gently blowing the coins on one side!
So there is your answer to ‘How did we do it?!’ Give it a go this Star Wars Day and may the magnetism be with you!
We would love to see you give it a go! Send your pictures to any of our social channels and we will be sure to reply! Here are our pages…
