8 to 10 year old boy add 50 ft bell wire, steel bar, 1 1/2 volt battery and some tacks. You have a electro magnet. next 6 volt battery = lift more tacks more bell wire added to coil = lift more tacks learned more volts + bigger coil (more wire) = stronger electro magnet searches garage for another battery and more bell wire but in stead finds about 150 ft of 14 gauge insulated wire and a 110V male plug. WOW a super magnet. can not wait to build this. put it together plug it in sparks fly and fuse blows (thank God the fuse did not have a penny behind it). It took out the electricity in the kitchen and 2 other rooms, this was 20 years ago in an old house with old wiring. Within a month of asking questions to people who were knowledgeable in electricity I knew what I had done wrong and basics of Ohms Law. I learned that I would always try to know what was going to happen when I did something. No "lets turn this and see what happens" John -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist