Test spinning balls in flight in magnetic field

The Forces of Nature by Kelland Terry, Ph.D.
Growing up on our old farm and watching Dad and Mom tackle all sorts of problems left an indelible impression on my mind. Whatever was accomplished around our place was done by our own hands. I was trained to work and tackle almost anything, including electricity.
An electromagnet is created when electricity flows around an iron core. Building one is relatively easy, especially with the help of my friend Ben McCulley. He welded up an 18 inch long, C shaped iron core, which we wrapped lengthwise with two wires simultaneously. Each electrical wire was 500 feet long and 14 gauge. We made two other electromagnets using a 8 inch diameter steel pipe that I had cut lengthwise into two pieces; this proved to be a lot easier.
Strung end to end, the three electromagnets were 54 inches long. Thus, one side became a south pole that was 54 inches long, and the other side became a north pole that was 54 inches long. When an electric current was applied, there was a strong magnetic field that developed between the two poles. Each magnet received 20 amps DC current. I always checked the magnets with a nail to make sure there was plenty of magnetism. I also proved there was no residual magnetism when the electricity was turned off.
My next objective was to shoot spinning table tennis balls between the two poles with the aid of a Robo-Pong. Would the balls curve more when the magnetic field was turned on? That was the crucial question. Till then, be safe and in good health. Kelland—www.vestheory.com