Sometimes even the most fanciful ideas from works of fiction can come to life in the real world. Well, sort of, anyway.
YouTube tinkerer and craftsman the Hacksmith has created a real-life version of one of the most iconic items from the Marvel Comics universe: Captain America’s shield.
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Beyond the classic patriotic appearance, what makes this shield so special -- in the comics and movies, anyway -- is Cap’s ability to magically call the shield back to him at will. If you’ve seen the movies (come on, who hasn’t?) you’ll recall the shield flying through the air, returning to its home on its owner’s arm.
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So how the heck did this guy make this outrageous feat into reality? Using 12-volt industrial electromagnets can lift more than 260 pounds under normal circumstances, that’s how. If you pump them up to 72 volts, for a short amount of time, the Hacksmith says they can pull close to 1,600 pounds.
Apparently, the magnets -- powered by three lithium polymer battery packs -- are strong enough to pull this aluminum replica shield, at least from short distances.
Check out the shield in action in the video above. For more details on its creation, watch the video here:
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No doubt, this shield is pretty dope, though it falls short of being truly superheroic. Next, the Hacksmith says he wants to create a high-tech exoskeleton suit, a-la Marvel’s Iron Man.
Watch out Elon Musk. You’ve got some competition.
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