Cavendish Experiment Prototype Builder + Another Prototype (5-7 days) - 10/11/2025 19:55 EST
Budget: $1,000 – $2,000 USD
I am designing an updated take on the classic Cavendish experiment and need a hands-on builder who can replicate that experiment into a working prototype that blends mechanical motion with basic electrical sensing. The primary goal is not to squeeze the last decimal out of G, but rather to create a rig that anyone with access to typical lab gear can replicate, assemble quickly, and operate safely. The first prototype may take 2-3 days to build out and then a second prototype may take another couple of days.
Here is what I am after:
• A bench-top apparatus that demonstrates the gravitational attraction between two masses, built from specialized laboratory equipment (optical table components, low-friction bearings, vibration isolation, laser pointer + PSD or photodiode read-out).
• A concise bill of materials showing every catalog item and any custom-machined parts.
• Detailed, step-by-step assembly and calibration notes that an advanced high-school or undergraduate lab could follow without guesswork.
• A short video or photo sequence proving the device can be aligned, zeroed, and produce a clean, repeatable deflection trace.
Your mechanical skills will keep the torsion system stable, and your basic electronics know-how will route the sensor signal to an oscilloscope or simple data logger. I will supply the space/lab and materials; you translate them into a robust, reproducible build.
If you are comfortable bolting together optics hardware, wiring low-noise sensors, tweaking damping, and documenting every step with clarity, let’s talk.
Our small office is located in Simi Valley, California so please keep that in mind if you reach out regarding this project since we will be doing this in person. You will have to sign our NDAs prior or upon arrival.
Here is what I am after:
• A bench-top apparatus that demonstrates the gravitational attraction between two masses, built from specialized laboratory equipment (optical table components, low-friction bearings, vibration isolation, laser pointer + PSD or photodiode read-out).
• A concise bill of materials showing every catalog item and any custom-machined parts.
• Detailed, step-by-step assembly and calibration notes that an advanced high-school or undergraduate lab could follow without guesswork.
• A short video or photo sequence proving the device can be aligned, zeroed, and produce a clean, repeatable deflection trace.
Your mechanical skills will keep the torsion system stable, and your basic electronics know-how will route the sensor signal to an oscilloscope or simple data logger. I will supply the space/lab and materials; you translate them into a robust, reproducible build.
If you are comfortable bolting together optics hardware, wiring low-noise sensors, tweaking damping, and documenting every step with clarity, let’s talk.
Our small office is located in Simi Valley, California so please keep that in mind if you reach out regarding this project since we will be doing this in person. You will have to sign our NDAs prior or upon arrival.