R&D – Building a DIY Linear Air Track (and Saving £250!)

 

R&D – Building a DIY Linear Air Track (and Saving £250!)

There are some bits of physics equipment that always seem unnecessarily expensive… and right near the top of that list is the linear air track.

You know the one:
A long aluminium track, tiny holes, air blown through it, and suddenly friction almost disappears. Perfect for demonstrating motion, momentum, and Newton’s laws.

Brilliant piece of kit.
Eye-watering price.

So naturally, I asked the question…

“Can I make one myself?”

What Does an Air Track Actually Do?

At its heart, it’s beautifully simple.

• A hollow aluminium tube (usually triangular or square)
• Lots of small holes drilled along its length
• Air pumped through the tube
• A glider floats on a cushion of air

Result: near frictionless motion

Perfect for:

• Constant velocity experiments
• Acceleration investigations
• Collisions and momentum

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The DIY Version

Here’s the reality…

You don’t need a fancy supplier. You need:

• Aluminium square tube
• A drill (and a bit of patience!)
• A decent air blower
• Something to block one end

That’s it.

In my case, I used a compact but powerful blower from Makita — more than enough to create a good airflow.

Build Steps (Simple Version)

1. Drill evenly spaced small holes along the tube
2. Seal one end completely
3. Attach blower to the other end
4. Turn it on… and watch the magic

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Does It Actually Work?

Yes — surprisingly well.

You get:

• A smooth air cushion
• Low friction motion
• Excellent demonstrations for students

Is it perfect?
No.

Is it good enough for teaching and experiments?
Absolutely.

And perhaps more importantly…

Students LOVE that it’s homemade

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The Real Lesson (Beyond Physics)

This is what R&D should be about:

• Questioning expensive solutions
• Building practical alternatives
• Understanding how things actually work

And showing students that science isn’t just something you buy…

It’s something you build

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The Cost Comparison

• Commercial air track: ~£250+
• DIY version: significantly less

And a lot more satisfying.

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Final Thought

There’s something rather nice about turning on a homemade air track and watching it work just as it should.

Even better when a student asks:

“Sir… did you actually make this?”

“Yes.”

…and then you show them how.