RE: Terrified Parents

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Stephen Mathieson" <s.mathieson-at-charter-dot-net> 

Terror is your friend. I have been coiling for a number of years thought and
dealing with high voltages much longer. Nothing compares to seeing a Master
Electrician attempt to measure 13.2KV with a HV probe, gauntlets and the
works, but his assistant was holding a Simpson meter and leaning against a
light pole. The arcs came out through the screws in the back of the meter
and the current blew a 12" diameter hole in the back of the assistant
killing him instantly.

As I said, terror is your friend. You can overcome it but it will always
make you think twice about what you do and what you touch. Terror can help
keep you safe!

Stephen A. Mathieson

-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 9:35 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Terrified Parents

Original poster: Tesla729-at-cs-dot-com

In a message dated 11/28/03 7:02:46 AM Pacific Standard Time,
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:
 >All figures available at
 ><http://www.cpsc.gov/library/data.html>http://www.cpsc.gov/library/data.htm
l
 >
 >So... statistically, Tesla coils have a better safety record than consumer
 >electronics, trampolines, and candles.
 >
 ><In fact, every job, hobby, sport, activity, or just
 >about anything worth doing carries a certain amount of
 >risk. Tesla coiling occupies a pretty low spot on the
 >risk scale, way below skateboarding, woodworking,
 >cycling, swimming, football, or even driving a car.>
 >
 >Absolutely!!


Hi all,

Yes that's very true but you also have to realize that there is
relatively very few people that play with Tesla coils, probably
less than .01%  of the general population. .01% of nearly 300
million US citizens is still like 30,000 and I seriously doubt that
there are 30,000 active coilers in the USA. I'm sure that there
is a MUCH higher % participation in the other "more hazardous"
activities (mowing grass, burning candles, driving a car, ect.) than
there is in coiling. Since so realtively few people practice coiling, there
is consequently few incidents. I'm sure that most coilers playing it
safe does go a long toward keeping the accidents low, too, though.

David Rieben