Re: really cool link to so cool effect's

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

Original poster: "john cooper" <tesla-at-tesla-coil-dot-com> 

A couple friends used to pull off this stunt.  Lowell Beezley, as the 
'crash dummy', would sit on a 4 foot insulator that had an aluminum plate 
on its top, would typically wear jeans mildly soaked with salt water, cross 
his legs and rest his elbows on his legs.  Bill Wysock, with a wicked grin, 
would then crank up the TC which was connected to the aluminum plate. 
Lowell would typically have something in his hand, rod or whatever, to 
serve as the emission point.  It's important to note that this body 
position would channel the energy from his legs to his arms and out, 
bypassing his body core.  Typical power was 4 or 5kVa, frequency 
120kH.  Personally, I would have chosed a higher freq. but all lived to 
repeat this many times and Lowell still has all his marbles (contrary to 
what his ex might say).


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Date:  Fri, 14 May 2004 15:53:01 -0600

 >Original poster: Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-twfpowerelectronics-dot-com>
 >
 >Hi,
 >
 >Most people that do the human fireball stunt learned it directly from
 >others.  That way they could learn the many "important tips" like not
 >setting your hair on fire or not pulling an arc off your nose...  As far as
 >I know, Henry Transtrom was the "first" person to do the trick.  Transtrom
 >was a electrical engineer and showman with vast knowledge of AC high
 >voltage electricity.  He was well skilled to "try it first".  Of course, he
 >was also the "first" to get killed....
 >
 >Tesla may have done similar things, but I think Transtrom is the person who
 >really made the "big show".  Of course, Tesla got the crap shocked out of
 >him in 1895 by a 3 foot power arc to his shoulder which almost killed
 >him.  His assistant snapped the power off instantly saving him...
 >
 >Forgive if we all get pretty scared when people start asking about sitting
 >on coils or playing with arcs.  There is a vast amount of really bad
 >information out there and the possibility of somebody casually trying and
 >dying is high.  The expert's really only claim to fame is that they have
 >not died yet...  It is sort of like Robert Knievel teaching somebody how to
 >do motor cycles stunts.  He may be the best at it, but...
 >
 >Also, today's Tesla coils are significantly more powerful than the
 >cardboard and plate glass coils of yesterday.  A relatively small NST
 >system can easily rival the usual stunt coils of times gone by.  Unlike a
 >kid in the 50's wiring up a coil to make 6 inch arcs.  Today, the same kid
 >can push 6 foot arcs!!  As we get better at making coils, the dangers also
 >increase...  In general, touching arcs in anyway is just not safe at all
 >and we are not real anxious to help people try.
 >
 >
 >Cheers,
 >
 >         Terry
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >At 03:26 PM 5/14/2004, you wrote:
 >>I'm not trying to call anyone a coward, but the statement that it should not
 >>be done by some1 who has never done it before doesnt make sense. Someone did
 >>it and succeeded first. Whats the whole point of giving advice on how to do
 >>it then telling people to hire someone and just sit by and watch.
 >>
 >>---Eric
 >>----- Original Message -----
 >>From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >>To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 >>Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 1:38 PM
 >>Subject: Re: really cool link to so cool effect's
 >>
 >>
 >> > Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr-at-bellsouth-dot-net>
 >> >
 >> > this one is going to get alot of responces....
 >> >
 >> > first off which effect are you refering to??  the upper left picture?
 >> > if thats the one, it is easily done BUT the dangers involved are a 
MAXIMUM
 >> > threat. One wrong arc to a grounded object and you are toast....   also
 >>the
 >> > travel of HF HV thru the body is now being understood a bit better and it
 >> > has been found that it does damage nerve tissue and the flesh where the
 >> > streamers exit.
 >> >
 >> > Some of the set up tips include  a very well insulated platform elevated
 >> > from ground at least 3 times the distance the longest arc can travel (
 >>hard
 >> > part here is finding a material that has that well of an insulating
 >> > capacity) , a drop wire from the tesla coil toroid to a near secure 
ground
 >> > to limit the streamer length, NO overhead objects within 5 times the
 >> > maximum streamer length ( just in case you stand up while its on) , a set
 >> > wires from the platform to the actors finger tips to reduce the HF HV 
thru
 >> > the body but that really doesnt help ( I had set up a plastic skeleton on
 >> > top of my toroid with latex wings on it and ran wires to the wing
 >> > tips   needless to say, the wing tips STILL caught on fire where the wire
 >> > exited), at least 3 manned kill switches constantly being monitored when
 >> > the coil/actor is activated.
 >> > The easiest way to do this visual is to hire a proffesional    too many
 >> > variables to go wrong for a "never done that before" type of person to
 >> > attempt...
 >> >
 >> > Scot D
 >> >
 >> >
 >> >
 >> >
 >> > Tesla list wrote:
 >> >
 >> > >Original poster: Jimbo07031982-at-aol-dot-com
 >> > >This is a web address for a stunt performed with a tesla coil haven't
 >> > >totally figured out how the did but I am trying if any of you can figure
 >> > >it out let me know please cause I will be working at a haunted house 
this
 >> > >year and think that it would be a nice effect to have at a safe distance
 >> > >from the crowd of course..
 >> > ><http://www.hvfx.co.uk/stunts.html>www.hvfx.co.uk/stunts.html it's 
called
 >> > >the lightning man stunt and is the only one with video of it
 >> >
 >> >
 >> >