Re: A blinding flash of the obvious

To: tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: A blinding flash of the obvious
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Sun, 18 May 1997 23:59:24 -0500
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

Subject:  Re: A blinding flash of the obvious
  Date:   Sun, 18 May 1997 19:02:26 -0400
  From:   "Thomas McGahee" <tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com>
    To:   "Tesla List" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>

Simplify the experiment. Instead of trying to fill the whole room
with argon or whatever, just place a small lecture bottle filled with
the gas of interest on top of the Tesla coil. Before firing it up,
adjust the needle valve for a very SMALL amount of gas coming out.
Fire up the TC and see if the gas exiting from the nozzle has any
neat characteristics as regards COLOR or promoting length or shape of
the Tesla coil discharge. 

The nice thing is that if you DO get interesting effects, then you
can duplicate them before an audience without gassing everybody! It
goes without saying that you should be careful as to *what* gases you
use. You want interesting effects, not destruction of your Tesla coil
or audience! Avoid poisonous or highly flammable gases.

Fr. Tom McGahee