Re: Whoo-hoo! (and some questions)

["Mike Harrison" <mike-at-whitewing.co.uk> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

>> 8.)What kind of gases produce what kind of effect in discharge tubes 
>> or plasma
>> globes?(i.e.- air makes wussy pink arcs)
>
>
>Any noble gas, specifically, neon or argon (krypton, Xenon, Radon,
>Helium). Mercury vapor works, but it is heavy with UV. Argon is readily
>available from welding suplly places, but the cost of the regulating
>equipment and tank is prohibitively expensive. Make friends with somone
>who has a TIG or MIG welder, and likes to use a strait argon mix.
>Sometimes, a 80/20 argon/CO2 mix is used, and this will do nothing in a
>plasma globe.  
Don't know about the US, but in the UK you can get small cans of argon
for hobbyist MIG welders, and a regulator/valve (sold as a replacement
item) pretty cheap at Halfords superstore branches (SIP brand) - can't
remember exactly but I think it was less than UKP25 for can + reg. 
You can see a pic at www-dot-netcomuk.co.uk/~wwl/Argon.html