Re: the argon project

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

Original poster: "robert heidlebaugh by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <rheidlebaugh-at-desertgate-dot-com>

Josh: This time of year buisnesses and schools service there flourecent
lamps. I have salvaged tubes compleat with boxes and used them to make gas
tube lampes. The glass is thin but you can blow it into shape if careful.
    Robert  H

 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 17:28:56 -0700
 > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Subject: the argon project
 > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Resent-Date: Sun, 17 Nov 2002 17:31:20 -0700
 >
 > Original poster: "J Dow by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
 > <jdowphotography-at-hotmail-dot-com>
 >
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > Hello all
 >
 > I've been running my coil in the MassArt metal shop/foundry and Drum (he
 > runs the place) is getting into coils and HV. We were talking shop the
 > other day and got on the topic or argon welding gas, ionized gas, neon
 > signs and such like. He had the idea of putting a neon tube in a fish tank
 > and lighting it with the HV field from my coil. I didn't think it work
 > because of the water. Then I though of mineral oil, it would be clear like
 > water, but you would have to get an awful lot of it. Next I thought of
 > using this nice 4 foot by 3.75" clear acrylic tube I got out of the trash.
 > It was part of a fish "tank". It was meant to stand up and bubble, there
 > was a light at the bottom.
 > The experimental idea:
 > Stand tube with mineral oil where the secondary would go. Pump argon in
 > from the bottom. Watch as the argon bubbles in the oil ionize. The top is
 > caped to form a closed loop. We even found the old vacuum pump if we need
 > to bring the internal gas pressure down. The way I see it; if there is a
 > volume of low-pressure gas and you put it near a HV field it will ionize.
 > It shouldn't matter the sort of container you use, Glass, plastic or oil.
 > Anticipated problems:
 > Because the argon won't ionize at normal pressure, will a fish tank pump,
 > pump it at low pressure. We will see.
 > Read you later
 > Josh
 >
 >