Re: Holloween Ideas...

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

Original poster: The MCP <ejkeever-at-comcast-dot-net> 

Personally, I think it'd be really cool if you got a canister of helium
(lighter-than-air, easily ionized) and released a cloud of it to cling to the
ceiling. Turn on the coil with a connection near the ceiling, and suddenly
sparks are flying all over the ceiling of the room.

I wouldn't pull a stunt like that in any place except one that had no wiring
in the ceilings (read: a dedicated stunt house).

On the other hand, you could do something similar outdoors: Turn on the coil,
and make it discharge into the helium tank. Start pumping helium out, and
have a column of sparks flying into the air for probably 20 feet.

A variation would be to have both the TC power and gas release slaved to one
control, so you press the button and the tanks shoot out a jet of helium,
belching sparks. It'd be a good use for a coil small enough it wouldn't hurt
anyone: bury little cans of helium that are leaking to create a plume, and
have a little discharge wire connected to each. Behind the scenes, ground
your coil to the wires randomly, so it's like lightning shooting out of the
ground for no reason.

Did I get any ideas right?

On Saturday 27 September 2003 04:05 pm, Tesla list wrote:
 > Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr-at-bellsouth-dot-net>
 >
 > Its that time of the year again and the ideas of sparks n arcs themes for
 > haunted houses are becoming a prominent part of my daily thoughts...
 >
 >
 > I want to do more than Zap a pumpkin on a metal post....  I have a couple
 > of ideas  some good a few lame...  but Im looking for that really good show
 > stopper that will make people remember the scene.   I am limited to about
 > 8' radius ( well actually 12' but I want to keep the safety margin high)
 >
 > This years idea is to have a 36" skeleton with demon wings sitting on the
 > toroid with a wire run to his fingertip pointing outwards towards the end
 > of a bridge going across the "swamp" ( round muddy bare spot surrounded
 > with dead bushes/ tree limbs etc   where the pool was)
 >
 > I ask the patrons to "ask" the evil demon permission to cross the
 > bridge....   they ask   I hit the foot pedal activating the coil....   I
 > tell them he said "NO"    I make them ask again....   hit the switch
 > again...   then tell them he said "YES" ...   I allow the patrons across
 > the bridge
 >
 > and no Im not going to activate the switch while they are crossing the
 > bridge  ;)
 >
 > this way they get to see the coil in action twice....
 >
 > what would be better in this case???   a chicken wire mesh to direct the
 > arc and brighten it to a blinding noisy white arc or should i go for the
 > free ranging longer thin blue streamer effect??
 >
 > any of you fellow tesla coilers have any " professional " experience in
 > visuals for this type of theme ...  I would love to hear from yall
 >
 > and you all with the creative minds   let me know what yall think...
 > Im all ears...
 >
 >
 > Scot D