Re: Holloween Ideas...

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

Original poster: "Dr. Resonance" <resonance-at-jvlnet-dot-com> 


The helium idea sounds interesting but I can't see it actually working.  If
you discharge the coil into the helium near the ground, it should follow the
helium trail to the nearest ground, ie the helium bottle or the ground
itself and not discharge upwards into the air.  You would have to totally
insulate the helium and an area of ground for this to work if the coil is
discharge near the ground through hidden wires.

You might try an elevated pumpkin on fiberglass rod with a small needle or
group of needles sticking out of it's mouth area.  A pumpkin with 6-7 foot
sparks emitting from the mouth would be interesting.  You can use spark plug
wire covered with plastic tygon tubing to hook up to the coil.

Dr. Resonance

 >
 > 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
 >
 >
 >