On Tue, 9 Nov 2004 11:30:44 -0600, "Steve Nosko"
wrote:


"Paul Burridge" wrote in message
.. .
Hi guys,

Check this out:


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...1533 536&rd=1

Is this type of transformer of any use to the serious radio amateur,
or is it just *way* over the top?


Sure. *IF* you like sparks around your rig. Make a Jacob's Ladder, etc.
Lotsa volts, don't need to much ma.
This thing belongs on rec.electronics.how.big.can.i.make.a.spark

There are guys who make REALLY BIG Tesla coils. I'm talkin' make your own
capacitors, 5-7 feet tall, light the neighbor's florescent bulbs big!

I kept the ignition transformer from my mother-in-laws oil furnace when
converted to gas. There's quite a bit of power there. The tips of my
Jacob's Ladder heated enough to melt the plastic tube I had it in...and they
barely touch it.

The Museum of Science in Boston has a bunch of similar toys in their
Thomson Theater of Electricity. http://www.mos.org/sln/toe

The large Tesla Coil they have is rather large, 8 feet tall and 4 feet
across. The smaller ones are 75,000 volts.

They also have a two story high Van de Graff generator.

They do regular demos of all this several times each day.

The website above includes a picture gallery.

Happy trails,
Gary (net.yogi.bear)
------------------------------------------------
at the 51st percentile of ursine intelligence

Gary D. Schwartz, Needham, MA, USA
Please reply to: garyDOTschwartzATpoboxDOTcom