A number of years ago, I worked on a show where we did the old electric chair routine, where the girl sits in the chair, the "power" is switched on, and she lights a flourescent tube (by touching the glass), lights a torch, etc. Now, this is not the one with the tesla coil- it didn't involve the girl shooting sparks from her fingers. She simply sat on the metal seat of the chair, kept her feet on the floor, and the device connected to the metal seat was turned on and it ran it's "power" (I assume static) through her. I was told at the time that it was some sort of "Static tube light tester". I went to an electric supply house, and got a handheld device that will light a flourescent tube when you touch it to the glass, but it isn't strong enough to run it's "current" through a person's body like the one we had on that chair. Also, the chair device was plugged in, not battery powered like the handheld model. Can anyone tell me what this device is and where I can find one? Thanks!

Phil

I would start with Stevens Magic, they use to sell an illusion that lit bulbs in a person's hand.

Is it a Neg. Ion Generator?

We used a Tesla Coil. I bought one years ago from Fisher Scientific. (They've got to be on the web somewhere.) I believe scientists use it to test apparatus for leaks of some sort.

The coil's housing looked like an oversized, short, fat pencil. I just wired the metal tip of the coil to a plate on the seat of the chair. The last one I made was for a Sideshow I worked with back in the 80's and was mounted inside a wooden bar stool...easier to lug around than the big, throne-looking thing they had.

NOTE: The girl should NOT be touching the stage when seated, or she'll ground out the generated current. All the other little things that can shock you, she'll learn to quickly avoid. For instance, my wife very quickly figured out that an underwire bra was a definite no-no when doing the Electric Girl act...stuff like that.

One unexpected advantage, when the coil was turned on, it generated a bit of interference and sent a slight buzzing noise through the sound system. Naturally, it really added to the effect and made the chair seem more "dangerous."

Hi:

Abbott's might be a good resource; they used to sell plans to a number of illusions like the Electric Girl, Spider Girl, etc.

Ron

Sorry to contradict you, but the illusion was done with the equivalent of a Tesla coil. There are lots of different kinds of Tesla coils in use. The flyback transformer of the old fashioned television sets was a kind of tesla coil. Tesla coils, van de Graaf generators, and Wimshurst generators all produced static electricity.

The trick has been done traditionally with a Ford model T spark coil(10,000 volts and available from J. C. Whitney auto parets). More recently they have been using an item called (violet wand, 50,000) this is also know as a vacume tester ans high voltage unit(science supply house about 150.00). this is a small tesla coil and looks like a 2" diam item apros 9" long. I get mine on ebay(look under violet wand or tesla) or at the science supply house.

That sounds like good advice.

The device that is being described is a small tesla coil anso called(for a higher price) a violet wand(look on ebay under tesla coil and also violet wand) they are high voltage teseter sold thru csience supply houses(i believe mine came from Cenco and another from ebay)

I believe Edmund Scientific sells Tesla coils as well.

http://scientificsonline.com/product.asp......41135671

Years ago I built one with a Model "T" coil. It worked well.

Randi Rain used one in her monthly Dead Girl Circus performances, and I think she did a beautiful job with it. It is awesome and definitely was a hit with the audiences. I am sure she would have some suggestions.

I use one built with a Model "T" coil.
It still the best for the electric chair experiment in my opinion.

But you can find some interesting stuff there to build many HV device to fits your need:

http://www.amazing1.com/

Even an Electric Man kit...

One unexpected advantage, when the coil was turned on, it generated a bit of interference and sent a slight buzzing noise through the sound system. Naturally, it really added to the effect and made the chair seem more "dangerous."
To get the crackling sound, cut the microphone cord and splice it back together about eight feet from the mike. Put your foot on the splice and you get the sound whenever she touches the light or a tourch.
We got our violet wand from a barber supply house. I've seen them in adult bookstores at higher prices.
Replace the glass tube with a piece of copper tubing, solder a length of zip cord to the copper and run it up to a piece of copper sheet in the seat of the chair.