By SuperUser Account on 12/29/2007

Do you like the idea of tesla coils and other high-voltage sparking stuff, but don't have the time, money or patience to build something that elaborate? Here's a fun little project that can make big, fat, noisy sparks at least 2 inches long, and can be built very quickly and cheaply

Mikes Electric Stuff site has very comprehensive technical explanation and plans for developing a Marx spark generator. Think of it as a Telsa coil on the cheap. I want one of these real bad

By SuperUser Account on 12/28/2007

Do you know what this is?

See how calculations used to be done before the days of electronic calculators. Find out about an important piece of engineering history. All pieces of the slide rule are draggable.

The EngCom.NET web site has a virtual slide rule you can use to do math, image that!  There is also a very nice tutorial for those who don't have training.

OK I admit that when I went to Hutch-Tech Vo-Tec we had to learn how to use the slide rule.  I also programmed my first computer an IBM 1130 with 5K of memory with punched cards.

By SuperUser Account on 12/29/2007

Do you like the idea of tesla coils and other high-voltage sparking stuff, but don't have the time, money or patience to build something that elaborate? Here's a fun little project that can make big, fat, noisy sparks at least 2 inches long, and can be built very quickly and cheaply

Mikes Electric Stuff site has very comprehensive technical explanation and plans for developing a Marx spark generator. Think of it as a Telsa coil on the cheap. I want one of these real bad

By SuperUser Account on 12/28/2007

Do you know what this is?

See how calculations used to be done before the days of electronic calculators. Find out about an important piece of engineering history. All pieces of the slide rule are draggable.

The EngCom.NET web site has a virtual slide rule you can use to do math, image that!  There is also a very nice tutorial for those who don't have training.

OK I admit that when I went to Hutch-Tech Vo-Tec we had to learn how to use the slide rule.  I also programmed my first computer an IBM 1130 with 5K of memory with punched cards.