Herbert Graf <mailinglist2 <at> farcite.net> writes:

<snip>
> My favourite "electrical" thing in high school was actually not very
> dangerous. Take the 0.5mm lead out of a mechanical pencil, make it about
> an inch long, and then put low voltage DC through it (around 6-12V).
> Glows as brightly as a light bulb, for a second or two... VERY neat! :)
> TTYL
> 

I used to weld small peaces of metal with this.  I would take lead out of 
pencil (wooden, about 1-2 mm diameter, the softer the better - more graphite) 
and use it as electrode for welding.  Power supply was 12V transformer, do not 
remember the rating, but the heavier transformer the better.

With the mains power (220V) we used to stick 2 nails into the socket and put a 
peace of paper covered with graphite from a pencil.  Convenient (although 
slightly dangerous) way to make fire without matches.  

Another trick I used to play on my brother (he is older than me, so I am not 
that cruel).  He used to read long into the night and absolutely refused to 
turn of his bedside lamp.  When he would go out of room, I would put a peace of 
moist paper into his lamp, between the bulb and central contact.  The soft 
paper for artwork works best.  When he returned, he will switch the lamp back 
on, paper will dry out in couple of minutes and the lamp will switch off!  
Apparently without my interfearence!  It used to drive him crazy until he 
figured it out.

Sergey Dryga



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