>
>
>
> Denny gets the (highly virtual) prize for 1st mention but others are
> obviously aware of them.
>
>
Whoo hoo! I get a (virtual) prize for a (nonexistent) contest that I didn't
know I was entering with my (unintentional) entry. :-)




> Bare metal telescoping arms supporting a lamp head.
> Arms used for 12 VAC supply.
>
>

I assumed you had something else in mind, I was just pointing out that such
things are not at all "rare" as even a quick search shows several different
versions from different manufacturers. I have not studied in depth, but it
seems likely that there is a range of versions from "reasonably safe"
through "cheap and cheerful" all the way to "negligent homicide". Telling
them apart when purchasing probably involves divining rods. But on the plus
side, I'm sure there's an instructable somewhere showing how to hack
together divining rods from one of these lamps.. so... :-)


As to the quest for a home-brew diode for aforementioned party tricks - in
the USA at least, I would probably reach for a penny (one cent coin if not
obvious). Current version is copper clad zinc, older versions are solid
copper. I suspect, with a bit of effort, a copper oxide rectifier could be
lashed together.

google google, google. Yep.

Homemade copper oxide diode for crystal radio receiver:
http://www.hpfriedrichs.com/radioroom/cu-diode/rr-cu-diode.htm

and a zinc-oxide version
http://sparkbangbuzz.com/zinc-oxide-diode/zinc-oxide-diode.htm

So the pieces are there. The rest, as they say, is left as an exercise for
the student.

-Denny


(if a suitably motivated student is thwarted by the lack of access to US
pennies, contact me off list and I may be able to assist)
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