Hi all, just wondering if anyone else out there has made a VDG (van de graaff generator) check out the pictures of the one I made, and if you have one post it and tell us about it !!
Focus =) Pictures are nice, but increase ambient lighting as much as you can. Modern "Auto" settings will increase focal depth with increased lighting, and perhaps a small flash. Looks like you have sharp daylight coming in from one point. Cameras love difuse lighting =)
I got the idea from Sci-toys (scitoys.com). Its just made from some PVC pipe, a fast motor, rubber bands rollers and a dome. The belt is just a wide and long rubber band I got from the DT workshop at school, the top roller took some experimenting, but I found that I can get about 4cm of spark (1.5in) from a ceramic insulator standof i found in an old cd player circuit.
Hey things, you're in melbourne but you're right, quite often it can get a bit humid here, too. It has just started to drop in humidity lately, so i brought out the VDG. Sparks and pain never cease to amaze me.
EDIT: btw, I was walking past Priceline in Chermside (shops) one day and saw the (was a candle) dome thing, so I knew I had to get it. Cost me $2.50Just if you were wondering.