So I threw this Jackobs ladder together a few years ago from a two neon sign transformers (NST) a friend gave me back in colorado. Jacobs ladders are sinfully easy to set up really all you need is an NST, some wire, two antenne, and enugh stupidity to be willing to risk your life so that you can look at the pretty spark. I simply wont go into the details of set up as they are everywhere on the web and I would rather let some one else take the blame for putting that info into your hands.

At 7500 Volts 40ma, my ladder is kind of pathetic really, the best arc I can generate is about 1.5 inches wide and it only goes all the way up the antenne after multiple fine adjustments. I kind of think if anyone ever put a larger NST into my hands I would happly plug it into this box and re run some of my exparements.

Reguardless, recently my Marshmello toasting skills where challenged and that got me to thinking, how long would it take a Jacobs Ladder to toast a marshmellow? would it do it instentaniously and evenly? would it just melt or would you get a nice toasted outer shell,... or maybe an innter shell,.. or maybe a cool explosion,.. Maybe I would "spark" a whole new trend in marshmellowy goodness,..

Quite frankly I was disapointed, it melted around the poles, got gewy in the center, but cooked very un evenly and left an awfull mess on the antenne. no explosion, no toasty goodness, it was a sad day. clean up was not to bad, just left the arc on for a few and watched the residu turn to dust, but now the antenne are stained in that spot. The arc did showed a desire to stay on the marshmellow, proving a certain level of conductivity, but did not toast the outer shell untill far after the inside was molten lava

Jacobs ladder as a marshmellow toaster:
It gets one star as it actualy did heat the marshmellow, though the resulting glob was not really edable.

So what else can I throw into my death ray?

• Marshmellow Peeps, (waighting for holloween so I can get those ghost shaped ones)
• Match box car
• re-animate dead stuffed animals
• DVD re release Q the winged serpent
• Super Ball, gum ball, all sorts of balls
• Telemarketer, well just the headset while im talking to one.
• Shrimp Kabob
• Ice Cube
• polaroid film
• fire cracker
• army men, (the plastic toys)
• Old hard drive
• Mentos