Something that's probably been done to death...

I was mulling over some of the old posts, but something kind of struck me as odd. Maybe because my travels has given me access to things that normal people don't get to see, but I was just wondering something.

Why have we not attempted to construct a functional Lightsaber? Well realistically a functional Plasma saber. The power source isn't a problem, and Tesla coils producing three foot arcs are easy to make. The plasma of the Tesla coils are pretty easily contained in an Electromagnetic field. A pin electrode at the tip of the Tesla coil can produce a distinct blade like effect in the electromagnetic containment field. I'm just wondering what is stopping us from making the attempt? We have all the means to do it right now. Am I missing something? Does the Temple condone the research and development of Plasma Sabers?

Just curious...like I said, this is probably a dead horse I am brutalizing right now, and I apologize.

And another thing...does anyone here know or have the means to handle radioactive isotopes? If so, don't be shy.

http://arxiv.org/ftp/physics/papers/0701/0701091.pdf

Again, the power source is not an issue. If there is one thing I could stress...there is plenty of power out there. Getting the juice to run these things is not hard to come by. Give me a month and I could get you a self replenishing power source that can produce just under a million volts of DC. Trust me, power is not an issue...Handling radioactive isotopes is. Handling microgram sized radio active isotopes is a huge hurdle...so if anyone knows how to do it...I really wouldn't mind hearing.

while a good idea and scientifically plausable (key word plausable), From what I've read and recently seen on history channel (they did a big star wars day a while ago), the concept is still many years away. And then the other down side is it would cost many many many hundreds of thousands of dollars.

All that aside if you have a design and know how to make one. By all means rock on and remember the little guys like me when your rich off it. Just remeber many people have been flash fried trying to make it. Be careful my friend, research as much as you can about the isotopes before you even think of playing with them.

What concept is many years away?

Well, they do have plasma cutters. Which could almost be construed as a very crude, very short ranged, very primitive lightsaber if you use your imagination.

Calimanar, on that show, they had several scientists exlain that the idea of a lightsaber is plausible, but in order for them to even be somewhat like the ones of the movies, there will need to be many, many, many, many more scientific breakthroughs before we get to that point. There is just NO possible way to have a hand-held object that emits a plasma blade that burns at a hot enough temperature to immediately slice through everything.(Except another lightsaber, or \"Cortosis.\") Simply put, nothing that we have on the earth at this point actually IS that hot. And that's not even considering coming up with a handle that would be insulated enough to keep the wielder from flash frying their hand immediately after igniting it. Nor is that considering the difficulty in find a portable power source that would supply enough juice to get the job done. And furthermore, there is still the problem of coming up with all of the above in a compact, light-weight design that can be used by one person, with one hand, let alone be able to hang it from a belt.

Well...either way I'll leave it at that for now. I may have to undertake the madness myself...now all I have to do is find Lucite plastic...

good idea its just its going to be a long time before anything like it well come out

You can only find out if you try. After all some people say we are mad to be in this Temple, so why not continue that tradition.

\"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living.\"

- Anais Nin

What would we be without dreams?

What would we be like without dreams? Well probably very boring.

My whole thing with these \"scientists\" on mainstream tv channels is more often than not they don't really know what technology is available to the world already. People who say free energy is not possible have never built a machine that utilizes back EMF emissions, but that's besides the point.

A Tesla coil emits \"lightning bolts\" without the heat. These are plasma tendrils reaching out without the heat that is normally attributed with plasmas. This doesn't mean it wouldn't cut things. Place a sheet of paper on a low powered Tesla coil and it will ignite in a few seconds. I've been near Tesla coils while they are firing and I've not noticed intense heat coming from the coils, yet they can still do damage if you get hit even a little bit by them. So it's definitely going to be my prime experimental piece.

My whole idea is to make a Tesla coil that will emit a three foot spark. Take beveled electromagnets on the side to maintain the shape and a pin electrode at the tip of the Tesla coil to direct the flow of the \"plasma\" and keep it spinning. Another electromagnet is at the base of the Tesla coil to keep the \"plasma\" from coming back into the pummel. Now I'm having the idea of putting an Electret or two in the handle of the device. I'll have to put in some step down transformers with definitely a 555 timer switch to moderate the discharge of the Electrets. I need to figure out how I'm going to maintain the continuous power from the Electrets and not have the pause in discharge effect saber usage. Building ruby lasers are so much easier.

Now I'm wondering what happens when a bullet comes near this powerful electromagnetic field that's containing the Tesla Arc. Wouldn't it instantly ionize the metal coming near it? I'm also wondering how I'm going to deal with the Electrets themselves. A normal Electret is about 9 inches in diameter. This size of an Electret contains just over 300KV DC. The average Tesla coil in the compact size runs on about 220 to 230 volts from the wall that runs through a neon transformer hitting it up to 2KV AC. The Electrets at the size of a lightsaber pummel will probably be pushing around 50-60 KV DC. It would probably be prudent to put two in the lightsaber. That way one can power the Tesla Coil directly and the other can power the electromagnets.

So the pummel will probably be made of aluminum or lead. Some sort of metallic object for grounding purposes probably. I'll probably have to think about it. In the hilt part will be two Electrets separated so they don't fire each other off and blow up in your hands. I would imagine the Electrets would be fed to HV Diodes that would run to 555 timer switches...or the other way around. Not sure yet. Then I would need some sort of mechanism to ensure continuous flow from the power source. One power module would be routed to the Tesla Coil, whilst the other would be routed to the electromagnets. Some of the basic hardware/software added to the saber would be pressure sensitive switches that would turn the blade off when weight is removed from the switch. I could also install a fingerprint module so that only the person who is registered with the saber can turn it on. The fail safe would turn the blade off when pressure is released, but only the person registered to the blade could turn it back on. Well that's my basic theory for that right now.

As for the flight...gamma radiation kind of messes with the Pituitary gland, so I will need to be taking plenty of the anti-nuke drug. I could wear my old gas mask to prevent inhaling the micro gram of Americium. Now I just need roughly 36 to 37 smoke alarms. Well that and a way to hold the Americium. I suppose epoxy is going to be my best friend on this experiment. Hopefully I don't randomly explode myself. Worst case scenario I could hook up a Back EMF runner to the whole thing so I don't need to be near it. We'll just have to see. I want to experiment with running the Electret through the Tesla coil first. See if I can't get the Electret firing consistently with the Coil. After that I want to see what happens when I start setting up the electromagnetic containment field (ECF). My goal is to get the discharges effectively held in the ECF. Which should lead to seeing how mock up saber forms run. After that, we see the cutting effectiveness of the sabers. If we get the whole ensemble to work then we really need to consider what construction restrictions there might be in designing these things.

Well my first goal is to make the Electrets and get them running. Since I don't know anyone in Japan right now who can get me Carnauba wax...I'm just going to have to use Lucite plastic for now. Unless some of you happen to have Carnauba wax on you. So that's going to be my first thing. Well not right now considering I have work I need to do.

Well take care all, and thanks for letting me rant my crazy mastermind madness for a brief moment...

May the Force be with you all.