It was way back in the 80s but there was a device that was made up of two clear plastic platters with 30 to 40 small disc shaped magnets in a ring on the outside of one and pickups on the other, there was also a hand crank that when cranked caused one or both of the platters to rotate.
When you cranked it, sparks were generated across a gap between two brass spheres.
My friends and I used this device to charge lightning jars and then zap one another with the jars, which if charged long enough acted like a modern day taser(Yikes!!)
I have been searching for this generator for some time now. In my "Minds eye" it was a beautiful piece of functional art and is part of a fond memory of my youth.(Simmilar to the nostalgia of old game consoles some people have) In any case, I would like to own one now if they are sold anywhere. I have spent a long time searching the web for them but have been unsuccessful.
I'm sure that in todays schools such a device would not be allowed due to its inherent danger but it was a different time back then, heck there was what we called the smoke pit where students and teachers hung out together at lunchtime on school property smoking cigarettes! (Which is probably why my friends and I could play with the dangerous toys in the science labs unsupervised!)
Does anyone else remember seeing or using these and possibly know the name of them?
Thanks for taking the time to read my question.
PS: It wasn't a Tesla coil or Van De Graaff, but acted more like the magneto on a lawnmower just more beautiful and powerful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_generator
You might be thinking of the Wimshurst Machine:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wimshurst_machine
https://www.instructables.com/Small-Wimshurst-generator-from...
There are also mechanical variations on the Kelvin Water Dropper:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelvin_water_dropper
I remember designing and building a machine that uses the principles of the Kelvin Water Dropper, but uses a belt instead of flowing water, and rearranges things to get asingle circle of motion instead of a "bowtie" or "figure of eight".
But I expect you're thinking of the Wimshurst machine.