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Registered Member #53
Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:31AM
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 638
The spark length and direction is constant so you are using some kind of guide and slowly tracing the letters with a fork-shaped stick. Where 1 prong is your HV and the other is the return.
Registered Member #540
Joined: Mon Feb 19 2007, 07:49PM
Location: MIT
Posts: 969
Something that can move the arc gap in the x and y coordinates with steppers or servos I guess. You programmed a controller to move it in that way to make the letters. Maybe?
One think I am wondering is about is why the arc changes angle. Is it because the camera is on the left side of the display thing and the gap is vertical?
Registered Member #10
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 09:45AM
Location: Bunbury, Australia
Posts: 1424
Myke wrote ...
Something that can move the arc gap in the x and y coordinates with steppers or servos I guess. You programmed a controller to move it in that way to make the letters. Maybe?
One think I am wondering is about is why the arc changes angle. Is it because the camera is on the left side of the display thing and the gap is vertical?
A plotter is far too clever for me at my age although I did do one about 30 years ago for the Vic 20 computer. Article is here.
Good observation about the angle. Gap is horizontal.
The answer is simple as I was under some time pressure.
Not sure how cutouts would work and don't think you are seeing a cutout shape in silhouette here.
This was developed in response to a request for a logo in sparks by VICE TV. Will be filming it later today.
Registered Member #1792
Joined: Fri Oct 31 2008, 08:12PM
Location: University of California
Posts: 527
I'm going to guess...
You drilled a bunch of little holes in thick acrylic for each letter, put a ground plane beneath, and put chicken wire (or another grid) of HV on top and let it run.
Or, you cut each letter out of acrylic to use as a guide, pasted them on top of a ground plane, and moved a stick with HV around each one, turning off the HV between each letter.
wrote ... Good observation about the angle. Gap is horizontal.
I need to read better, that pretty much throws out these guesses.
Next guess: you were in a different room with lighting, tracing out these letters with a stick that passed into the dark room with the camera.
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Writing with sparks (neatly)
