NOVELTY SHADED ARC LIGHT
This is just an idea for novelty lighting which would suit some
kind of steampunk themed event. I've never been to a steampunk
themed event, and it's just a little unlikely that I'll be asked to
build decorations for one (though sure as hell I'd say yes if they
let me build things like this for it), so I figure it might as well
get dumped here.
Not much to it really. Some might be aware that some of the first
street lights powered by electricity didn't use light bulbs, but an
arc struck between two carbon (or magnetite) rods and the
corresponding flash of light - akin to that from an arc welder -
was what lit the way of travellers on the most modern of streets in
the 19th and maybe early 20th century. Requiring regular attention
to replace the carbon rods and ensure a correctly spaced arc gap,
they of course lost out to various equally facinating light bulb
technologies developed thereafter. They did however survive on in
theatres and cinemas as the most brilliant light source available
to be used in spot lights, and for shining through flickering
frames of film, eventually to be replaced by high-power gas
discharge bulbs in use today.
More details on the history and practical construction of arc
lights can be found here:
http://donklipstein.com/carbarc.html
My addition is pretty minor, just to construct one, preferably
including an automatic advance system for the rod in order to
maintain a correct gap, inside an ornate cast iron (or cast iron
looking) street light in the recognisable style for Victorian era
gas street lights. However for the glass, use heavily tinted
welding glass so that the arc itself can be observed and only a dim
light result.
.~~~.
./ \.
/_________\
|| I ||
|| I ||
|| * V * ||
|| *#* ||
|| * ^ * ||
|| I ||
||____I____||
\_________/
| |
| |
| |
Alright that didn't turn out looking very ornate, but you get the
idea. I think if you made a bunch of these and spaced them equally
either side of a pathway it would be a really neat effect.
You can buy reproduction gas street light top bits (at least) from
China - I checked. Of course it would all be way outside my budget
for a hobby project just to make one of them, but one of these days
I do want to try building an arc light in and old steel drum so as
to make my own spotlight to shine around and confuse some of the
local wildlife with.
- The Free Thinker, 2020.
