The World's Simplest Electrostatic Machine

With a simple plastic cutting board you can build an electrostatic generating device, powerful enough to produce little shocks and even small sparks. This is a really simple project that can be made in very little time: the power of electricity is just a few steps away!
Also see how to build a Van de Graaff Generator - plans at: http://www.innovationview.com/vdg.html

Step 1 Materials

You will need:
- A plastic cutting board
- Aluminum foil
- Electrical tape
- Stick glue
- A soft cloth

Comments

[Dreistein]

hey i'd like to make a device i can attach to say my foot ,that if i touch someone they would get a shock basically like when you walk with socks over a carpet but the effect is automated. A guy made an ible http://www.instructables.com/id/The-mini-electrostatic-generator/ where he makes what im describing but its not very detailed. any ideas?

[1000%]

This does not work like my creator I am known to make stuff I have made this test unsucessful

[teslacoilguitaramp,helpmeplz]

would this work with a leyden jar?

[turner_chris1]

is this what's normally called an "electrophorus" see the wiki article -

[nutsandbolts_64]

apparently not.... it's just static electricity powering a small light bulb...

[impedance214]

do this electrostatic machine can be used as a source of electrostatic electricity for my electrostatic motor?

[innovationview]

You can try... but the charge generated from this device is normally too small to produce strong electrostatic effects.

[kevinsa5]

does it just need more capacity? you could probably increase the stored charge by putting several layers of aluminum foil on.

[ravebot]

thanks fun to play with

[miiwii3]

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE ACTUALLY TRYED THIS

[ravebot]

what?

[dragonsniper]

does this actually work

[zimmemic25]

yes. even before having tried it, i knew it must work, because: - the aluminium can store electric charge - rubbing the cloth on the aluminium will cause it to charge - touching the aluminium while rubbing it with the cloth will decharge it, so it will be uncharged _as long as you are touching/rubbing it with the cloth_. -> this means as soon as you take away the cloth, the aluminium will be charged.

[zimmemic25]

i just remembered that i once had to charge an electroscope for school, and because all van-de-graaff generators were in use, i took my Polyethylene lunch box and rubbed it with my sweatshirt's arms. that produced enough charge for the electroscope to react more than with some of my classmate's generators...