Melting Metal With Water

[@SteveEh]

The; under the hood mad scientist laugh while holding two glowing carbon rods; was amazing! Great video!

[@zylascope]

Yeah wasn't it! :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - it's just me mate - cheers

[@zylascope]

I love the thumbnail for this video too.

[@oddjobbobb]

I wish I could thumbs up more than once

[@tonyswietochowski2282]

Robert Murray-Smith - I replayed your laugh about 10 times. 🤣

[@laszlon.4424]

Your an academic wizard who can whisper science to common folk. As a common layman myself, I love your content.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - thanks for taking the time to post

[@sarchlalaith8836]

@@ThinkingandTinkering this is pretty awesome... Is it going to bankrupt me to use on a regular basis though? I'm kinda poor. And the water tub... Is that just acting as a capacitor?

[@charadremur333]

@@sarchlalaith8836 i think its a voltage controller? I haven't watched it yet.

[@charadremur333]

@@sarchlalaith8836 ps: i watched it, watch the king of random video on the scariac. Thay is what he made.

[@njubabrian6105]

@@ThinkingandTinkering hi Mr Robert I am glade u saw my inovation I love your work

[@gusteffan]

Wow, again wow, Brilliant Rob, you have a lot of confidence, I expect that was the electricity supply company on the phone inquiring about the voltage draw on their line? Haha 🤣

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - no mate it was my wife making sure i hadn't fried myself lol

[@johnmarkgatti3324]

ha literally briliant , actually quite blinding ,,nice !

[@davidhancock8566]

john mark gatti i

[@pzzuo1387]

Robert…..thank you so much for all your hard work! I absolutely _LOVE_ these projects! Nothing I love more than making something good out of old junk. This is my stomping grounds!

[@aomanchutube]

That laugh after the arc! That's why I love your videos!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

glad to amuse mate - cheers

[@brencrun5068]

The water/salt solution is acting purely as a resistor. If you make it variable it's a rheostat, not a variac which is a variable transformer.

[@scienceferret1901]

however, I suspect the salt-water acts as a (~10amp?) current limit (eg non-linear resistor) due to the limited availability of charge carries. If this is correct, then actually when under the limit, the resistance could be very low thus allowing the voltage to increase once the arc is formed.

[@kreynolds1123]

In the scaryac, you used salt and it worked, but over time it will make chlorine gas and or sodium hypochlorite, aka bleach. On the other hand, a better product to use and is found in most homes is baking soda (sodium bicarbonate. and electrolisys is likely to only make sodium hydroxde and CO2 gas and hydrogen gas. In time with no use, the sodiuim hydroxide solution will reabsorbe co2 from the atmosphere making sodium bicarbonate again. Also because sodium hypochlorite, and sodium hydroxide, and sodium carbinate, errode at the passivated aluminum oxide layer that protects the aluminum from further corrosion, I would recommend not using aluminum. Stainless steel plates are best, preferably 316L When figuring out plate area and electrolyte strength, avoid going over 0.5 amps or less per sq inch of plate area to avoid over driving the plates, helping them last longer.

[@victoryfirst2878]

How would using Niobium plate instead of 316L stainless plate ??? Do you need a plate per two volts ??? Thanks VF

[@sk8pkl]

I dont think this water will electrolize because he is using ac. This should be safe.

[@Buzzhumma]

sk8pkl well he is not using ac if its only half the sinewave . Its really no different to pulses dc but half sinewave instead of square wave so over time it actually will release chlorine gas but not so much over 5 minute period with ventilation!

[@ronniepirtlejr2606]

He's got this!👍

[@servant74]

Just stay in well ventilated areas, no issues. I was wondering how much H2 and O2 was being generated. Not a whole lot I am assuming, but still well ventilated space even for home lab use. Commercially there are probably health codes, but that isn't the point here. Is someone doesn't feel safe, don't do it!

[@murb2586]

miss you grant, ill always remember you robert and grant would have made such an awesome team thanks to all

[@TheAprone]

There is a moment of disappointment after every video, when I realize I can't subscribe a second time. Another amazing video, well done sir!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@oddjobbobb]

My subscription to Robert's channel is the best money I spend every month. Thank you again, Robert for sharing your joy.

[@richardsandwell2285]

It reminds me of an old workplace, a dog track to be precise, the hare was pulled around the track by a plastic-coated wire cable this went around pulleys and a big main pulley with a three-phase electric motor, it used Soda Bath speed control, you were supposed to mix up washing soda with water and fill the three baths with the solution. The hare control man had to pull up the handle and inside the box was three sets of plates, these would descend into the Soda mix the higher the handle was pulled, the more immersed in the solution the more conduction. On startup when the plates were just dipping into the baths the noise of arcing and spluttering filled the room, the guy in there did an amazing job which took much concentration keeping the hare the correct distance in front of the dogs. However, he loved his beer and had enough time to go and get another pint between races but not quite that much time to go and queue for the bathroom to dispose of the said beer consumed, and even less time to mess about replenishing the Soda in the baths. He would simply lift up the back cover and pee into the baths to keep them topped up, it was pee speed control, more Urea than Sodium Carbonate, it worked very well but needless to say, the room did develop its own special smell, of which the manager used to complain bitterly about. But it was the 1980s, the place was full of ancient tech, the camera which I had the misfortune to use had a razor blade negative cutter, in total darkness I had to grab the negative and using my thumb pull it over the blade to break it off, often catching my thumb in the process, then it was into developer bath in the dark, of course, then came the fixer which was Acetic Acid, this would then enter my open cut in my thumb the pain was unbearable but there was no time to worry about it, I had to shout down the dog lengths and a close finish would mean a big faff making and enlargement on photo paper to confirm a result. To make matters worse they had painted the whole photo lab, Matt Black, even on the outside, very pleasant after a hot summers day NOT! lol.

[@Buzzhumma]

Great story👍🏻

[@TylrVncnt]

Desmond Bagley - well it’s cuz it’s a “kill 2 birds with 1 stone” situation The urea in the urine replenishes the electrolytes list from the reaction/conduction and well he had to urinate anyways... Hence, no designated bucket, lol

[@CASHSEC]

Just imagine peeing into the bath after you had forgot to turn the power off.

[@rekim]

@@CASHSEC Barefoot, on the wet ground to concrete. Path of least resistance..

[@maxtester8824]

What I enjoy most is the frantic “mad scientist” laughter! You are AWESOME!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@victoryfirst2878]

THIS just never gets old Robert. I have used carbon rods for brazing for a number of years. There is just nothing like the sound or brightness of this process. Electricity is just amazing fella. Have a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year too Sir. vf

[@uisqebaugh]

There's an old book from the 50s or 60s called "Build It Yourself Science Laboratory." In it, it tells how to make an arc furnace from curtain rods, graphite rods and a flower pot, which uses a "salt water rheostat" to adjust its current.

[@jonathanallen6702]

For anyone that’s interested on what the circuit does. The circuit is supplied directly from mains power (240V). The bucket of water is a series capacitor with a water dielectric. Pure water is non conductive and by adding salt to the water makes it conductive. This forms a parasitic resistance in series with the capacitance. At the output of the bucket is the carbon rods, this forms the load. When they are far apart the load has very high impedance, when they touch together the load has very low impedance. The series capacitor and resistor form a voltage dropper in the circuit. This means that the voltage between the carbon rods is reduced when they touch metal (I.e. a load). Which in turn means that less current would flow compared to if the rods were connected directly to the power outlet. The current is reduced enough so that the circuit breaker doesn’t trip. The bucket is not a transformer. If the plate is moved up out of the water, the surface area of the plate changes, which changes the capacitance, which changes the voltage drop across the bucket. This circuit is NOT safe! The active and neutral connections are bare and LIVE. If you accidentally touch active and neutral at the same time it would kill! This is because the RCD wouldn’t trip in time to save you.

[@MacheteBushcraftAustralia]

Best science channel ever mate! Love the laugh by the way. Your enthusiasm is helping to inspire the next generation of backyard engineers. Keep up the good work and all the best from OZ, Ben.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - thanks for taking the time to post

[@markjonkers3917]

Hi Rob, excellent work. Will pure graphite rods work?

[@sofa-lofa4241]

Great project! The mad scientist laugh at 9.50 was classic! BTW how many amps does that draw?

[@NicholasLibby]

This is exactly what I was looking for.

[@GGigabiteM]

@@NicholasLibby It's more accurate to measure power consumption by watts, because carbon arc is low voltage, high amperage. Carbon arc generally operates in the 35-60v DC range at hundreds of amps. I'd say at least a couple of kilowatts but, power consumption varies greatly with arc length and how conductive the water is, as well as how close the plates in the water are together. Both my dad and I were projectionists once upon a time. He had carbon arc projectors, and I had xenon projectors, but they had in common the same type of low voltage, high current DC supply to drive the light source. Those power supplies are definitely not something you want to casually play with, they can be super destructive and lethal.

[@NicholasLibby]

​@@GGigabiteM Hundreds of amps, yet a couple kilowatts? At 30-60v? 3kw / 60v is still just 50amps. Where's the hundreds? Can we get some real information here ? We're only rocking 13a at 220v here if we're dealing with 3kw. Not to mention if we are measuring this in watts then if I wish to know the amperage draw I'd need to know if this thing in the video is hooked up to 120 or 240. So much easier to just give us a simple amp number and we can sort out the rest. Including watts.

[@dantronics1682]

@@NicholasLibby UK 13 amps plug so its going to be 13 amps max at 220-240V

[@haraldpettersen3649]

So far, this is the best video of the year, both content and easy-to-understand explanations. Immediately after the first arc lit, I subscribed to your channel. I have to try this. I melt smaller amounts of gold and silver occasionally, now I will build a small arc furnace. Thanks for the idea and the build guide. Have a nice weekend with greetings from Bergen - Norway :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

glad you liked it mate - cheers for the sub and taking the time to post

[@georgekot6377]

I think this channel if absolutely fantastic. Informative, Laconic, entertaining and a little funny. Thank you for sharing.

[@Rev22-21]

Robert: When you first struck the ark and began laughing you sounded like the 'evil genius' from the movies. LOL. LOVE IT! The best of the best regards friend. Excellent video and mission you're on.

[@jtpinion4294]

Hello again. When you touched those two carbon rods together making that bright arc, it made my day! Really brilliant stuff. Thanks for this. John.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - glad you liked it

[@MrAnderson4509]

Robert I think my favorite snippet of video is here, at 9:30-10:00 , I have had these moments in my life many times over the years and I can relate in your laughter, filled my hart with joy thank you sir your videos are pure gold, I would gladly play over at your house any time. ( still smiling with periodic laugh outbursts ) thank you - Steven

[@doningram3978]

" liquid rheostat" we saw them used in the stepless startup circuits on very large high-lift pumps on water pipelines. They were also commonly used in the railways as a test load.

[@robertwoodliff2536]

Mmmm......my perception is a "variac" is a variable transformer......while this is behaving like resistance. I would like to understand the effect.. My understanding this is part of the arsenal of things that stage theatre used., a little safer than limelight.!

[@doningram3978]

@@robertwoodliff2536 The conductive plates are immersed in a conductive ionic fluid. Changing the depth changes the effective resistance and the resultant coupling of energy through the circuit.

[@tebbi67]

I have managed to rebuild it and I have to say that it is important to take a big bucket for the solution, as it warms up strongly (trying with a table garbage bucket 1,5 liter) but it runs hahahahahahahaaaaa! Thats absolut fantastic so you can spot weld sheet metal. One useful machine for my workshop. THX for it you are the best!

[@trevuk01]

my eyebrows burnt off just watching lol

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@EyesOnReality]

Hi Robert. This is the first time I’ve seen such with a bucket of water, wondering why, then realizing its a ‘current-limiter’. If that is its actual usage reason, the first thought was to use incandescent light bulbs in series for current limiting. What is nice about that is the bulb wattage say 100Watt is what the carbon rods will get. Then of course, two 100W bulbs in parallel would be 200W and so forth. So just passing this on if one wants to limit current to a specific amount. Amazingly, in your next video, ‘The Dangers-Of-Electricity’, you speak of a light bulb (incandescent version) as being a resistor, that matches my thoughts in this Welding-Medal-With-Water video. Happy discovering and building.

[@TylrVncnt]

Interesting idea here, I’d love to see more chime in on this

[@derekp2674]

As noted elsewhere in these comments, these "brine bath resistors" have been used in industry since the dawn of the electric age. One of my industrial archaeology books that a photo of such equipment for motor speed control, dating from about 1890 at the Maenofferen slate quarry in Wales. As you say, modern safer alternatives are now available. Personally, I also use filament light bulbs for this when appropriate.

[@ianfisher6561]

The phone call was probably the local electrical health and safety board asking "what the hell do you think you are doing". Jokes aside, great video. I don't want to detract at all from the ingenuity of the chap in Africa, but the salt water bath has been around for probably 50 years or more. I think that you will find it referred to in some early electrical engineering books. We made a welder using this method about 50 years ago in dads garage in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. You can also vary the current by varying the salt concentration.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

the phone call was actually my wife checking up on me - it seems i missed dinner again lol

[@richardteychenne3950]

@@ThinkingandTinkering What's dinner when you are having so much fun!

[@gydo1942]

that is so incredibly simple, that's awesome!! Thank you so much for sharing.

[@ooslum]

So few comments, no ones gonna put "it's alive" before me, surely.......

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@peterlean6631]

@@ooslum ...the creature lives ! ....remove the bandages !

[@rocketpoolpki]

that was cosmic mate...literally...and finished like a pro

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - glad you liked it

[@das250250]

Rob a couple of things : you can place that water resistor in another larger ,closed plastic container which will protect anyone touching the electrodes especially the live feed. Also , what voltage was coming off the carbon electrodes and or current ?

[@KennethGottfried]

I love this guy. What a great honest reaction when he took the helmet off. That was priceless!!!!!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@m3sca1]

Heard this described by railway workers. A 44 gallon drum and water pulling power from the overhead lines.

[@victoryfirst2878]

Hard to believe that using just salt water works like a variable autotransformer. Am amazed how easy it is to use simple stuff to make things happen. Could you try melting steel ??? Keep up the great work too. VF

[@MrSpot41]

I have experienced the "Mad laugh" myself............great to see..."I am not alone"

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@martinlicht1969]

You're the Man! I love it when you break into gleeful laughter ..it's wonderfully contagious. 🖖

[@G-ra-ha-m]

When Robert was describing his work on the firebrick I imagined a time log ago, with his great ancestor cheerily explaining to a large crowd gathered outside his workshop how to use items around the house to make those solid granite Egyptian pots that are still an engineering mystery today :)

[@3DVizzion]

I love it how you laughed when it worked. I have also the same effect, I always laugh and get extremely excited. I just can't hold it.

[@melodysouljahrootsdubpress5539]

I'm not sure what's better, the arc or the laughter. Absolutely brilliant

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@William_Hada]

Awesome little furnace Rob! I love it! And cheaply made out of easy to get materials.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - glad you liked it

[@lubbock2704]

True Mad Science is terrifying, brilliant, and quite effective :D

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers for the post mate

[@kousiksaikousiksai4494]

I would like to have a closer look at the bucket setup actually 😋...I understood what you said A closer look would be better ...just curious 😁😂

[@mouserr]

do a search on youtube for scariac the build gives a very good look at how to do these right and what/how much salt you should use for a given rig

[@henki1986]

as he said, it from grant thompson, king of random channel. it an old video.

[@timjackson3954]

My late mother described using those devices in her amateur dramatics days (1940's I'd guess), as dimmers for stage lighting. Health and safety eat your heart out.

[@servant74]

Movie theaters had carbon arc projectors. 2, 1/2 inch (12MM?) rods were brought together and automatically fed once the arc was started. The little 12 minute reels would be just about right for two 18" (50cm?) long rods. That is why most movie houses had two projectors in each booth, and the projectionist would start the next reel just before the first ran out and an aperture would swap which projector would be projecting when the projectionist triggered it. A fun gig as a sideline while in college. Thankfully this was after the days of celluloid film. That film and the possibility of flash fires is why old projection booths had heavy doors that would slam shut (closing projectionist inside with burning cellulose film). It would automatically close the apertures that the projectors would project out of too. Yes, a death trap to save the theater and the patrons. A good reason to be very careful as a projectionist. The theaters have changed to xenon bulbs and I think the latest is large scale video projection since I left that industry. Still, striking 200A carbon arcs was lots of fun. Still old carbon rods left over as the 'tails' of the spent rods would make killer electrodes for this process.

[@MrGeoffHilton]

Great stuff, just wondering if you got a suntan from the arc? I remember in the 60s my father having a sunlamp that used movable carbon rods to strike an arc, it was scary!

[@happytuber3669]

Yes we had one of those sunlamps too, that was 70 years ago, how times change

[@cj-theeverydaymaker5012]

Ah, this brings me back. I made this for a science fair in school 40 years ago. It was more of a carbon arc searchlight in a flower pot than a furnace. Boy, was it bright! It didn't take long to boil the resistor.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - thanks for taking the time to post mate

[@judedunlop5295]

I love your laugh of delight, when something so simple, works!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate - it's all just playing really

[@meesiphht2769]

You should open every video with that laugh scene - lol - perfect!!!

[@stevenw4549]

Caution on the salt water! Too much salt can pull too much current and burn up your breaker box, even start a fire! I know because I've done it. One test might be if your lights are dimming, your using too much salt.

[@fetchitnowuk]

Great video Robert. You laughing after the first arcing made me chuckle as it was as if you became a 'Dr Evil'. This is something that I'm going to do.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome mate

[@royharkins7066]

Hilarious 😂 like a clip from hammer house of horror !!, no need to reply rob I know your a busy busy man, thanks for the constant consistent fascination mate..

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

i still like to take the time mate - appreciate the post and glad you liked the video

[@royharkins7066]

Reply’s to my reply’s !! It’s the RGB colours I look at my screen it becomes holographic, red one inch under blue with green at the bottom... if that makes sense

[@akakaptin6382]

Your laughter is classic mad scientist!!!!!!!!!! Just great! You made my day!!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@nattsurfaren]

I guess the Amp is what is variable depending on salt saturation and the distance between the electrodes.

[@Walk_Partners]

10:38 I really like this haha. Huge fan! Always happy to see a vid from you.

[@jibbajungs]

I always do the "going mad with power" laugh after striking an arc

[@cdorcey1735]

When I built a little arc furnace (as a high-school student), I used a 1500W space heater as the current-limiting resistor. That gave me a guaranteed maximum current draw (so as not to trip a circuit breaker and leave me in the dark), and it was safely contained in its steel box. No worries about electrochemical effects in the electrolyte bucket, either. A toaster would have worked just as well, but what would I have done with the excess toast?

[@derekp2674]

Thanks for sharing your expereince. That sounds like a much safer arrangement than the one in this video.

[@inhumanunion1223]

I wish I could enjoy anything the way you did this build, sir. Very satisfying

[@gadgetmantwincities]

That was a great flash back to when grant was alive!

[@MrSuperheterodyne]

That is fantastic. What a great demonstration - exciting too!

[@OyvindSOyvindS]

I love your skills and enthusiasm. Thank you sir!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@bryankirk3567]

Cheers Sir, you bring brightness to my day!

[@cranfordducain15]

My father would use a ceramic butter churn, a piece of all thread, and two electric stove eyes; to make an arc welder. It was essentially the same as your plastic box, but the threaded rod was attached to one stove eye and used to raise and lower it through the salt water solution. The other eye is placed in the bottom of the churn. It works very very well until someone allows the two stove eyes to make contact inside the churn. An uncle did this "one" time; that was the end of the welder and the beginning of a large doctor bill.

[@breannestahlman5953]

This is fantastic! Not knowing anything, I wonder what is the action of the bucket , does it amplify current or something else is happenning? Could all this sustain the heat to melt food grade steel?

[@sbjorgy]

I built one of the arc light using the battery core and use a electric heater coil in series on one side, this was in high school for a science project. thanks for bring this up and showing how to melt metal with it and not just for lighting.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

that sounds cool mate and glad you liked it - cheers

[@Detton80r]

Thats sooo, ace. I've wanted a variAC for so long and now I can make one. Thank you thank you, thank you. 👍👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cool mate - go for it

[@vitadei_africa]

Will this work for melting copper too? Needing 1087 degrees celcius

[@derekp2674]

Indeed. I reckon that, if properly and safely configured, this kind of set up would melt copper. I'd also say it was over-kill for aluminum, where you ought be be able to use a simple resistance furnace.

[@thamizhavelarumugam]

This is the first time I am watching your channel. As soon as I saw the carbon arc and your loud laugh, at once I subscribed to your channel...!!!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

awesome mate - cheers

[@garybrown9719]

These changes everything

[@ronniepirtlejr2606]

Everyone on the Block is trying to figure out, why there lights just went out ? phone calls from the neighbors :-) 👍

[@markhaycox4806]

Love it! I have to agree, the laugh was awesome as well as the video! Great stuff Robert 👍

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

glad you liked it mate - cheers

[@3dmaker699]

Absolutely awesome, thank you again Rob.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

so glad you liked it mate - cheers

[@mumblbeebee6546]

09:41 - they really need to find a slot for you in a movie, that is a beautiful laugh! Thank you for your videos, I am learning stuff and having fun watching!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@kelleysimonds5945]

That is a complete hoot. Imagine what one could do with something just a bit larger and surrounded with a reducing gas.

[@MrMraza123]

Excellent video as always. Just curious about some safety measures, how much shock we can get if by mistake hand touched with water in bucket or live side of electrode?

[@b-rad7708]

without a doubt you would 100% be dead almost instantly. then being stuck there because the amount of current would flex all your muscles simultaneously and your body would quickly begin to burn from the inside out until either the breaker pops or your body is completely charred.. meaning there is nothing left to burn.

[@100musicplaylists3]

Note: helmet is essential with the correct lens type or you will get arc eye (very painful) and risk blinding yourself.

[@stevenw4549]

Neighbor on phone: Your house is on fire!! LOL Just kidding, fascinating idea.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@tonyponsford]

Its alive ! Its alive !! Wicked Rob, loved the Karlof laugh !!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@robertlalum1461]

You said carbon nanotubes that completely took me up, can you do a short explanation or however long you could any info on that would be amazing. You are by far my favorite I've been watching you for years. I've been off for a bit because I'm trying to start my own business but I've been going over everything I've missed and since I love experiments with nano materials this would be a fascinating experience. Thank you so much for the information it drives me to experiment beyond my skill but gives me the greatest joy.

[@carlosallende2595]

I LOVED this post, but with the title of it I mislead myself, in that, I thought that you were going to melt metal with water, which is actually what you in fact did do, whereas I thought you were going to melt the metal with/in the water itself. You see, since childhood I have believed that with enough pressure acting upon it (using some incredibly powerful pressure tank) the temperature of water could be raised to the point where you could melt metal with/or rather in it (the water). I got more than a little excited when I saw the title of your video. I still hold that the temperature of water could be raised to such a degree that it could indeed melt metal, I am not sure of what value such an accomplishment would acheive, other than to prove it could be done. All up though, I thoroughly enjoyed your post, especially the mad scientist maniacal laugh, you have done Gene Wilder "Young Frankenstein" proud. Have Fun, Carlos.

[@kb3svj]

Robert: I love that 'evil genius ' laugh you vocalize when you do those cool things you do.

[@phonzy]

Rest in Peace Grant. Salute to the brilliant water bucket welder from Uganda. Thank you Rob for everything you do.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cheers mate

[@ashyslashy5818]

TESLA YOU NITWIT.

[@sk8pkl]

This variac is aawwssoommee! Tyvm!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@ReWir3d]

My old friend, John Coy, made the carbon arc torch from water and salt in 1919 or so; he used to collect the ends of spent rods from movie projectors.

[@kalleklp7291]

In every grown man there is a little boy that wants to play. If we ever lose that little boy we cease to live. :) I'm equally excited when one of my crazy inventions and/or experiments turns out great..!

[@jazjobse946]

Not an isolation but resistance bath as was used to dim picture theatre lights for many years. Also used as speed controller in some older amusement rides. Very reliable if u keep the water topped up. I would suggest a couple of old microwave oven transformers would spin the power meter much slower 90volts is what we used to light the carbon arc lamps at picture theatres at 30 to 90 amps.

[@randomlettersqzkebkw]

that laugh man. lol!

[@pinballrobbie]

Now he just needs to re-animate a corpse and he is complete mad scientist lol.

[@thingmaker3]

It's a "water resistor." They've been around since at least as early as the 1700s. Nice use & fun project you've made with it! Hard not to laugh maniacally when the arc strikes!

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

glad you liked it mate - cheers

[@stoatrepublic]

Robert, if I may suggest something, your Live Terminal, it would be a good idea to fit a light bulb or/and audible buzzer indicator to that bucket so that your constantly aware that it is powered on. I have myself in the past got distracted by Women, my Dog or the telephone and even social media and nearly gotten myself badly hurt because I forgot that a experimental circuit was switched on. Please don't take risks your doing important work.

[@stoatrepublic]

LOL, your next video I see is titled The Dangers of Electricity.

[@jollygreengiant]

Loved the "Mad Scientist" laugh! :)

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol

[@RSmerlinRS]

9:44 legitimate mad scientist laugh. I love your videos :)

[@indreksillamaa2033]

4:14 - 4:21 is it some kind of visual illusion, but you can see through the brick hole - all the shadows and even edges of another brick laying on the table.

[@enachelucianadrian]

It is a shadow line wich is alligned with the edge of the brick. Pure coincidence.

[@geoffmarsh4901]

Giving me an idea for heating carbon steel for blacksmithing, good video thanks.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

cool mate - cheers

[@paulcahill5976]

Enjoyed this video tremendously. It's such a pleasure to see someone making informed and intelligent decisions without a team of jobs worth H&S personnel. A rare site today and very much welcomed. I read some of the negative comments regarding what they considered safe. Wonder if they ever leave their homes? Lol!! Carry on being you, fun and information, what more could we ask? Peace, love and light my friend.

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

bless your heart mate - cheers for taking the time to post

[@derekp2674]

As a Health and Safety professional, I found this video quite shocking. I fear that, under UK law, Robert is vicariously liable for the safety of his viewers and must understand the legal risks involved in producing videos such as this.

[@pipelinecowboy]

Shaking hands with danger ! Thanks Mr Robert! 😊

[@doktorwhy7397]

the carbon rods arcing reminded me of something i saw a time ago where you can make hydrogen by arcing in water.

[@thornhedge9639]

I just had a vision of Gene Wilder as Dr Frankenstein bringing his creature to life... Another winner Robert You're the man buddy.....

[@ThinkingandTinkering]

lol - cheers mate

[@LoneWolfsVoice]

I knew it he 's a mad scientist grab your pitch forks and torches boys! :P

[@hanelyp1]

Your torches are nothing to his mad scientist torch, demonstrated in this video.

[@stevelloyd5785]

Not so sure about the Perfectly Safe remark. Given that you have exposed Live terminals from 240 volt mains supply. Would it not be a bit better if you ran the Neutral through the ScariAC? You could then adjust the Neutral plate safely if needed. I hope you have RCD or GFCI breakers in your installation or use a plug in version at the outlet

[@derekp2674]

I agree that there is nothing safe about this setup. Potentially dangerous "ceiling wax and string" experiments like this should be for the entertainment of consenting adults only and never for domestic or commercial purposes.

[@stevelloyd5785]

@@derekp2674 It's " Sealing" wax and string. You know the stuff used in old times to Seal envelopes. What the hell is "Ceiling" wax?

[@borium]

Great video ,does this require 220 volts ?

[@NabilBennaniKerrout]

The laugh, man, the laugh! Machiavelic! Love it!

[@blackknight8596]

An outstanding demonstration of the principles of a basic electric arc furnace. That said, there are a couple of items that need correction / attention. At 8.15 you say the salt water bucket can act as a variac and is a "sort of transformer isolation".....unfortunately this is incorrect. This device is a liquid resistance bath (used to see them all the time on old motor starters, common in electroplating setups etc).....changing the plate size or moving them in and out simply changes the active area in the liquid and changes the current in the circuit (i.e. varies the RESISTANCE) i.e. a rheostat or variable resistor effect. There are no coils, no transformer effect and most certainly no galvanic isolation of the system from the supply. Utterly lethal as built - you would only have to brush up against the incoming active connection or either of the plates to receive a shock. The consequences of a child or an adult with no understanding of electrical safety measures accidentally getting into your workshop area are unthinkable. At the very least place the whole assembly inside another plastic container with a lid, so that the plates, bolts and the liquid itself are protected from accidental contact by a basic insulating barrier. Then either add double insulation throughout or place the whole apparatus in a grounded metal enclosure so there is a proper low impedance fault path back to main earth, thus allowing fuses/circuit breakers to operate correctly. The other issue of gas generation and the need for ventilation has been addressed quite thoroughly in other comments.

[@andreasnoraas1429]

When you inserted the carbon rods into your mini furnace did they touch and that made the heat or did you conduct electricity through the aluminum?