Ah that brings back memories. I got my first Information Unlimited catalog back in the early 80's. There was a shop in Los Angeles called "Alltronics" which got a lot of surplus from the various companies that did military work and it was great fun to find things you could re-purpose.<p>We took one project which had some 1uF @ 1000V capacitors which we ganged together to make a spot welder. You would spend about 15 minutes charging up the capacitors, move the 'welder' into position (basically two pieces of 3/8" copper rod that came together in a a rounded point. And then push the button and "poof!" spot weld. We had to order a push button switch from the IU guys that wouldn't fuse itself on every time you used it. It was some oil/gel filled thing, worked great though!
Bob Lazar?<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar</a><p>To the uninitiated, Bob Lazar runs United Nuclear, which is an online store that sells some...dangerous things.<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar#United_Nuclear_and_legal_issues" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Lazar#United_Nuclear_and_le...</a>
Is there some link with geeks and explosives?<p>In my youth, if a large bang was heard across the town or smoke was spotted, I was always asked if it was my fault :) (a lot of the time it was :)
I remember a woman - Austrian? - who sold suicide kits that contained something people were to inhale.<p>I don't know whatever happened to her or that story, but I am sure she's not the only one in the "market".<p>Enabling people who want to harm themselves is probably more dangerous than this. The superlative makes this article a little bombastic to read.
Information Unlimited was the first thing that came to mind. Growing up in the 90's, I would eagerly await the catalog, then read and reread it, saving up all the money I could for the wonderfully dangerous gadgets within. The Ion ray gun was amazing - it would light up a fluorescent tube from 3 feet away, or send a purple corona into space. I would cut school to stay home and solder their kits. Their R&D line fielded many of my calls, and were incredibly patient with me. Pretty awesome to hear about the guy who started it!
You might also enjoy the YouTube channel of 'Photonicinduction'.<p>(<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Photonvids" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/user/Photonvids</a>)
I still have over a dozen Radio-Electronics and Popular Electronics issues from the 80s and 90s that show how to make all kinds of neat high voltage toys :)