Can you make sparks and zapping sounds of stun gun quality without the potential for harm?

Thread Starter

seanspotatobusiness

Joined Sep 17, 2016
210
Is it possible to make something that looks and sounds like a stun gun (makes sparks and zapping sounds) but can't actually cause harm (i.e. I'm not trying to make a weapon but something that looks like one). My idea is to make a cyberpunk jacket with, like, five or six pairs of studs down each arm and when I push a button the top studs spark, then the next ones down and so on in fast sequence. I could possibly use speakers to make the snapping sounds but I'd like actual bright sparks to happen between the pairs of studs - it doesn't need to fool a stun-gun officionado but I'd like it to look real to someone who last saw a stun gun in a YouTube video 12 months ago (for example). I'd probably just wear it to maker faires and bar fights. :)
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
9,079
You can't make sparks without high voltage and danger, but think you are on the right track with the sound effects.

I'd try to use small, bright, blue and white LEDs in conjunction with the SFX to make it seem to be high voltage.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
First, to let you know, my preferred solutions are microprocessor based.

With a small form-factor Arduino or clone (maybe a Nano), you can simply play a wav file containing a taser sound effect. The technique is described in this link. I searched for “taser sound effect”.

As far as the sparks, I have no idea. In theater, I’d use a mechanical spark generator but I can’t think of how to hide that solution in studs.
 

spinnaker

Joined Oct 29, 2009
7,830
First, to let you know, my preferred solutions are microprocessor based.

With a small form-factor Arduino or clone (maybe a Nano), you can simply play a wav file containing a taser sound effect. The technique is described in this link. I searched for “taser sound effect”.

As far as the sparks, I have no idea. In theater, I’d use a mechanical spark generator but I can’t think of how to hide that solution in studs.

There are also small recording chips out there. Bet you could find a sound effect if you did a search.

Or you could get yourself a Jacob's Ladder like mine and record the real thing. ;)
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
There are also small recording chips out there. Bet you could find a sound effect if you did a search.

Or you could get yourself a Jacob's Ladder like mine and record the real thing. ;)
Great idea! I forgot about sound recording chips. Much easier.

Still, the sparks are problematical.
 

Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
Ask @KMoffett about Welding Arc Light. Seem that there are other arc light & sound that used a white & blue LED.
If we had the arc effect then adding a 555, 4017 ( 4022 ) some gating & LED drivers Then you might have the desired effect?
 
Last edited:

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
Bernard,

I forgot about my reference to LED simulated welding arc light kits.
Seanspotato Google: Welding Arc Light for dioramas models
Maybe even link these to fiber optics to give pine point lights.

Ken
 

Bernard

Joined Aug 7, 2008
5,784
I found nothing on Google but did on AAC, Search Forums. There is a one LED ckt. by Alec_t & a LM386 amplifier ckt..
TS been absent for about 4 days.
I did not put the whole statement in, lots of inf.
 
Top