Lightning decorations would definitely light up your surrounding especially when you are creating a Yard Haunt or preparing for a Halloween Party. The special effects and bright white flash of light, plus a deep rumbling sound as if it is coming from a thunder right from your area will attract anyone who attends to your house during the occasion. Below are some of the methods that you can use in order to have your very own lightning decorations.
What you need:
Method 1
- A large iron or steel pot (not aluminum) with a plastic handle
- Rubber gloves
- An iron or steel fork
- A plastic sheet (a dry-cleaner garment bag is good source)
Method 2
- Inflated balloons
- Wool clothing such as a wool sweater or a piece of real fur
- A metal surface like a filing cabinet or a metal door knob
Method 3
- Lightning machine
Method:
- If you chose to use the first method, the first thing that you have to do is tape the plastic sheet onto a table top and then, you need to put on your rubber gloves.
- The next step is for you, as much as possible, you have to darken your room or the area that you want the lightning to be visible.
- After that, by holding the large iron pot or pan (to be used as if it is a thundercloud) by its insulating handle, you need to rub the large iron pot vigorously to and fro on top of the plastic sheet.
- Then, firmly hold on to the fork (to be used as if it is a lightning rod) using your other hand and bring its prongs very slowly near the rim until the gap between the large pot and the fork is small. This activity will trigger a tiny spark which should jump across whereby a much darker surrounding would enable you to see the lightning spark very clearly.
- For the second Method, you have to inflate balloons and also you need to, as much as possible, darken your room or the area that you wanted the lightning to be visible.
- Then, you have to rub the balloon rapidly against either a wool sweater or a real fur. This activity need to be done for at least up to 10 times or more for creating static electricity.
- After that, you need to move the balloons closer to something or some items made of metal such as a filing cabinet or a door knob. The static electricity created from the balloon will enable it to produce flash or spark from the balloon to the metal object (it is used as if it is a lightning but in a small scale. Always remember that the humidity in the air or if the air is damp (especially during winter) this kind of method will not work according to the ways that you want.
- The third method is by using a lightning machine where it is capable of synchronizing the sound of the thunder along with the flash of lightning. It is a plug and play machine which include a lightning machine unit, a VEI Pro-Strobe Light (model v701), amplified speakers including sub-woofer, its relevant adapters and cables, customized thunder CD, along with its user manuals for your easy reference.
- Strobe light is used by the machine in order to create lightning effects that provides a brilliant white light as if it is a real lightning. The machine comes with 50 watts power, flash and also speed control, plus you can attach multiple strobe light unit to only one Lightning Machine to enable you to have lightning effects in several areas at the same time.
Additional Reading:
http://www.halloween-online.com/sfx/halloween-lightning.html
http://www.horrorseek.com/home/halloween/wolfstone/ThunderAndLightning/clsint_LightningSimulation.html#Overview
Image Credit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/duqueiros/4208568854/
