Do not DIY: Homemade Tesla gun turns grown men into giggling fanboys
If you love videos that combine dangerous electrical experimentation, unique weaponry and great historical figures, then this video from Smarter Every Day is for you. This 11-minute video, which explores the genius of Nikola Tesla, culminates in a demonstration of a real, working Tesla gun, which is positively mesmerizing. It should go without saying, but don't try this at home.
According to David Grossman for Popular Mechanics: "Telsa coils are electrical resonant transformer circuits, and they're the scientist's longest lasting legacy. They produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity, and do so with style. As mentioned in the video, this is a DIY device straight out of Ghostbusters."
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn

