So here is a little toy I recently made. I was inspired by Plasmana on www.instructables.com. I followed/modified his instructions to make a Marx Generator power by a Cockroft-Walton voltage multiplier. This baby should be putting out around 40-50kV. I don't have the equipment needed to verify that but I know its putting out at least 30kV (based on the length of the air gap between terminals. The list of supplies bellow is based on what I used to make it. It is not the best way to make it but these are parts I had/was able to source easily.
** The time I get excited in the video about a spark there isn't one, it was a corona discharge that made a "pop" sound. You do get to see a discharge at the begging and right before I turn it off though.
Supplies:
34 1N4007 diodes
34 100nF film 275V capacitors
10 1nF 4kV capacitors
100mA fast blow fuse
18 1M 1W resistors
20 470k 1W resistors
25 1.1K 1W resistors
Lexan Plastic
Functionality:
This setup works by using a Cockroft-Walton Voltage multiplier that outputs an about 6000V DC to the Marx generator. The Marx Generator then charges up in parallel and discharges in a series. This discharging cascade results in very high voltages of about 40-50kV (in theory) and probably about 30kV in practice.(Images bellow from Wikipedia)
CW Voltage Multiplier
Marx Generator
Pictures of Build/Sparks;
CW Generator Finished
Building the Marx Generator
Discharge!
Capacitors Discharging in Series via Spark Gaps
Whole System
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eaW1n6RhhY