Help needed making 20kv sparkgap

[nyeo]

Hi all, hope someone can help, Im doing highspeed photography involving freezing the action of pellets hitting objects. At the moment im using a conventional dj strobe light as the flash source, but the flash duration is too long, so im still getting image blur, because of the afterglow of the xenon flash tube. could anyone put together a microflash involving 20kv spark gap to be used as the flash source.... see links below for example and schematics of what im trying to achieve.........http://people.rit.edu/andpph/text-microflash-549-manual.pdf schematics of a micro flash........http://www.flickr.com/photos/8763834@N02/4037708766/in/set-72157621620898031/ 2 more examples of a way to achieve this

A picture of the arc as an example of the flash

heres a link to my images to show you what i need the flash for

. I live in the UK, if theres anybody who can assist in making this or make one for a price. plz reply in the forum or email me at mwtsn7(at)aol.com... thanxs guys

[PaulS1950]

It might be less complicated and less expensive to use LED illumination - it takes a lot less voltage and could be triggered with a standard 555 IC.

[nyeo]

Thanxs paul

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ive looked into LED for highspeed flash illumination, and in 2 years of searching as far as i am aware, theres no way to get LEDs bright and fast enough to freeze a bullet in flight, that is why i need a 20 kv sparkgap to be used as the flash, as the flash duration i require needs to be in the micro second range (nano second), and after years of searching ive not come across that this is possible with LEDs. appreciate any more help

[InigoMontoya]

Have you tried just buying one?

 

As digital video has been improving by leaps and bounds, more and more people with such equipment are making the transition to digital. As they do so, the need for the old stuff goes away and.... Well, I gotta believe it's available at a surplus auction or something somewhere.

[nyeo]

cheers, ive done alot of reasearch on these flashes and to buy an old working one will cost in the region of £3000 to £5000 , this is way over my budget and the parts to make a sparkgap cost as little as £200 to £300, inc salvaged parts, so that is why i need one putting together really.