UPDATE: Here's what happened to Mad Man Marcum and his Time Machine (Art Bell 1995)

Im currently trying to replicate the small scale experiment. From the information I know need some pretty cold temperatures which I haven't sorted just yet but my question is, does anyone know or can shed light on how mad marcum's small scale test was set up? More focusing on how he used and set up the laser.

My thoughts so far
I read that he indeed used the laser to start the ladder thus he must of pointed the laser at the bottom of the ladder where the two electrodes are the closest right? To have the best chance of start the arcing, how did he do this? With my experiment I can focus my laser to a point in between the two electrodes however the beam is only at its hottest at the point of contact with whatever its pointed at, in my case its the casing over the transformer. Even though I don't have the correct temperatures at the moment the story postulates it's supposed to lower the air resistance? or something between the poles(electrodes) and create a stable arc. His spark gap was about 3inches or 5inches did he use a line pointer? creating a horizontal line would provide heating to the area between the poles but the cost of lower heat. Focusing on a single point would create more heat but have a very small heating area..... which brings me back to my original question of how he set up the laser. Wait on..did he use more than one? a line of laser beams stretching over 5 inches.

I'm out of ideas, anyone else?
 
He was using a Jacob's Ladder device. He said the spark was jumping across the ladder, but wouldn't climb. He said the ladder poles have to be adjusted just right. I would think that heating the air just above the arc would help pull the arc upward.
 
Einstein said:
He was using a Jacob's Ladder device. He said the spark was jumping across the ladder, but wouldn't climb. He said the ladder poles have to be adjusted just right. I would think that heating the air just above the arc would help pull the arc upward.
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aha cheers Einstein :)

I have noticed that my arc sometimes moves up and down the ladder(2-3cm) when I first turn it all on further more when I point the laser at it for a moment it follows the lasers direction to a small degree. Again, this is after I have let the room cool down no way near the marcum temperature but is this something worth noting? I also tried making the spark gap at the top by moving the two ends of the ladder poles closer together creating a stable arc at the top. The arc has no where to go but if I had the correct conditions would this set up work if I point the laser right at it or above it? suppose I will have to test and find out....
 

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