reference

• 555 tutorial
• debugging any problems
• this says that MOSFETs (rated at > 500v) are MUCH better to use than a 2N3055 (though MOSFETs aren't available at RatShack?)
• this also recommends using a MOSFET
• yeah, I wish I had a signal generator too
• niiice
• holy shit... LOTS OF INFO: nice video, nice writeup

Log

0.1 uF = barely did 1cm...  difficult to tune
1.0 uF = went GREAT...  for a second or two, until the 555 blew
so...  next try two 0.22 uF capacitors, wired in parallel (for a total of 0.44 uF), and see if that still does well, without blowing up a 555

computer signal geneator

• freeware app