Elco Violet Ray Generator.

It all started Christmas eve, 2010. I was introduced to the violet ray/wand. Not just any, but a Renulife Model R, with all of the attachments and accessories they ever made for it. There was just something about it, and the person it was being used on, well, there was something about her reaction, too. The sensation doesn't do anything for me, at all. But it looks cool, sounds cool, and has a mad scientist sort of appeal about it. I had to have one. So I bought at first, a kit with a modern wand, and related bits. This just would not do. I had to have an antique one, ideally just like the one I had seen that first time.

As time went on, I kept trolling ebay, looking for my Renulife, but also the other Violet Rays that were out there. Then I saw this oddity among the masses, the Elco. Little did I know then just how much of an oddity it is. My only question to the seller was "Does it work?" and the reply of "I don't know, I'm afraid to plug it in..." didn't exactly bolster my confidence, but basically told me, OK, it doesn't work.  Suffice it to say, after spending more than I wanted, it was mine. Elco Lindstrom and Co, Model No. 7. I've had a really hard time finding out much about the company, much less about the product lines. I've only seen a couple other models come up on ebay, and this is the only one of its kind I have seen. Like a number of antique Violet Ray devices, it was made right here in Chicago.

When it arrived, it was a mess inside and out. I still haven't addressed the less than stellar luggage it's screwed into, but that's a bit beyond my workshop. Eventually the plan is to fabricate an entirely new case to exactly the same dimensions, and ideally strip the existing hardware off, have it re-chromed, and applied to the new case, but I digress. I tore it down, found wiring that I wouldn't trust with a telephone, much less high voltage, and set about rewiring and rebuilding it. Cosmetically, it wasn't in horrific shape, but it had a lot of scratches that needed seeing to. I spent a ridiculous amount of time doing bakelite restoration, on the control board, the handle and the Ozone mask that it had with it. I ordered wire from Sundial, so I had vintage looking replacement wire on hand to redo the entire unit, inside and out. Even though no one will ever see, there is cloth overbraid wire inside. All of the wiring was upgraded to more reasonable (16 or 18AWG) over the original stuff. The cord used for the handle is a red/white zigzag pattern, which I decided on simply because it was interesting, and really gets your attention. It's also 10' instead of 5, which makes it much easier to use when there isn't a table to set the thing on nearby.

So without further ado, here it is!