Amazing fact is that this powerful arc generating system does not hurt human, but only when handled right. Following experiments are very dangerous, and only shown here for informational purposes. Never try these yourself, especially if you've got little knowledge about electricity.
http://tacashi.tripod.com/elctrncs/555sstc/555sstc.htm
A Tesla Coil is a high frequency, resonant step up transformer. The coil is driven by a lower-high voltage and a spark gap resonator. Since the coil is so perfectly tuned, a fairly small turns ratio can cause a large increase in voltage. The coil I plan to build will be able to produce about 250KV (250,000V) at a frequency of about 500KHz. At this frequency, the voltage is almost completely safe, and much fun to play around with.
http://www.aaroncake.net/schoolpage/index.htm
These spectacular display devices produce arcs and sparks quite unlike the damped spark gap driven Tesla coils. Operation does not require a noisy spark gap that produces copious amounts of RFI radio frequency interference but operates efficiently at the quarter wave frequency of the secondary coil.
http://www.amazing1.com/tesla.htm
This project discharges a 25,000 Volt continuous, unbroken arc across two electrodes and can be heard in an entire auditorium . It uses an electromagnet, an automotive ignition coil, a set of automotive ignition points, available at any auto parts store and can be wired up easily in a half an hour (no coil winding necessary).
http://primeline-america.com/science/
produces 18" sparks.
http://www.montagar.com/~patj/tes2.htm
Construction tips, including gaps, HAWG caps, Altair's MkII coil and pictures.
http://www.altair.org/tesla.htm
uses neon transformer and spark gap.
http://www.montagar.com/~patj/tes1.htm
Tesla Coils and the failure of lumped-element circuit theory. A very scholarly treatment of the subject.
http://www.ttr.com/corum/index.htm
How to build a pole pig, a primary, a secondary and a variac.
http://home5.inet.tele.dk/f-hammer/tesla/tesla.htm
Tesla Coil page, projects, theory, design and construction.
http://home.wtal.de/herbs_teslapage/index.html