# Are scalar weapons for real? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 4, 2003, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879 "2003-08-04T12:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 39
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/761 "2003-10-05T10:43:40Z")
Ypsilanti is a place where people go to die, not a place for people who want to live. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/762 "2003-10-05T14:06:57Z")
Sorry to be bugging you, then. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/763 "2003-10-06T23:23:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*Sorry to be bugging you, then. \*\* Not bugging me at all, **DQ** , but as you can imagine, my time and energy are severely limited at the moment. I hate to put this thread to “bed” as it were, as there’s so many things about death rays which we _haven’t_ discussed. My interest in them mainly comes from the connection with Preston Tucker, and I have a Tuvian built death ray (it’s a Chömei) simply because it was a steal on eBay. I’ve done some research on them, of course, but it’s been mainly limited to US corporations and suggested modifications for my Tuvian model. Given the extensive amount which both Wells and Verne wrote about them, and the fact that such an isolated place as Tuva could have a thriving industry manufacturing them, tells me that from at least a foreign angle, this discussion hasn’t played itself out as of yet. Oh, **Brutus** , most of Tucker’s research was done in Ypsilanti, it being his home town and all. Reminds me, Tucker was a Packard rep in Memphis, TN, perhaps I should hie myself down there and start poking around to see if I can find anything there about him and his work. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/764 "2003-10-07T12:34:22Z")
I’ve received breaking news that they found at least some of the Tucker Death Ray papers. More word on this as the story develops. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/765 "2003-10-08T12:30:07Z")
So are we going to get _1920’s Style Death Ray_ forum now. bump 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alterego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6bbea6/32.png) [@alterego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alterego)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2003, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/766 "2003-10-08T12:45:32Z")
i just didnt wanna be the only person to not reply to this thread =) ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/767 "2003-10-09T03:54:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by alterego \* > \*\*i just didnt wanna be the only person to not reply to this thread =) \*\* Me either. 😃 So all this time I’ve been wondering where the 1920s Style Death Ray lore started and it turns out _the legendary thread was right under my nose?_ ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/768 "2003-10-09T07:15:14Z")
Shooting for 1000… …shamelessly… ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/769 "2003-10-09T12:34:37Z")
Sorry about the delay, I haven’t had computer access in a while. Anyway, it turned out that some of the Tucker papers were bound in a book, and that this book was (presmably accidentially) donated to Drexel along with most of the Barris papers. However, due to a clerical mistake, it was accidentially put in the general circulation part of the library. It was discovered by a researcher (possibly Servo or Golden, although no name was listed in the article) using the card catalog. ---
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/770 "2003-10-09T13:00:06Z")
Ah, they’re 1920’s-style “Death Rays.” Wait! What are you doing? GET AWAY FROM ME AAAAGGHHHH!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sandlegs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@Sandlegs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sandlegs)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/771 "2003-10-10T01:23:06Z")
yeah me too, i thought i would just post on here because it looked like everyone else had too…i vaguely remember something about …death rays…or…i don’t know. if we keep going we WILL get to a THOUSAND posts…lets keep our fingers crossed! ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/772 "2003-10-10T03:03:25Z")
Does anyone have assembly instructions for a Heath Kit death ray? The box says 1920’s style death ray, but was originally bought circa 1955. I think it is the women’s model. There aren’t any model numbers or anything on the box. Any information anyone has about it would be great. ---
**Author:** ![umop\_ap\_sdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/dbc845/32.png) [@umop\_ap\_sdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/umop_ap_sdn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/773 "2003-10-10T06:52:59Z")
Wow! I get to shamelessly increase the thread’s post count and my own! 🙂 772/264. I have no shame. Hey, can I have no shame? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/774 "2003-10-10T11:41:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bewildebeest \* > \*\*Does anyone have assembly instructions for a Heath Kit death ray? The box says 1920’s style death ray, but was originally bought circa 1955. I think it is the women’s model. There aren’t any model numbers or anything on the box. > > Any information anyone has about it would be great. \*\* It’s not really a Death Ray, **'beast**. It’s a vibrator. In my “History Of Funky Sex In America” class, we learned that it was illegal to ship vibrators through the US mail in the 50’s, so they used a variety of dodges, including referring to them as “Battery-power massagers” and, yes, as “Ladies’ Model 1920’s Style Death Rays”. So, there’s no way to get a Death Ray out of that, although, depending on your gender/proclivities, you might be able to find another use for it. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/775 "2003-10-10T12:23:11Z")
Backing **Bosda** up… The Heath Kit company never, at any point, sold build-it-yourself death rays. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/776 "2003-10-10T23:12:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*Backing **Bosda** up… > > The Heath Kit company never, at any point, sold build-it-yourself death rays. \*\* I think Tandy had one, which was sold at Radio Shack under the Realistic name. Not wanting to market an actual death ray, though, it was only a stupor ray. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/777 "2003-10-10T23:45:48Z")
Coincidentally, I tested that very stupor ray on xash, bibliophage, and **DrMatrix**. It seems to have worked far too well. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/778 "2003-10-11T01:21:27Z")
I’m still looking for a Hemi powered death ray. ---
**Author:** ![Wikkit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c0e974/32.png) [@Wikkit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wikkit)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/779 "2003-10-11T02:04:28Z")
I have a Hemo powered death ray. It’s positively vampiric. ---
**Author:** ![Bewildebeest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@Bewildebeest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bewildebeest)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879/780 "2003-10-11T02:19:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*It’s not really a Death Ray, **'beast**. > > It’s a vibrator. > > \*\* :eek: Ah, they’re 1950’s style “Sex Toys”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-scalar-weapons-for-real/192879.md?page=40)