Hello Lightning Tamers!

Thank you for your patience over the past few weeks. It’s been a bit of a whirlwind behind the scenes—between site crashes and email issues, it’s been a challenge. I just resolved a major problem with my web host that was preventing invoice and tracking emails from being sent properly. Until now, I’ve been handling all of that manually—both for customers and when fulfilling orders with vendors.

I want to be more transparent about how Taming Lightning operates. The Taming Lightning Store is a one-person operation—just me. I manage everything solo, from backend logistics to customer service. I do, however, rely on valuable partnerships with Global Rare Gases, Alta Robbins, and most recently, LumaLaser, to bring specialized products to the neon and plasma art community.

While I’ve been podcasting for eight years now, the online store is still relatively new—just two years in. Your support, whether long-standing or recent, has been essential in helping me build something meaningful for the community. I’m deeply grateful.

That said, the store isn’t yet a stable source of income. I’ve been putting in full-time hours—before, during, and after my day job—to keep things moving. I’m not saying this to ask for a break, but to give you a clearer picture of the work that goes into this endeavor. And despite the challenges, there’s good news on the horizon.

🎉 Grant Announcement

This year, I was awarded a $2,000 grant through the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, as part of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 2025 Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program.

👉 Read more about the grant here

This grant will help me make improvements to the site, develop new content, and introduce new products to the store.

⚡ Coming Soon

Launching the Dyna-Meter 🧨
A high-voltage probe kit designed to help attune plasma pieces to their transformers.
Website & Hosting Upgrades 💻
Improvements for faster loading, better organization, and a smoother experience.
Video Interview & Tour 🎥
A behind-the-scenes look with Jim Avolt at Global Rare Gases.

📚 Patreon Research Lab Library

I’m also working on launching a Research Lab Library for Patreon supporters
This will be a curated collection of scanned and translated materials done by Sean Bradley of Research Lab and me from Corning’s Rakow Library, focusing on: