Greg wrote:
I would like to build a shocking device similar to the prank 'gum' shocker
[...]How do the trick gum gags work?

Here's the one I had as a kid:
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.e...ulated+jiggled
http://groups.google.com/group/sci.e...6?dmode=source

If you used an oscillator/buffer, you'd have to use a flywheel diode
to make sure the active device didn't get killed.