[Animats]

A similar circuit is in every plasma cutter.[1] For the same reason; you need a high voltage pulse to ionize the working gas (usually air) and start the arc.

[1] https://guelphweddingshop.blogspot.com/

[kens]

If you used xenon as the working gas in a plasma cutter, would you essentially have a xenon arc lamp?

[Animats]

Yes.[1]

[1] https://youtu.be/qUutgYBqSoI

(I miss the days of TechShop, when I had access to tools like that.)

[xfitm3]

I miss TechShop, too. If making is your passion theres good news: it isn't dead. Current virus issue excluded there are many smaller maker spaces you can join in the bay.

[Animats]

I have small tools. TechShop had the big stuff - CNC mills, waterjets, plasma cutters. I used all of those. The smaller maker spaces are at the low-end 3D printer level. Maybe a wood shop. There's Humanmade in SF, which has much of the old TechShop gear, but it's an hour away and twice as expensive as TechShop.

[tsomctl]

And tig welders that can do AC.