Heheh.. I think I'm going to give this a try, at least a very simple version.. but on a grander scale. In the basement, I have a standard box fan (110AC), and I've got a couple of inflatable beach balls left over from the summer.. PWM to a Triac (or a pair of SCRs) for the speed control... betcha a box fan could hold a beach ball on an air column several feet high...