Now I'm a real coiler 51cm (over 20 inch) after 1 hour.

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Now I'm a real coiler 51cm (over 20 inch) after 1 hour.
From: "G.Wilson / B.Petersen" <wilson-at-vossnet.de> (by way of Terry Fritz <twf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Sun, 11 Apr 1999 18:30:12 -0600
Approved: twf-at-verinet-dot-com

Hello All

After all the months of careful tinkering - it works ! 51cm Sparks to a
grounded metal washing stand (well, several hits). Not bad.

Here are the specs
Sec  4 inch with 19 inch winding length AWG 23,5 (0,6mm)
Toroid - 2 -one metal foil on foam around 2" x 6", the other 4" alu.
duct about 14" dia -must be about 15pF together.
Primary inverse conical 20 deg with 0,25 inch copper tubing, spacing 0,3
inch, 10 turns (about 5,5 tapped at present)
Cap - "MMC" 3 strings of 14 x 70nF "ERO" MKP caps rated at 1000v  giving
0,014uF
NST 6kV 50mA giving about 15 inch sparks and NST 7,5kV 75mA giving over
20 inch.
RQRSG - 4 gaps total of about 1/8 inch - vacuum cleaner fan cooled.
Terry Fritz HV Filter ( 4 safety gaps, 4 x 4k7 50W resistors, ceramic
bypass caps).
variac, line filters etc.

I have a lot of questions

1) Has anyone got a general text about tuning?
2) should I add several more strings of caps to get 0,018, 0,023 or
0,028uF?
3) The RQ style gap with only 4 gaps fired somewhat erratically and the
safety gaps fired regularly. Is this normal or is the system probably
not tuned?
4) what determines the type of sparks - I prefer the "Lazy" ones that
seem to take about 0,5 second to reach full length and then to disapper
- but I often had rather more of a flickering effect.
5) I want to build a single gap with large brass water fittings - and
with a vacuum quenchung (vacuum cleaner) or a synchronous rotary spark
gap - which would be better and where can I find plans for a synchronous
spark gap.

I have a lot of other questions - but this will do for now.

Just what every self respecting mad scientist should have in his cellar.