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COILBLD4.TXT


Text file for COILBLD4.GIF, graphical instructions for 
construction of high performance 1/4 wave Tesla resonators. 

13) If the preceding directions have been adhered to, the
completed Tesla coil (RF resonator) will closely resemble the
diagram in figure 13. The coil form is hermetically sealed. There
are no holes into the wall of the coil form. The wire never
enters inside of the coil and all connections are made externally
where they do not compromise the electrical integrity of the
construction. The base wire has been cut, peened, and connected
to a high current ground terminal. The other end of the coil, the
air terminal, has been left untrimmed.

14) This shows how the air and ground connections are made to the
completed coil. A stand-off insulator is placed on the top of the
coil. A TOROID discharge terminal is placed on the insulator and
the wire is air-wound around until it contacts with the bottom
plate of the conductive toroid. These air wound turns are widely
spaced, but the diameter is kept as close as possible to that of
the secondary winding. Once contact has been made to the bottom
of the toroid, the wire may be held in place with a small piece
of tape, then the winding is discontinued and a bared section of
wire is connected directly to the center of the toriod with a 
nut and bolt clamp, tape, etc.. Excess length may now be trimmed. 

The exact length of the stand-off insulator, and therefore the
height the toroid discharge terminal sits above the secondary
resonator, can only be determined by experiment. This varies with
the size of the toroid, the size of the coil, and the input power
into the system. Due to the number of factors involved, this
insulator may require frequent adjustments/changes. For this
reason I do not permanently mount a stand-off insulator on the
coil. I keep a selection of square cut sections of PVC plastic
pipe that I use for stand-off insulators. The toroid is elec-
trically connected as indicated above, then it is simply set on
top of a PVC pipe stand-off insulator. The system is now ready to
be fired. If desired, after some experimentation, the insulator
can be permanently mounted: the end cap should be scored with a
sharp tool, not drilled; the surface should be prepared, and the
insulator should be glued in place with two-part epoxy.

The ground connection is made via the shortest available path,
using the heaviest, widest possible SMOOTH conductor, to a
dedicated RF ground constructed specifically for Tesla work. This
ground is referred to as the "system RF ground" or simply the
"system ground". The system ground is usually constructed, not
happened upon. I advise constructing a system ground from scratch
unless you can verify that any available grounds are electrically
isolated. Do not use a water pipe. Do not use the house ground.
Tesla rated grounds need to be extremely heavy, usually
comprising of several eight to ten foot copper pipes hammered
into the ground. The pipes should be separated in the ground by
their lengths (eight foot pipes are set eight feet apart) and
connected with one inch ground strap buried below sod level.

It should be noted that these instructions are designed to
produce a highly efficient RF resonator with exceptional
electrical strength at the lowest possible cost. Coils built to
these specifications are capable of producing, and withstanding,
discharge lengths that exceed the physical length of the coil by
a factor of 3.5 or more. These instructions are the product of
years of experimentation winding dozens and dozens of coils and
with the collaboration of others in the field of high powered
Tesla systems. This design method has been repeatedly tested and
reproduced by beginners with excellent results.

This completes the COILBLD series on construction of high
performance Tesla resonators.

COILBLD4.TXT     11/26/95          Graphics and text prepared by:

Richard T. Quick II                   <richard.quick-at-slug-dot-org>
10028 Manchester Rd 
Suite 253
Glendale  MO  63122  USA