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Re: Need Coiling Advice

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >From chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-comWed Jun 12 21:12:36 1996
> Date: Wed, 12 Jun 1996 20:56:14 -0600 (MDT)
> From: Chip Atkinson <chip-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Re: Need Coiling Advice
> 
> There are two opinions on coating coils.  One camp says "don't even bother".
> The other says "coat until the whole thing is smooth".  Both "campers" are
> very experienced coilers.  I tend to side with the coat it camp.  The main
> reason for this feeling is that I know myself.  I know that I'll eventually
> drop the secondary or accidentally hit it with a shovel or something else
> in the garage, or whatever.  The coating of epoxy doesn't appear to hinder
> the performance, and provides necessary armor for my coils.
> 
> Chip

Chip, All

I suppose I have been cast in the don't coat'em camp.  The number one 
reason I don't coat is that I make 30 to 40 coils up per year and I'm 
just lazy and the coils are often killed in tests anyway, etc.

One can give a litany of reasons, some scientic some not scientific, for 
and against coating.  I will blast out a few (not complete).  

For:	Apperance (#1 and best reason for coating)
	Moisture protection (maybe if you live in Guatamala)
	Impact resistance and protection (limited to mild impacts)
	Increases turn-to-turn breakdown (not on tightwound coils)

Against:  Time consuming to do.  (#1 reason for not coating)
	  Increases inter-turn capacitance  (not by much!)
	  Once coated, a coil can't be easily repaired. (we kill a lot)
	  Coatings may or maynot be compatible with various insulations*
	*nothing will hold Teflon insulated wire very well.

In short, if you are building no more than one or two coils which you 
plan to show a lot or are making the item portable or transportable, by 
all means, coat that puppy!  So many coilers are concerned with 
appearance as well as performance.  Coating would be the marching order 
of that group.  If you are an ardent and rapid experimenter, constantly 
winding new coils and resonators, coating would just chew up a lot of 
time which could be better spent out of the cabinet shop and back in the 
lab pushing the envelop.

There is no absolute, scientifically compelling reason for or against 
coating any general coil or coils....only for or against specific coils. 
 There does appear (from what I have seen) to be a multitude of 
humanistic reasons for or against coating any coil.

Be happy, Be safe, Enjoy!
	

Richard Hull,  TCBOR