[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: brass spheres
From: Thomas McGahee[SMTP:tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 03, 1997 7:43 PM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: brass spheres
> >
> > I bought a child's skittle set which included two 3" hard plastic
> > balls and covered the balls with pieces of Al foil using contact
> > adhesive for the mini coils. Worked well, and even better by
rolling
> > the balls around on a flat surface after the foil was applied to
> > smooth out the ridges. I gave the skittles away :) The finger
grips
> > in the balls were filled with hot-melt first.
> >
> > Malcolm
>
>
>
> Thanks Malcolm, but I want this little coil to look real
pretty!
>
>
>
> Frankensteins Helper
> Max
>
>
Max,
The CHEAPEST decent looking metal spherical shaped objects that I
have found happen to be copper or brass flower pots. I have found two
basic types. The first is a version designed for hanging. This has a
few small holes around the rim where a chain or string is usually
attached. Just remove the chain and you are in business. The second
form has three little metal feet soldered to the thing so that it can
sit on a table. The more normal sizes are 3 to 5 inches in diameter,
but I have sometimes run across humongous ones at certain specialty
shops that deal in metalware from the orient. The little legs can
usually be de-soldered, leaving you with a nice smooth spherical
surface. (But check first. Some have the legs held on via screws.
Another form has a metal ring instead of legs. I get these off by
heating them with a hot air gun)
While these units do have a large hole cut in one side, I have found
that they perform extremely well. By the way, I have also found OTHER
shapes of copper and brassware that are equally useful to us coilers.
There are planters that are flat on the bottom and have nicely curved
sides. I have used these both as regular toploads and as sort of
glorified corona guards for my top windings.
Once in a while I find a LARGE copper bowl that is sort of oblate in
shape. These work almost as well as a genuine toroid, and they really
look spiffy.
Copper and brass look really nice, but can be expensive in the larger
sizes. Sometimes I find aluminum versions, and these are cheaper.
Properly buffed, they can be quite nice looking. I have also found
chrome plated spherical objects that were designed to house lamps.
New they are expensive, but sometimes this type of stuff shows up at
the local scrap yard, or even in someone's trash pile. I know some
people who cruise around in their pickup truck before the arrival of
the local Tuesday garbage collection service. They scrounge out the
scrap metal, and sometimes come up with some interesting stuff. Visit
the local scrap metal yard. You will be amazed at what you can pick
up. They usually sell the stuff by the pound, and couldn't care less
what you want it for. Check the yellow pages under metal reclamation
facilities, recycling places, etc. The stuff is out there, but you
have to know where to look.
So check out the garden shops and the oriental knick-knack places. If
you find any of this stuff at garage sales, grab it! A little copper
cleaner and elbow grease and you have an absolutely beautiful top
load for the smaller size Tesla coil. And it is beautiful to watch
the big streamers burst out of these guys. Very impressive looking.
I cannot repeat this enough times: there are a lot of things out
there that we coilers can use. We have to look not at what things
ARE, but what we can use them for! Just think of Neon transformers,
PVC pipe, copper pipe and copper tubing, ventilator duct hose,
polyethelene, aluminum flashing, and mineral oil just to mention a
few of the things that we coilers have put to good use. Keep your
eyes open, and if you find anything useful, share it with the rest of
the Tesla list.
Hope this helps.
Fr. Tom