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Re: brass spheres


From: 	RODERICK MAXWELL[SMTP:tank-at-magnolia-dot-net]
Reply To: 	tank-at-magnolia-dot-net
Sent: 	Thursday, September 04, 1997 10:35 AM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: brass spheres

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> 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


  Thank you very much for the information! I'm looking for something
small that won't drop the resonant freq. too much. I want to see the
differance in the discharges at higher freq. I also want to see if I can
come in physical contact without getting the tar knocked out of me!



                                Frankensteins Helper
                                        Max