Need Help with 15 degree Primary Support System

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Need Help with 15 degree Primary Support System
From: Don Allen <dona-at-amigo-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 06:58:24 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme


Hi All,

I'm soliciting any tips, suggestions or hints on building a support
system for a 15 degree, 16 turn primary using 1/4" copper tubing 
for my 15kv 60ma 6" secondary system. Spacing is 1/4" between
turns OD, and 1/2" center-to-center. I derived the 16 turn from
data input into Wintesla program.

I had initially tried putting in 8 wooden supports at slightly more
than 8 inches in length to give me the 16 turns out of 1x4 for
the wood. I used 1/4" coax cable naildowns spacely evenly 
along the top of the wood but the entire affair ended up as a 
disaster and I had to remove everything before I actually put the
whole length of tubing in. The coax supports weren't deep enough
to hold the pipe in place when I tried a small length of pipe in 
them, as the tubing kept popping up and out. I used silicone
glue to fasten the cable holdowns to the top of the wood but this
proved to be a mistake. I then tried putting small brad nails through
the hole provided in the coax naildowns but they split the wood and
it also gave me a concern for providing a path to promote arcing
from turn to turn of the tubing. 

I ended up in frustration removing all the supports to start over.

I know there HAS to be a better method.  I would appreciate
any help from some of you old vet coilers on this. 

I also did try cutting notches into the wood 1/4" to make the
u-shaped channels for the tubing but I couldn't get an even
depth and it kept splitting the wood. Apparently using a 1x4
isn't necessarily a good choice of wood. 

Also, I need to know is it better to start the winding of the
tubing from inside to outside?

Thanks,

Don

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"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God" - Thomas Jefferson