Re: construction materials

["Paul Mathus" <pmathus-at-learningco-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

     You can buy g10 from McMaster-Carr www.mcmaster-dot-com
     
     You can buy polycarbonate ("Lexan") from Tap Plastics if you live in 
     CA, otherwise you should be able to find it from any number of local 
     consumer suppliers. Any plastics place in the yellow pages should have 
     it, it's very common.  It comes under various other brand names too, 
     like "Macrolon" and "Cyrolon".  If you ask for polycarbonate or Lexan, 
     you should have no trouble.  You'll pay way more than $5/sqft for 1/4" 
     Lexan, probably $10/sqft.  It's tough as heck, great stuff.
     
     I try to stay away from plexi and especially acrylic for structural 
     use.  I use Lexan or HDPE if I'm going to use plastic.
     
     I use my tablesaw for Lexan all the time and it works great.  If you 
     have trouble with ragged cuts try a blade with more teeth, like a 
     plywood blade.  You can buy 150 tooth plastics blades.  
     
     G10 will eat the blades of whatever tool you use on it, it's extremely 
     tough. I would use plastic except where you're expecting alot of heat.
     
     I don't have a rotozip, but i'm sure you can use it on steel.  You can 
     always use a jigsaw, a sawzall, a circular saw or tablesaw with an 
     abrasive blade, an angle grinder, or a good old hacksaw or file.  
     Steel is not hard to work with, but it does get pretty hot when you 
     cut it. .  .. 
     
     paul mathus


______________________________ Reply Separator
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Subject: construction materials
Author:  "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> at INTERNET
Date:    8/14/00 8:13 AM


Original poster: "acmnovak" <acmnovak-at-email.msn-dot-com> 
     
Hello everyone,
     
I'm rounding up parts for my next coil, which will utilize a sync rotary gap. 
As for the rotary, I've seen some really 'different' materials used. I was 
wondering where one might purchase g-10, or bakelite. I'd like to use G-10 for 
my disk, and bakelite for my motor mounts. Has anyone ever tried using 
hardwood for the stand? I'm trying to make a stand as rigid and sturdy as 
possible. I was looking for lexan earlier this year, and could only find it in 
the form of cutting boards. as suggested, Ilooked in the yellow ages
under plastics and such, but the results weren't too promising. I called 
the place that does windows and whatnot, and they wanted about $5/sq ft of 
1/4" plexi. Is that steep or am I just really cheap? 
Also, what kind of electrodes are best? I've seen some nice tungsten 
electrodes, but aparently they are hard to machine, and quite expensive. 
However, I was leaning more towards brass. Does this stand up well to TC 
abuse? I have some big pieces of brass (3/4" x 6-8") which have a porcelain 
collar. they came from an old a/c unit with a HUGE current draw. I've used 
them as high current contacts and they are showing some signs of decay... 
Is this comparable to how it will perform in a rotary as the stationary 
electrode? 
     
A while back, I heard someone say that a rotozip tool was a "must have" for 
any serious coiler... so I bought one :p Is it true that they can cut 
through steel? I tried aluminum, and had no problems, but steel may be an 
entirely different story. The main reason I bought it was, I needed 
something to make clean cuts in lexan, and a decent band saw is well above 
my price range. My table saw always sucked the plastic towards the blade 
and made a jagged cut. The rotozip cuts it perfectly when I used a level as 
a clamp on fence. Anyhow, I need to know whether or not it can handle 
steel, because I might try and use it to take of an NST casing. I'd just 
use an angle grinder, but the MMC bulk buy will be approaching soon and I 
can't afford it. 
Also, are these rotozip saw suitable for cutting G-10 or bakelite? 
     
Thanks,
     
    -Michael