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Re: Searching for Electode Material



There are all kinds of brass and many formulations contain lead which is not 
so good because some can end up in the air you are breathing. Brass does not 
conduct as well as copper. There are a variety of copper nails and bolts used 
in the plumbing trade so check the hardware store. 1/2 inch copper pipe end 
caps fitted over a bolt or ?? should make great electrodes.
Jim Heagy

> Subj:  RE: Searching for Electode Material
>  Date:    05/05/2000 1:14:56 PM Pacific Daylight Time
>  From:    tesla-at-pupman-dot-com (Tesla List)
>  To:  tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>  
>  Original Poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com> 
>  
>  Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.  It shouldn't be difficult to find
>  3/8" brass bolts in a good hardware store, but it probably has to be better
>  than your corner hardware store.  The important thing is to buy it or make
>  it such that the arcing surface of the electrodes has a large, smooth
>  radius, like carriage bolts, though I've never seen those in brass.  If you
>  use hex head bolts, you should put the threads in a lathe or drill and file
>  the sharp corners off of the hex head.
>  
>  I would avoid zinc and aluminum as electrode materials.  Zinc has a low
>  melting point and both oxidizes readily, which will result in rapid
>  electrode wear.
>  
>  Regards, Gary Lau
>  Waltham, MA USA
>  
>  >Original Poster: "Ryan Ries" <spud-at-wf-dot-net> 
>  >
>  >    Hello, I'm looking for some better conductor for my air-blast gap
>  than
>  >what I'm currently using.  I have 1/4" steel bolts for electrodes right
>  >now, and I realize that steel is not good, but I can't find any copper or
>  >brass or aluminum bolts.  (Isn't brass just copper with a sodium hydroxide
>  >shell?)  Also, does anyone have any info on the conductivity/heat
>  >dissipation of zinc?
>  >
>  >    Thanks,
>  >           Ryan Ries
>  >                   http://spud.pureinsanity-dot-net
>  
>