Adjustable Spark Gap Idea (new?)

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Bill Vanyo by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <vanyo-at-echoes-dot-net>

I was planning on building the static spark gap for my first coil as
follows:  The basic idea is to have 15 3.5" long copper tubes (7/8" od)
bolted to two 7/8" PVC pipe rails, like a ladder.  There would be a
sizeable gap between the tubes - larger than what would be used in
practice, and the bolting would be done with some sort of low friction
washers, so that one PVC rail could be slid back and forth in relation
to the other.  So, for instance, the copper pipes might be thus:
||||||||||||||| , or thus: ///////////////.
While their ends (mount points) are equally spaced, the distance between
the pipes is less in the latter arrangement (and the pipes remain
parallel).  The gaps can thus be all simultaneously adjusted from no gap
at all to a gap larger than would be used.  One PVC rail would be fixed
to a blower box, the other would be mounted so that it would have some
room for adjustment, with a spring at one end to hold it in place, and a
single screw adjustment at the other to push it against the spring. 
This should allow for simple one-screw adjustment, simultaneously
varying all the gaps equally.

It's a simple idea.  I was just wondering if anyone has tried it,
thought of it, or sees any problem with it.

	- Bill