RE: Need Help with Large Tesla Coil

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

Original poster: "Loudner, Godfrey by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <gloudner-at-SINTE.EDU>

Hi Jonothon

I don't know anything about that coating material, but I hope that it is not
conductive---maybe it has metallic particles. Space winding is where is
where the turns are evenly spaced a nonzero distance. To space wind, you
need to have the tube grooved on a lathe, and this is not worth the
trouble---unless you wanted to make a study of distributive capacitance for
example. Close-wind your secondary. Wind slowly and brush on polyurethane as
you proceed to keep the magnet wire in place. Do not install any spacers. By
the way, an 18 inch diameter Tesla coil will require a lot of money and your
most powerful pole transformer. My advise is to get a 10 inch diameter tube.

Godfrey Loudner 

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Tesla list [SMTP:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent:	Thursday, April 19, 2001 9:16 AM
> To:	tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:	Need Help with Large Tesla Coil
> 
> Original poster: "Jonothon J. Cawley by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <cawleyjj-at-physics.purdue.edu>
> 
>    Hi, I am a college student at Purdue University where I am attempting
> to
> build a large tesla coil. Currently, we have 3 Pole Transformers, 8 mi. of
> #22 magnet wire, and a 6 ft. long by 18 in. dia. sonotube as a secondary.
> My immediate concerns are with the coating and winding of the secondary. A
> friend and I recently took the sonotube to a Rhino-coating place, they
> coat truck beds with a black plasti-like compound. The workers there
> coated the sonotube. Now, I would like to know if this is a good coating
> for a large tesla coil secondary. Next, how should I prepare the coated
> sonotube to make sure the wire doesn't slip off as I am winding. Another
> question along these lines is how should I wind the secondary? Should I
> close-wind it or should I space wind it? What exactly is space winding?
> Furthermore, should I install 1/4thick by 3 ft. diameter "spacers" along
> the length of the coil in order to suppress arcing from the toroid to the
> lower secondary turns? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in
> advance for any help or advice.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Jonothon J. Cawley
> 
> 
>