Re: Brazing Carbide

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Hollmike-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 8/12/01 5:18:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes: 


>
> Skip plating copper,just a lotta mess for something this simple. 



I cannot disagree.  I performed the test simply to answer the question of 
whether or not tungsten carbide could be plated or not.  For my own purposes, 
it was a good bit of information.  I am working(very slowly it seems) on a 
series static gap comprised of nine tungsten elements.  These are monsters - 
they are 3/4 inch diameter and 1.5 inches long(and weigh about a half pound 
each).   While I am sure they will perform just fine as-is, I have wondered 
if a coating of copper or silver would help to reduce gap losses(perhaps as 
heat conduction away from the elements or even electrical conduction).   It 
would seem that the spark gap is the 'weakest link' in Tesla coils, so any 
improvement in this area would be significant to the art. 
Mike