Re: Coil Experiments / Old Tesla plans

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

Original poster: "Steve Cook by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <Steve-at-g8cyerichmond.freeserve.co.uk>

The second demonstration you describe if often referred to as an ion motor.
I Usually do this demo when I display one of my mini coils, I also do it
regularly with a Van de Graaf generator in physics lessons where I teach.
The rotor I use most often is bent from a strip of thin brass about .25"
wide and bent so that it has a V shape in the middle with a small dent, this
rests on a pin mounted on a small piece of brass, forming a low friction
bearing. To make the points I soldered sewing needles on  the ends at a
right angles to the strip. All the edges of the brass are rounded to reduce
corona. In the dark it is beautiful to watch and gets up to hundreds of rpm.

      ________________/|\________________/
     /                _|_


----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2001 5:26 AM
Subject: Coil Experiments / Old Tesla plans


> Original poster: "Simon Yorkston by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <quantumx-at-ozemail-dot-com.au>
>
> Hi all.
> Amongst all the other paraphenalia I have lying around my room, I have a
> book called "Junior Science Projects", which features Tesla coil plans. No
> doubt you've seen them before; I've seen them on the net once or twice.
The
> plans seem to concentrate on making the coil look more pretty than
> functional in my humble opinion, but it details some interesting
> experiments.
>
> It describes the one with incandescent and fluorescent lightbulbs, that we
> have all heard of and played with. However, it has other quite interesting
> and pretty looking experiments. Namely, "a 12 in. length of small nichrome
> or steel piano wire attached to the terminal [no topload those days], at
the
> center of the wire, gives two blasting lavender coloured rings of
electrical
> fireworks." - The pictures may be black and white, but they look great!
>
> Also, putting some stiff wire, moulded to the shape of:
>
>                                                      |
> /----------------------------------------------------/
> |
>
> [hope the ascii came out]
> attached to the center of the terminal, and allowed to freely spin,
creates
> "an electrical pinwheel". Again, the pictures look great.
>
> So if you have a free afternoon, some great things to do :)
>
> Best of luck, and coil safely,
> Simon
>
>
>
>
>