Re: Hello world!

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

Original poster: "christopher carsten by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ctom-at-toast-dot-net>

If you really wanted to save$ or just want to experiment then you can get 
away just about for free. The only things that I have had to buy for some
decent coils are neon sign transformers and maybe copper tubing for the
primary. For a cheap first coil one could use pvc or even an old mailing
tube as a secondary form (just bake out the moisture and seal it really
well) and a plate glass or beer bottle capacitor. Don't expect 5' arcs from
such coils but it is a fine "hands on" intro to coiling . These systems are
educational in that you get to see how a cap works, not just wire a bunch of
components together on a piece of lexan. For secondary wire one could buy
wire or
salvage wire from another transformer, the latter is of course much more
time consuming. There are plans everywhere for coil setups, just pick one in
the range of size, cost and time spent and improvise. I have built coils in
a few evenings for under 100$ that demonstrate quite well how tesla coils
work, I have also spent months and $$$ on coils that were better but not as
satisfying to construct. Find a goal, ask questions, build it, fear it and
build more as your ideas begin to flow and your addiction sets in.
hope I have helped,
Chris
As a mechanic once told me : "cheap" "good" or "fast"... pick two. (:-P)
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>From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
>To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
>Subject: Re: Hello world!
>Date: Wed, Jun 13, 2001, 6:25 AM
>

> Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>
>
> If you aren't particularly cost constrained (i.e. you have a budget of a few
> hundred bucks) and you don't want to spend a LOT of time scrounging stuff
> (if you have time, you can build a very impressive coil for basically free).
>
> I'd go out and get a Actown 15 kV 30 mA Neon Sign Transformer (I've been
> very happy with this particular brand, others may differ...). In any case,
> it will set you back about $80-100, brand new, in the box.  Look in the
> Yellow Pages under Signs.
>
> Buy an appropriate number of caps and make yourself a MMC (Multi Mini Cap).
> Reliable, inexpensive, adjustable.
>
> Get a piece of 4" PVC pipe about 2 feet long to wind the secondary on. A
> couple of matching fittings (the "atrium grates" made from polystyrene work
> great) that you can mount into the ends are nice, or you can chop up a
> polyethylene cutting board to make plugs for the ends.
>
> Get a spool (half pound should do you) of #24 or #26 enamelled wire to wind
> with.  Scotch tape to hold the windings in place when you need to stop is
> invaluable. Leave about an inch on either end uncovered, but wind the rest.
>
> If you have end fittings, a piece of "all thread" (threaded rod) and a
> variable speed drill makes a fine winding apparatus, especially if you can
> rope someone into helping you.  Winding 1000 or so turns by hand is tedious,
> but still, only takes a couple of hours, and you can do it while watching
> TV.  A decent motor makes it only take a half hour or so.
>
> Get a piece of that expandable metal ducting to make a toroid. Use a pair of
> inexpensive aluminum pie plates as a center for the toroid (don't use the
> disposable ones, get the ones that are designed to be reusable).  Aluminum
> duct sealing tape (not the fabric stuff, but the metalized stuff that has an
> adhesive) is the ticket.
>
> Get a polyethylene cutting board to cut into strips to make supports for the
> primary.  Keep the saw blade cool when you cut it.
>
> Get 50 feet of #8 or #6 solid wire (or, 1/4" copper tubing) for the primary.
> A small fuse holder or a beefy alligator clip makes a good primary tap
> connection. Use a flat primary.  It's easier to build than a conical one,
> and works as well.
>
> 3 or more 3/4" or 1" copper pipe couplings (female/female slip...) make a
> nice static spark gap, especially with a muffin fan blowing on them. You
> could also spend some time cutting a piece of pipe with a cutter or saw.
>
> Have fun...
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2001 6:00 PM
> Subject: Hello world!
>
>
>> Original poster: "Winchester, David by way of Terry Fritz
> <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <David.Winchester-at-compaq-dot-com>
>>
>> I have been interested in Tesla coils for years and now I think I am ready
>> to finally start building.
>>
>> Allow me to introduce myself.  I am a Systems Integration Engineer at
> Compaq
>> Computer Corp. and work with Microsoft Win2000 Datacenter-based platforms.
>> I have been an electrical tinkerer for years however.  Tesla coils first
>> caught my eye at around 10 y.o. as I looked through the Edmund Scientific
>> catalog.  Thirty something years later I ran into the Tesla Webring and
>> could not believe how much information was available.  I used to just be
>> able to find the odd book with electrical projects in it.  Now I am
>> gathering all the available information into a database, which I hope to
> put
>> on the web in the future.
>>
>> For my first project, I plan to build something simple from readily
>> available parts.  If you have a good first project candidate, please let
> me
>> know.
>>
>> Big D
>>
>>
>> David W. Winchester
>> Data Center
>> COMPAQ  Industry Standard Server Group
>> david.winchester-at-compaq-dot-com     281-518-4121
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>