Re: building primaries

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

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



Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Ted Rosenberg by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Ted.Rosenberg-at-radioshack-dot-com>
> 
> Hi RQ:
> Of all the operations I did in constructing my 900W coil (using a 15/60 NST)
> the worst was making the primary. I reviewed many techniques.
> Those techniqes basically came down to those who drill holes in HDPE and
> thread the copper tubing through or thoses who make holes/slots in the HDPE
> and insert the loops from above then secure the loops using anything from
> nylon tie downs to nylon machine screws and such.
> I found the threading to be more esthetically pleasing and so I brought the
> precut strips of HDPE I cut at home to the office where I used the company's
> drill press to make the 5/16 diam holes (always slightly larger) in the
> correct sequence (available from a post from last year). Then I took them
> home and mounted the strips radially on my "primary platform using nylon
> screws."
> 
> My primary was to be about 16 turns of 1/4 regrig tubing going from 7.5 inch
> diam out to about 21 inch.
> 
> I began threading from the outside to the inside which I was told is
> preferred.
> 
> The first 4-5 loops were easy.
> The 6th was slightly more difficult. By the 8th turn I was sweating like a
> mop and cursing like a sailor in a Popeye cartoon.
> By the 15th loop I had 2 blisters.
> But I finished.

I acheived the same end results, but slightly differently.  I would have
thought the way you did it was impossible, but I geuss the 5/16" holes
makes it easier.  I managed to use 17/64" diameter holes with 1/4"
tubing.

The way I did this was to first create the coil, then slide the HDPE
supports around, from the outside in, one at a time.

First, I built a form to rough wind the coil.  This was an old solid
door that I drilled small holes in, 1/2" apart arranged like radial
spokes.  Then, small nails were put in the holes to hold the coil in
place.  Then I slid the HDPE supports around, removing nails as the got
in the way.  Since the supports are loose, you can move one at a time
(not all the way around - move each a little, repeatedly).  A little
DW40 works wonders - you can wash it off afterwards with hot soapy water
(A power washer is great).  It was a pain in the neck, but if I had to
build another, this is the way I'd do it.  The result is exceptionally
neat and solid - I  can lift my coil (weighs probably 60 pounds) by the
primary coils.

	- Bill Vanyo


> 
> The photo of early in the process can be seen aat:
> 
> http://www.flash-dot-net/~ford29/tesla/primary.jpg
> 
> This is the one part of building another coil which has me hesitating.
> 
> I hope my comments haven't scared you away. I'm still glad I opted to
> thread.
> And the coil works great!
> 
> Safety First
> 
> Ted
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2001 10:15 PM
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: building primaries
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
> <RQBauzon-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> when trying to make a primary coil, i find it very hard to manipulate the
> copper tubing into the perfect flat primaries that some other coilers have
> without denting it or without having some akward spiral as the result.   how
> 
> do you guys do that??!