Re: a good topload...Electrodes

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

I'm sure they're made offshore... The materials are cheap, as is the forming
of the two hemispheres (probably in a big press), which are probably welded
together and then ground smooth.  Labor intensive, to be sure, but when you
can hire skilled craftsmen for a few dollars a day, it's not all that much,
providing you have enough market to justify it.

At $130 retail, you might even be able to make them domestically.  We used
to figure a 5:1 ratio between retail price and wholesale mfr cost (parts and
unburdened labor) for low tech stuff.   Say the SS runs you around $5, and
it takes a couple hours labor at $15/hr to make one ball...  You're in the
right ballpark.

As with everything, if you can get it mass produced, the per unit cost goes
way, way down, over doing it custom.

Just curious: Are these things plated? is there a visible parting line? I
wonder about the mfr process...

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2001 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: a good topload...Electrodes


> Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>
>
> Hi,
>
> It will take two weeks since they are apparently made to order.  I wonder
> if someone makes them in their basement ;-)  I think Gary Weaver had a big
> 3 foot marine buoy ball or something one of his coils.  I remember the big
> thing sitting on a coil.  It will be interesting to see exactly what it is
> and how it was made.  They are optically fine ornaments so they must have
> something figured out to make them for only $130.  They could have all
> kinds of HV uses...
>
> I'll report back when it comes.  They must be fairly durable as an outdoor
> lawn ornament.  Some stainless steels are very strong (I assume it is
> hollow :-)).  I just don't see how they can easily make them a relatively
> small quantity unless they are mass produced in India or some big source
> like that.
>
> Found Gary's 38 incher :)
>
> http://bhs.broo.k12.wv.us/homepage/chip/current/gweaver/map.html
>
> Cheers,
>
> Terry
>
>
> At 09:26 AM 3/27/2001 -0800, you wrote:
> >Good on you!  Keep us posted!  My 24" toroid with a 16" ball perched on
> >top of it would be quite a sight.
> >
> >But no break-out from the top might mean a nasty breakout further
> >down--no?
> >
> >"Gazing ball", huh?  I'd wondered what they were called; I'd never have
> >thought of that.
> >
> >Ken Herrick
> >
> >On Mon, 26 Mar 2001 18:17:36 -0700 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >writes:
> >> Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>
> >>
> >> Cool!  I ordered up the big one :-)  If it is good, I will get 4, 8,
> >> 12, 16
> >> inch sizes too so I can easily play with top load sizes in
> >> increments of 4
> >> inches.  Be great of finding the right size to give a single
> >> streamer and
> >> such.  10 inches of radius is 1/4 meter which suggest a breakout
> >> voltage of
> >> 750kV!  None of my coils should breakout with that big 20 incher on
> >> top!
> >>
> >> Cheers,
> >>
> >>         Terry
> >>
> >>
> >> At 02:53 PM 3/26/2001 -0600, you wrote:
> >> >Take a look at this URL. The stainless steel spheres 'gazing balls'
> >> may not
> >> >just be for garden ornamentation anymore. These things would make a
> >> very
> >> >nice top load. I have plans for a couple of them when I have spare
> >> cash.
> >> >
> >> >10" dia $26
> >> >16" dia $67
> >> >20" dia $130
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >http://www.waterscapesweb-dot-com/orbs.html
> >> >
> >> >Dave Huffman
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >----- Original Message -----
> >> >From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >> >To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> >> >Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 12:15 PM
> >> >Subject: a good topload...
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
> >> ><fox-at-woozle-dot-org>
> >> >>
> >> >> is hard to find!
> >> >> i've been searching high and low for a nice topload. looking
> >> through the
> >> >list
> >> >> ive been clued into copper spheres and the like from various
> >> websites.
> >> >> yesterday a drive around town trying to find something as simple
> >> as a
> >> >metal
> >> >> ball. i thought those large marble looking "gazing balls: i see
> >> in peoples
> >> >> garden might have been the answer but i found that they are
> >> glass.
> >> >although a
> >> >> search on the internet found that there are polished copper
> >> gazing balls
> >> >too.
> >> >> lastly, i searched around on the list and found a place call
> >> arthur harris
> >> >> that sells variou floats and depending on the cost and whatnot i
> >> might try
> >> >to
> >> >> hit them up. but before i ask them i decided to see if anybody on
> >> the list
> >> >> had a nice topload. im looking for something line a spun toroid
> >> or sphere
> >> >> thats not aluminum tape or ductwork; stuff of that nature. if
> >> anybody has
> >> >> some ideas id like to hear them also.
> >> >>
> >> >> -matt
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >
> >>
> >>
> >>
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