Re: Making a Toroid

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Parpp807-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 8/30/01 8:03:55 PM Central Daylight Time, Par pp 807 
writes:

<< In a message dated 8/30/01 9:25:54 AM Central Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:
 
 Hi Scott,
 
 Thanks for the suggestions. Are you sure we are talking about the same 
stuff? This is
 a tuff aluminum and it's very rigid. If I just let it hang straight down it 
won't expand of its own weight. Also, if I try to crush it a little as to 
ovalize it, the stuff will just crack. It's
 very strong in cross section. McMaster sells only the 2.5 ft length. I 
looked around in our Lowes and I see nuthin like it. The unstretched 2.5 ft 
will not make a circle. I experimented and found that the smallest diameter 
toroid I can make without cutting the coil is around 19 inches which required 
an expanded length of around 3.5 ft. So what I'm gonna do is cut the 2.5 ft 
coil into two pieces and expand each piece as far as needed in order to get 
my 14 inch toroids. Then I plan on using two aluminum pie pans, one on the 
top and one on
 the bottom. The pie pans (Dutch apple and lemon harangue) will fit very 
nicely within the minor diameter of the toroid. A hole thru the center will 
fit the mounting stud with maybe 
 an aluminum spacer between the two pans so they don't squeeze together.
 Do you have any ideas on how to join the two ends to keep sharp points to a 
minimum?
 John Freau says he uses a wooden plug and small nails which doesn't sound 
bad. I think I will try to just burnish the edges and wrap them with duct 
tape. We'll see what happens.   
 
 Thanks again for the suggestions.
 
 Ralph Zekelman
 
 << Hi Ralph...
  
  sounds like the stuff most of us use ( the same stuff from Home Depot etc.)
  try to
  leave the tube "compressed"... makes it more ding resistant. Once you
  streach this
  stuff out it becomes very weak ( remember its ducting ... made to be put
  into place
  and never touched again ) and it doesnt "play" well.
  
  Definately make a center ring out of thin plywood ( 1/4" or less) to help
  shape and
  support the toroid.
  
  Scot D
  
  
  
  
   >>
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