Re: VTTC Tubes

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

Original poster: "Marry Krutsch by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <u236-at-earthlink-dot-net>

Hi Again.  Here is the "plan".

	My idea was to use several thoriated tungsten 1/16" rods as the
filament, window screen, or fine stainless steel mesh as the grid, and a
2-3" ID stainless steel tube as the plate.  Glass isn't needed, as the
plate tube would also serve as the envelope.  I realize that having the
plate out in the open isn't the safest thing to do, but there really
isn't any reason to touch a running tube, is there?  The support
structure would be made from wire-wound resistor cores (ceramics), or
maybe some sort of porcelain plate.  The electrical input would be via
spark-plugs brazed into a plug, which would then be brazed into the
bottom of the plate/envelope tube.  Another plug would fit into the top
of the envelope (closing the tube).  The top plate would have a threaded
hole in it, which a plug would screw into.

	Evacuating the tube would be crude, but possible (no vacuum pump).  The
getter, which in this case would be lithium (extracted from lithium
batteries), is cut into strips, and dropped through the hole in the top
of the tube into a pan mounted to the top of the filament/grid module. 
Now the fun part!  Oxygen is jetted in through the hole, displacing the
air in the tube.  The plug is then screwed down tight, sealed (brazed),
and the whole tube is placed in a hot oven for a few hours.  During this
time, the lithium ignites, and consumes the O2 in the tube.  This system
gets rid of the leftover noble gas problem.

	Some of the evacuation procedure is questionable, but I will test it. 
I have some experience with lithium, and believe that this MIGHT work.

	The design is hard to follow, but it is a bit clearer in my mind.  It
sure would be nice if we could find an alternative to expensive tubes.

Thanks for putting up with my stupid ideas. :-/
Winston

PS- I'll try a diode first, to test the idea.