Re: tesla coil is an air core. why?

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

Original poster: "Jake Draper by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <cybermecium-at-cox-dot-net>

Wouldn't the coil former (pvc) serve as a diamagnetic core even though its
hollow. I mean the wire is still wrapped around something, so technically it
is a core. It would only be truly air-cored if it was a free standing coil
of wire wrapped around, literally, air. Just my $.02
-Jake D.
G-2 #1192
cybermecium-at-cox-dot-net 

-------Original Message-------

From: Tesla list
Date: Thursday, August 08, 2002 07:14:41 AM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: tesla coil is an air core. why?

Original poster: "Laurence Davis by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<meknar-at-hotmail-dot-com>

this is a repost, first one didn't appear after 4hrs (apologize for 
duplicates)

why does the tesla coil use an air cored design?

I thought of a few reasons, but wasn't sure if i was right.

core materials can have hysteresis losses, eddy current losses, problems 
with saturation, and poor high frequency response.
therefore air cores are better?

I'm guessing that if you used a core the coil would loose considerable
efficiency or fail to oscillate (since the core would increase the 
inductance.)

but what if you used a diamagnetic material as a core. I thought i saw 
somewhere that wood is diamagnetic.

larry.