10 Questions to help me construct my first TC

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

Original poster: "Michael Quarles by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mquarles-at-qusion-dot-com>

I am going to construct a Tesla coil my son can do tests on for his science
project
and I need help.
I am new to this.  I have read a lot and I have learned a lot.
But there are still several gray areas about how to make an efficient TC.

I have tried several programs, excel sheets and java scripts.
Most all of them help me decide on the tank capacitor(s) to use
or how many primary turns I will tap at.
But they don't answer several questions that I need help with.

I want to create the longest good looking spark I can with my 7.5Kv 30ma
NST.

The software does not say which ratio gives the longest spark.
Some people say to use a 1000 turns.
But John Freau's efficiency theory says to use about 1600 turns.

I read things like: "spark length (inches) = 1.7*sqrt input power (wallplug
watts)"
But doesn't the size of the TC have something to do with the length of the
spark?

So can you guys help me?  I would like to know how to build this thing.
I would like to get a variety of opinions and I guess I will just go with
the consensus.

Power supply is set: 7.5Kv 30ms NST and I am using RQSG.

1. Secondary wire gauge?
2. Secondary diameter?
3. Secondary turns?
4. Primary wire gauge?
5. Primary coil ( flat, helix or inverted cone(angle?))?
6. Toroid cord diameter?
7. Toroid diameter (please specify OD or center to center)?
8. Tank capacitor value (should I trust the software?)?
9. Primary turns (should I trust the software)?
10. Static gap ( gap space and number of gaps)?

Thanks for your help.