Re: cap oil question

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

Original poster: "Metlicka Marc by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mystuffs-at-orwell-dot-net>

Very good work Andy!
The lower capacitance could be due to the cups not fitting tightly or
any number of other coiling hurdles, but the fact that you have built it
with your own hands, it works, and it put a smile on your face is all
that counts.
I personally learned more about capacitors, measuring capacitance and
how a tesla coil works by building my own first capacitors then any
amount of reading could have taught! In fact, I still use my poly sheet
protector bucket caps for almost all my test coils (i wonder how many
pulses they have on them?). 
Somehow ruining a coil with a cap that you made out of ordinary doodads
just feels better then hooking up a store bought cap, at least for me?
Good luck at school, I know you will be a popular guy for a while.
Take care,
Marc M.
Geek #1055

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Andy Cobaugh by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <kb3ewy-at-rcn-dot-com>
> 
> I finished putting the capacitor together the other night.  It is only about
> 5nF, when it should be 10nF.  But wow did it work.  From a coil that used to
> give me 2" sparks now gives at least 2" streamers and 6"+ arcs.  That's with
> only 4 static gaps, and half the required capacitance.  I will eventually
> build an MMC, i'm just gonna mess around with this setup for now and think
> about a bigger coil.  I'm gonna build another cap this weekend to put in
> series with the other one, i've just gotten approval from my physics teacher
> to bring it in to school (after i work safety considerations into the
> presentation of course)
> 
> I will post pictures (hopefully video too) on my dad's FTP site when i get
> around to it. (i'll post the address)
> 
> Andy, KB3EWY
> 
>