Re: rotary gap: disc with holes?

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Original poster: "BunnyKiller by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <bigfoo39-at-telocity-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "Wells Campbell by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <wellscampbell-at-onebox-dot-com>
>
>hello, 
>
>has anyone tried building a rotary gap with holes in the disc instead
>of electrodes? I was thinking about it, and it seems that the biggest
>problem would be the wear on the disc by the arc, but an arc it seems
>would wear an insulator less than a conductor, because electrons would
>not actually be entering / exiting the material. The post about phenolic
>discs for grinders got me thinking, with their nice evenly spaced holes,
>etc. 
>
>has anyone tried this type of gap? I.m cobbling together a small one
>now, with plexi, no less, to study if the arc heats the material, etc.
>I'll post results. 
>
Hi Wells..

its not the electricity ( electrons etc) that causes problems..  its the 
plasma created by the arc that is the main concern.
besides being close to several thousand degrees, the amount of current 
per pulse is quite awesome. about the only thing that comes to mind to 
handle such a enviroment would be berylium oxide ceramic. But this stuff 
is highly toxic in a powdered form ( grinding drilling ( if you can 
drill it ) etc would be a great start for self inflicted poisoning) ... 
 Not too sure about its tensile capabilities ( could shatter very easy 
when streached , most ceramics have great compressive factors altho)

Scot D