New toroid

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com>

Well, I made my first toroid out of semi-rigid aluminum duct pipe 3" 
diameter.  For all of you with real nice looking toroids made out of this 
stuff, I congratulate you.  I used 9" metal pie pans for the center, using 
three pop rivets to hold them together.  I stretched out the ducting and was 
surprised to find it about as thick as aluminum foil.  Somewhat hard to work 
with and difficult not to damage.  The material is segmented in groups of 
four segments, then a space, four segments, etc.  I tried to cut the ends 
smooth between two segments so I could join the ends and have even groups of 
four segments.  Then I realized the material is one continuous spiral and it 
is impossible to cut flat on the ends.  I ended up cutting it with scissors, 
not very well, then making short cuts in one end all the way around, pushed 
this into the other end and put a wrap of aluminum tape around it.  Now I 
placed the pie pan center on the table and tried to re-compress the thing so 
it would fit tight around the pie pans.  Now it wants to kink up into a snake 
because of the spiral manufacturing technique.  So I took the tape off, 
compressed it to fit and eventually got it taped to the pie pans without 
looking too terrible.

Is there any better material to use?  Something made with aluminum that is 
maybe two or three times as thick?  Is it all spiral wound?

Thanks, Ed Sonderman