Re: Material for EndCaps

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dhmccauley-at-spacecatlighting-dot-com>

You can use Type I PVC which is available dirt cheap.  You can get a 12" x
12" x 1/2" sheet for about $5.00 at www.mcmaster-dot-com.
Cut disks out of this stuff and then use Loctite (416 i think) superglue to
bond the disk to the end of your secondary.  Works especially well if your
coilform is PVC pipe.  The bond is virtually indestructable with that
Loctite glue.  You'll break the PVC itself before breaking the bond.
Of couse, the glue is a flammable solvent and releases flammable gases.

In the following picture, you can see the grey Type I PVC end cap on top of
the secondary.

http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/images/ctc3_secondary08.jpg

Because the solvent is flammable, you need to make sure you have a way of
getting the flammable gases out of the secondary.  For my purposes, the
bottom secondary
end cap has holes cut in it which can be seen here.  For example, never use
a flammable solvent type glue and completely enclose the secondary via end
caps.  Otherwise, you
may have a nice pipe bomb on your hands.

http://www.spacecatlighting-dot-com/images/ctc3_secondary07.jpg

The nylon bolts you see in the pictures are only for holding the end caps in
place while the solvent cures.

 > In a perfect world I would choose to use Lexan for end caps, but 1/2"
thick
 > Lexan is not available to everyone.  If not, there's no reason not to use
 > 1/2" pine.  Electrically, Plexiglass is fine, but it's very difficult to
 > work with without cracking.
 >
 > I've used pine end caps with steel bolts.  I counter bore the inside so
the
 > hex head is flush with the wood surface, and then epoxy a generous piece
of
 > Plexiglass or Lexan over the head for insulation, though I'm not sure how
 > important this is.  And, I tie each end of the secondary winding to their
 > respective bolts.  This simplifies the connections to the top load and
base.
 >
 > Regards, Gary Lau
 > MA, USA