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Re: Early versions of Tesla's coil



Original poster: "RMC by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <RMC-at-richardcraven.plus-dot-com>

Ed

 > I took a look at your pictures and find them most interesting.  First
 > of all, one of the resistors in there is a carbon composition of the
 > type which hasn't been used since WW2, at least here in the U.S.  I once
 > saw some very cheap French resistors which were supposed to be post war
 > but they had sheet metal leads and not wire leads.  Second, the
 > transformer and neon indicator relatively recent while the switch could
 > be of almost any age.  Any idea when the thing was made?

The switch, transformer and neon came out of the device and are original
(the other device which is intact in its black metal box are identical to
the components in the disassembled pictures). I don't know where the
resistors came from - they may be original from the device or they could be
something I added.  I expect they were original.

 > Second, you didn't specifically state where the TC was mounted.  In the
 > head, I presume?

You are right - the actual TC itself lives in the head, in front of the
spark-gap adjusting lever. The taper of the cone matches the taper of the
bakelite head unit.


 > Third, had you disassembled the device and mounted the parts on a
 > board?  Kinda looks that way.

Yes. I had two devices - one I disassembled about 20 years ago and the other
is untouched.  The one that I disassembled was broken (damaged head,
squashed metal box for the transformer) and as a 15 year old I wanted to see
inside of course.

  > Fourth, how are the spark gap contacts adjusted in use?

You switch on at the mains and then push the lever forward with your thumb
to open up the gap or pull it back to close it down.  Maximum gap separation
is maybe 3-5 mm.

Cheers

RMC, England