Learning the Hard Way

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

Original poster: "WIZZARD . by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <pbobyk-at-hotmail-dot-com>

I entered "High Voltage" into my search engine several years ago, and it 
came up with some unusual high voltage devices. Jacobs Ladder, Can Crusher, 
Ion Propulsion, Anti-gravity, Tesla Coils, were among the many things 
listed. What a wonderful oppertunity to try something new, I thought!

My first project was a jacobs ladder. It was made with a car ignition coil, 
a 10 ufd motor run capacitor, dimmer switch, and a coat hanger. Very 
exciting sparks, and still works.

I saw pictures of Tesla Coils, and viewed posts on this site.
I couldn't help myself, from that point on I had to make one.
Instead of doing my research first I dove into the project blind. ( an 
unfortunate habit of mine:-)

I began by winding two small coils like "Sam Barros, Powerlabs" 
http://www.powerlabs-dot-org/
After all I live in an apartment and a table top unit sounded very attractive.

Cooler projects were found and the table top idea was quickly dropped.
I made 100 beer bottle salt water capacitors with tidy looking 1/2" copper 
pipe connecting each bottle.
Again the project was set aside for cooler projects.
Especially when I connected a 15KV, 30 mA Neon Sign Transformer across the 
bank and the instantly had vegetable oil and salt water all over the 
carpet, and tiny fragments of glass that shot two meters away. Ooops. I had 
fun emptying the beer bottles.

Next came E-bay. The home-made stuff just wasn't cutting the muster, so to 
speak.
It was easy to find the stuff I needed, but quickly found out that shipping 
to Canada from the US costs as much, if not more, than what your winning 
bid was for.

After a year an a half I finally had the oppertunity to put a 4" coil 
together. It worked the first time I turned it on. I was very happy:-) I 
was now hooked.
The sparks were wonderful. It seems that the ion smell in the air drives me 
to madness, and I just want more and bigger sparks. Regardless of the cost.

I continue to learn the hard way. BUT
after all my whining and compaining is done, I am enjoying this "hobby" 
greatly.
I can't wait to see my next sparks.

The people that post here are more than helpful. Thank You!
I encourage anyone thinking of building a Tesla coil, to invite one of 
these guys for dinner and pay their fare! You will actually save money. LOL

I'm attaching some photos of what happening right now.

My second coil is 6.25" by 32" 20 AWG. One "sometimes working" 15KV/30mA 
NST. Terry Filter, 15 turns flat primary 0.25" tubing 0.25" spacing. 8.2" 
inner diameter. First turn 1/4" below secondary first turn. 12, 3/4" copper 
pipe RQ gap with overkill fan.
A horizontal straight line spark from a sharp object on the torid to a 
ground wire measures 24 ".
This is the same distance as I was getting with two 15KV/30mA NST on my 4" 
coil. The 4" coil could have done better but I was using a bogus protection 
circuit, and I used spark plugs as my spark gap.

This isn't braggin material but I am quite happy.

Thanks Again!!

WIZZARD
Dwight, Ontario
Canada

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/June%2013,%202003%20-%2015KV%2030mA%20NST%20Single%20Breakout%20Point%206

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/June%2013,%202003%20-%2015KV%2030mA%20NST%20Sparks%20from%206%20Inch%20Coil.jpg

http://hot-streamer-dot-com/temp/June%2013,%202003%20-%20Both%20Coils.jpg