Re: Why we build these things Was: Re: Tesla Coil Dream

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

Original poster: "Richard W. by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <potluck-at-xmission-dot-com>

I've been fascinated with power supplys since I was a kid. My first full
wave bridge came from electro-chemistry, peanut butter jars filled with a
borax solution and aluminum electrodes. You had to "polarize" the aluminum
fisrt by applying a DC source to the plates of each diode (one jar of
solution and 2 electrodes) 4 of those formed the full wave bridge of course.
Each plate discolors differently. I've long forgotten the chemical
operations.

All that to produce a test tube of hydrogen by electrolysis that made a
"plop" when ignited. :D

But for me now it's the tinkering. And putting in SO much time and money
into something that has no "practical" everyday use what-so-ever. I get,
"Well? What's it for?" I've been telling them it keeps the pigeons off the
porch. :)

I hope to get into model steam engines since those too can soak up a lot of
time with no "practical" everyday use.
I think a lot of people are stimied by that but I love it. :D

Rick W.
Salt Lake