A newbie question

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

Original poster: "Gergely Nagy" <gergely.nagy-at-bluewin.ch> 

Hi All,

Sorry for making you go all over this again, but I'd appreciate a bit of help.

So, I've read the description and construction notes of George Trinkaus on 
the TC and I would like to build one too. I went to hardware stores to look 
for materials, but even to find pipes for the primary and secondary would 
be a problem. George in his description goes with a 3.5" x 18" secondary 
and a 7" x 5.75" primary. And this is what I can't find.
So I thought I might reduce the sec. and the prim. to one half.

1. In this case, would the #28 wire be adequat for the task or should I 
look for a thinner? Same question  for the primary's #8 stranded wire.

2. Transformer-wise, the booklet suggests something between 6000 and 15000 
V and 30 to 60 mA. I guess the transformer at the lower end would be 
sufficient.

3. The other hardnut is the capacitor (as everywhere else). I found the 
description of the beer-bottle capacitor in George's booklet and I think 
it'd be OK to build it. There is just one thing which is not clear. So when 
bottles are filled up and are in the "dishpan" and its filled up too to 
within about 0.25" of the top, do you have to seal the "dishpan"? Otherwise 
if I got it right, the interconnected bottle terminals is one pole and the 
metal inside of the "dishpan" is the other.   OR  Would you rather suggest 
to buy the capacitor? Since it wouldn't be a big TC I am sure that I won't 
need a 0.3uF 35Kv capacitor. How can I figure out what I need?

4. Since I could get hold of as many plexiglas as I can, I tought I would 
build a cage around the primary circuit for the sake of security. BUT would 
plexiglas securize anything at all at these high voltages? Is wood any 
better? And wouldn't heat evacuation be a problem? First I thought to put 
everything but the coils under the cage but maybe spark gap should be left 
in the open air so it can be cooled easily.

I know I got many things to learn but I am 100% motivated and I know I can 
do it. Of course security is very important, so if there are some other 
things I should know about (and what is not at pupman-dot-com on the safety 
sheet) please tell me.

If you didn't get tired of my questions and could read it until here, I'd 
be really happy to read your answers.
Thanks you very much.

Greg
a humble newbie