Beginner information

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

Original poster: Joel <Number6-at-gmail-dot-com> 

My name is Joel, and I'm 16 years old. I've been interested in Tesla
coils for a number of years, and I've finally got up the nerve to
build one. The problem is I've never learn't much about the theory
behind them after all this time (although I am extremely aware of the
dangers). I would appreciate if someone could recommend some web pages
for me to read through that contain the necessary information. My
previous high voltage experience has only been with a tiny (<12000 V)
Van De Graaff generator that I built from plans on www.scitoys-dot-com
(still enough to fill my bedroom with ozone though). My goal is to
build a small coil powered from a wall wart or batteries capable of
producing fairly tiny (1 inch perhaps?)  arcs. Is this a resonable
(read possible) goal?

Thanks

Joel