RE: tungsten alloys for SG electrodes?

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Lau, Gary" <gary.lau@xxxxxx>

Hi Dave:

I've not attempted a spherical RSG contact, but I have attempted a
cylindrical contact, perhaps with a similar underlying motivation.  My
goal was to use as large a ROC as possible on the electrodes to minimize
the gap at which the RSG would fire, so as to minimize losses.  This
attempt is illustrated on the lower half of my SRSG page at
http://www.laushaus.com/tesla/sync_gap.htm.  I never did get that gap to
work reliably.  I have a half-baked theory that the larger electrodes
resulted in a longer effective dwell time, and the RSG wanted to fire
well in advance of actual alignment.  In the end, the propeller gap with
simple welding rod electrodes worked extremely well and better than the
larger cylindrical electrodes.

Regards, Gary Lau
MA, USA

> Original poster: "David Thomson" <dwt@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> I realize you're building a rotary spark gap, but the tungsten balls
are
> excellent for a static spark gap.  I brazed the tungsten balls on the
ends
> of tungsten rods and they work great.  The balls on McMaster Carr are
grade
> C1/C2, which is very hard and doesn't pit.
>
> I'm now curious as to whether a spheroid contact would work with a
rotary
> spark gap.  I may try to build one.
>
> Dave
>