Expensive hobby

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Paul B. Brodie" <pbbrodie@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Everybody who responded to my post,

Well, thanks a million to all of you for all of your advice both serious 
and not so serious!!! I can't drive, the government frowns on blind people 
trying to drive for some reason, so my 27 year old son came over and took 
me around to a couple of appliance repair places. One owner was very 
friendly and curious about what I planned to do with old microwaves. I told 
him about Tesla coils and some other esoteric HV stuff and he got really 
interested and said he would like to help however he can. How about that??!!

He went in the back and came out with these 2 honker MOT's that he said he 
took out of the biggest, most powerful, commercial microwave he has ever 
seen or heard of. He said they were both in the same microwave and that it 
was rated at 2500 watts! He then took us out back and showed us 9 
microwaves that he said we could have. He also said that if I want to 
scrounge parts out of old TV's, washing machines, refrigerators, stoves, 
dryers, or whatever, just let him know. The first microwave I opened has a 
4000 V transformer and is rated 1500 watts. They all have the HV AC caps, 
of course and Peter Terren tells me that I will find all kind of HV goodies 
in the newer microwaves, like HV rectifier bridges and such.

So, now that I have found this goldmine, do you guys have any suggestions 
about things I can scrounge besides microwaves? I was looking at a barrel 
he had full of stove top and oven elements that appeared to be OK. I 
couldn't find any burned out spots or anything that indicated they were 
non-functional. I was thinking that these would make some incredibly robust 
low ohm resistors for current limiting maybe or something similar??

I am just absolutely sure that you guys have a mother load of advice for me 
about this. Please???!!! I really do feel like I hit the proverbial 
jackpot. He says for me to check with him once a week and I can come by and 
pick through whatever he has gotten in that people have decided not to pick 
up for whatever reason. He wouldn't even accept any compensation.

I am not a greedy person, at all. I am more than willing to share my good 
fortune with those of you who don't have access to anything like this. If 
anyone needs anything that they think I might be able to get for them, drop 
me an email and I'll do my best to help you out, within reason.
Best regards.
Paul
Think Positive (it worked for me!)

The other shop, though not as friendly, said that I could come back and get 
some of their defunct equipment as well. They said that they were just too 
busy to help me out right then. So, I may have access to even more stuff.