RE: primary coil stand off construction question.

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Rich & DJ" <rdj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

A

 All of Bart's ideas are good but you have another tool that makes it
easy. Use your router, that is how I do mine. Put your router in it's
table and set you fence to trim off one side of the hole, you can trial
and error on a scrap piece until the tube just snaps in the hole. Then
use the real ones and trim them. I will be nice and smooth, not rough
like a saw cut.

                Rich , from the middle of Missouri


To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: primary coil stand off construction question.

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson" <bartb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi Vinnie,

Lexan, delrin, or even hard readily available acrylic can be used for
the supports (standoffs not required). I also use a hand drill (a
nice Dewalt. Maybe next Christmas, a drill press?). Some of the
harder materials such as acrylic are more difficult to machine. For
primary's, something between 1/4" to 3/8" thick makes drilling less
fragile. The drill bit itself is the key. You want a bit with a
shallow angle (between 60 and 90 degrees). The standard 120 degree
angle for metal work is designed to bite into the metal. This 120
degree angle will often chip or crack acrylic. With a shallow bit
angle, the work done "scrapes" a nice hole without chipping and
cracking.

Cutting the acrylic is more of a challenge than drilling. The first
basic cut is easy. But after the holes are drilled, you'll need to
mark a line to cut through the drilled holes slightly above center so
that there is enough material to keep the primary snapped in place.
When you cut that particular line, do it as precise as possible. I've
done it with a hacksaw, but it's not easy to keep precision with a
hand tool like that. Best to use a bandsaw with a guide edge preset
into position. Then try snapping a length of tubing into it. Do you
need more or less cut towards the center? Experiment is the key to
finding what "you" feel is the right feel for the snap action.

I recommend practicing first on a slab of material before cutting the
intended runners. Like anything else, the art must be practiced to
get comfortable with your own method and see if it what you set up
works as you intended. It doesn't take long to realize the hole depth
you like and to get good at the art. If you've ever worked with wood,
this will be simple for you. If not, it may be a challenge. Much
depends on the persons naturally born skills and the thing inside
that drives him to build Tesla Coils.

Take care,
Bart

Tesla list wrote:

>Original poster: "Vinnie" <teslatech@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>Hello
>
>I'm in the process of rebuilding my flat primary and I want make or
>purchase some
>stand off spacers. Does anyone have an tips on constuction and
materials?
>I see alot of use of lexan and polyethylene. I want to stay away
>from the PVC pipe
>unless there is a way to make it look nice without several wire ties
>to afix the copper
>tubing. I'm kinda limited on tools. I don't have access to a drill
>press but I have the
>standard power drill and router. I'm concerned about the speed of
>the tools actually melting
>the plastic as well. Any help would be apprieciated.
>
>Thanks for your time.
>
>Vinnie
>
>
>
>
>