New guy questions (fwd)

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2007 21:54:10 -0400
From: Dan/Elaine G. <degargel@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: New guy questions

Hi all,

I wanted to introduce myself by way of asking a few questions.
I started getting interested a few months ago, doing some research, starting
a design, scoring some hardware, and joining the List. Thought I stop
lurking and ask-away.

I have also been following the recent FAQ thread btw, and I can understand
the difficulty such an undertaking might offer, since some of my questions
focus on some well intentioned yet mildly contradictory input I collected
from browsing various sites.

1) How critical is the Secondary HD ratio?  I found some guidance, but I
also see some folks seem to ditch the convention - for example, maintaining
an HD of 4 to 4.5 for a 4" coil form. (I haven't run any what-if analysis
since I've been waiting for the math refresher to hopefully sink into my
brain).
2) If I can afford an acrylic/plexiglas over a PVC Sec form, is it worth it?
(considering dielectric, looks, ease of using an adhesive, etc)
3) Best place to score some Cornell Dubilier caps for an mmc: does the Geek
Group really sell them? to non-members? Should I try eBay or another source?
4) One curiosity question, in my past acquaintance with circularly polarized
antennae, I was just wondering if there was a winding-sense convention (left
or right-handed) that applied to coils as well. I've found no such advice
(probably for an obvious reason). Does it help or not matter at all?

Too many questions? Reply here or to my address - whatever is better,

Thanks tons,
Dan in PA

I got a variac(!) and a 15/30 NST.