[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: [TCML] Winding the primary
To anneal copper you must heat it up to a dull cherry red and then
allow to cool. It does not need to be quenched.
It will oxidize and turn the copper a dirty color.
Now, you can do it with a propane or acetylene torch and just start
heating one end to color and running the red up the tubing to the other end.
If you are willing, mix up a solution of Red Devil lye and water, use
their mix formula for standing drains and drop the heated tubing in
it, it will strip the oxidation off and leave a semi frosted finish
on the copper. Do not leave it too long or it will start to eat the copper.
Use extreme caution with this as it can burn the skin and eyes. You
must wear rubber gloves and apron and eye protection. Use this ONLY outdoors.
Then take a NEW SOS pad and wet it and start rubbing down the tubing,
it will polish it back up. It is very important to make sure the pad
always is soapy tho or it will really scratch the tubing. Then finish
up with some Brasso polish.
I know, a lot of hand work but it will look nice!
I have done this a lot for copper and brass tubing and piping, copper
gaskets, brass, cast brass and etc.
Frank
At 01:37 PM 7/11/2008 -0500, you wrote:.
I have a couple of lengths of "salvaged" tubing myself with a few
too many bends in it. I wouldn't have bothered in the past, but with
the cost of copper... Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has managed
to UN-work harden tubing? I was thinking of sticking it in the oven
on high heat for a while and letting it slowly cool. Anyone ever try
it? It's a pain in the neck, sure, but compared to unpotting an nst
for example, it doesn't sound too bad.
Neal.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Quarkster" <quarkster@xxxxxxx>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 11:18 PM
Subject: Re: [TCML] Winding the primary
Steve -
What is your primary conductor? If you're using copper tubing,
here are a few tips:
1. Use virgin refrigeration tubing, and leave it in the coiled
shape that it comes in. Don't try to re-use "salvaged" tubing if
you want a nice looking primary. Copper tubing "work-hardens" and
stiffens very rapidly as you deform it, so deform it as little as possible.
2. DO NOT try to straighten the tubing, then re-form it into a
spiral. The tubing will work-harden, then is likely to kink and
become unmanagable.
3. Have an assistant hold the coil of tubing about a foot above
your primary forms, and just let one coil drop down at a time. The
typical diameter of a coil of rerfigeration tubing is around 18",
so I start at the end of the primary that is closest in diameter
to the diameter of the coil of tubing. For a small diameter
primary this means starting at the OUTSIDE of the primary form and
wind inward. For a large diameter primary, this means starting at
the INSIDE of the primary form and winding outward. This way the
tubing requires minimum deformation initially, and then must be
gradually formed into a larger or smaller radius as you move outward or inward.
Regards,
Herr Zappp
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla