[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
RE: [TCML] Considering a new coil build...
You can obtain flat copper strips from the local metal recycling joint.
Have a little free time reserved, as when you start digging around in
those places you'll find all sorts of stuff you can't live without. My
local recycler has piles of copper ribbon in big rolls. As long as you
have the fundage to cover the costs you're good to go.
For the toroid, you can use the dryer vent material and then use bondo
to fill in all of the ridges, or some other suitable filler. Sand it off
smooth when it dries and wrap it with the aluminum tape and they don't
look bad.
I don't know how big you're thinking of going, but amazing1.com has spun
aluminum toroids that are fairly reasonable.
Also, since you know how to weld...if you can find a source of metal
rings of various sizes (or can bend your own) you can form a toroid from
rings of various sizes that connect around the outside diameter of
several smaller rings. An electric field forms around the rings and it
acts as if it is a solid toroid as long as the rings aren't spaced too
far apart. These look pretty cool.
http://www.hipotronics.com/dropbox/cms/images/TSR300-small.png
Or you can do the chicken wire scheme
http://www.capturedlightning.org/hot-streamer/ross/TCBFW/visits/tcbfw.jp
g
Or if you're like me and don't particularly care for toroids anyway, you
can go to IKEA and pick up 2 of their stainless salad bowls that are
rimless and have someone weld them together. They form a perfect sphere,
and they're cheap. They have several different sizes, 8, 11, and 15" I
think. The thing to watch for here is that they aren't always exactly
matching in size, so you may have to try lining up several of them and
make sure that their outer diameters match. People will look at you
funny when you do it, but who cares.
Or you can weld together several smaller round pieces to form a sphere
as shown here:
http://w3.ele.tue.nl/typo3temp/pics/3b28d32386.jpg
And you can do toroids the same way...
http://www.power-technology.com/contractor_images/cerisol/3-400kv-post-i
nsulator.jpg
Hope that helps!
Shannon Weinhold
"The problems of today cannot be solved by thinking the way we thought
when we created them."
-Albert Einstein
-----Original Message-----
From: Travis Tabbal [mailto:travis@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wednesday, March 25, 2009 8:50 AM
To: Tesla Coil Mailing List
Subject: Re: [TCML] Considering a new coil build...
Wow... I should have known my project would get bigger and more
expensive than I expected. :) Some great points on this thread. Thanks
for all the great info. Sounds like I need to think bigger. I guess if
I'm going to buy a nice pulse cap I may as well build the big coil while
I'm at it though.
Any thoughts on where to obtain flat copper strip in suitable sizes and
what those sizes are? With 1/2" tube, the primary gets wide fast, and I
can get the turn to turn spacing lower with strip.
How about holding the flying electrodes into the G10 disk? I've seen
some designs that look like someone tapped the fiberglass for set screws
from the side of the disk. I had also considered using bolts or
all-thread with the center drilled out to accept the tungsten
electrodes. Those could use nuts to secure to the G10 disk and I could
drill and tap a set screw in the metal bolt. I think I could pull that
off with a drill press. For disk size, I see McMaster sells G10 sheets
in 12" squares in most thicknesses. I could cut that into a circle for
the disk. One of those router circle cutting jigs comes to mind. The
fiberglass would be rough on the router bit, but they do make nice
carbide bits that might work.
For the toroid, going bigger means fabricating them. I have yet to make
a decent looking dryer duct toroid. Any tips there? Mine always end up
wrinkly and ugly. I'd like to build something of a show piece here. It
won't be on the level of the stuff Dr. Resonance and others on the list
pull off, but I want it to look nice and be reasonably durable, so that
it can take small hits while in storage. I might be able to do an open
frame design like the coil used in Mythbusters. Even that might push my
metalworking skills though. I'm a decent welder and such, but I'm still
far better with woods than metal.
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla