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RE: [TCML] can you help my son and i with this Please



nonsense - I've done it, as have many other people - clearly not a permanent solution, but cheap and quick.  Dry wood is only very slightly conductive, the losses will be small, and the coil will work, "sort of" - of course it is better to use FRP, tungsten electrodes and all sorts of things - but it is not necessary to do so.  The next step up from two nails in wood is two ceramic insulators scrounged from a wrecked house and some scraps of wire - 

 

And, "plenty of air flow" is also nonsense - it helps quenching and makes the coil better - but a coil will work with no added air flow.

 

As I understand the OP, the idea is that he has little money to spend.  Why are we making it so hard for him to get some sparks?  if he only gets 1 inch sparks where 12 were possible, it is still success.  Don't over complicate things - he doesn't need to buy ANYTHING he doesn't have.   All you need is a neon xformer (he has it), a secondary (wind on cardboard using wire from anywhere, pretty much any length of 22 or finer wire - 12 to 18 inches is good).  5 to 10 turn primary and an aligator clip for tuning, and a capacitor - I originally used window glass and aluminum foil.  A spark gap is just that - not high tech - anything wil work - literally anything that doesn't arc over - two nails and a scrap of wood, scraps of copper pipe, etc.  A "terry gap" consisting of a scrap of pvc pipe and some scraps of copper pipe works great, but a 1/4 to 1/2 inch air gap between two nails works too.

 

the key thing I didn't understand with my first coil (in high school) was that you needed to tune it.  So the only thing in my mind that matters much is to have a bare wire primary.

 

Arrange the circuit in the usual way - xformer, gap, capacitor, primary - add secondary, and see what happens - tune for best spark - then make improvements - like a salvation army salad bowl for a top load, or a nicer gap, or a different capacitor.  


 
> To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [TCML] can you help my son and i with this Please 
> Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:49:16 -0500
> From: mddeming@xxxxxxx
> 
> 
> 
> "you need a spark gap - two nails and a piece of wood will work" 
> 
> IF you want to start a fire or electrocute someone! Wood is conductive at TC primary voltages (10-15 kV). Two nails driven into a piece of wood and attached to an NST secondary can carbon track and smolder or flame within minutes. IMO, NOT a smart move.
> 
> Use only good insulators like PVC with plenty of air flow.
> 
> Matt D
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bill Noble <william_b_noble@xxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sun, Nov 22, 2009 5:36 pm
> Subject: Re: [TCML] can you help my son and i with this Please 
> 
> 
> Eric - most of us start small - you don't' need donations, and you don't need more stuff. 
> 
> you need wire - $5 or so will get you the wire you need from a surplus place, or unwind a transformer or other coil and get it free. 
> 
> you need a spark gap - two nails and a piece of wood will work (not as well as fancier stuff, but it will work) 
> 
> you need a cap - beer bottles (or milk bottles) with brine will work 
> 
> you need wire for a primary - scrounge some old electrical wire - whatever you can find 
> 
> for a first toy though, make jacob's ladders - all you need are 2 coat hangers and your neon sign xformer 
> 
> start with the small stuff, ask questions about that, then consider bigger 
> 
> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Eric Knutson" <ericknutson@xxxxxxxxx> 
> > To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx> 
> > Sent: Saturday, November 21, 2009 5:42 PM 
> > Subject: [TCML] can you help my son and i with this Please 
> > 
> > 
> > Vary impressive stuff here Wow . 
> >> May i ask for pointers in making one of these , have wanted to for 20 >> years , well i have 
> >> wife now and a 10 inch pvc tube . but thats all i have , my son is 14 and >> wants to build 
> >> one with me . i can maybe buy one piece at a time every other payday >> maybe . Is there 
> >> any change you can help me with direction and size on the build . not >> sure how to 
> >> connect 2 neon transformers together eather . also i Humbly ask are there >> any parts you 
> >> could donate to help us build one . any tansformers or a rotary spark gap >> , caps ? was thinking 
> >> about using one or 15000v 60 Ma , but think with with the size of pipe i >> sholud use 2 what do 
> >> you think . Sinerly Your Friend Eric A Knutson 
> >> 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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