RE: [TCML] Support brackets for a flat spiral primary - right tool for the job?

["Richard Schmuke" <rdj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Brian, when cutting support brackets when you get a drill press here is a
quick hint to get equal spacing. Drill one hole in the end of each piece of
bracket you need. Drill a hole in a piece of flat stock, move the hole off
to the side the amount you want for hole to hole spacing and clamp the stock
to the drill press table. Place a pin in the drilled hole, now slide the
predrilled bracket onto the pin. You can clamp a strip along the edge as a
rotation stop. Now drill the second hole in your bracket, pick up bracket,
re pin it, drill next hole and so on. Now you can drill 5 or 500 holes all
with exact spacing.

When you are drilling cutting board remember the thickness and the fact that
the holes as straight , the tubing is a radius, not wanting to get into cord
measurements of a radius I will keep it simple. You need some clearance so
for a 1/4" tube you will need about a 17/64 hole, or a "F" size if thinner
stock. What I did next was to trim the edge of the support until enough of
the hole was exposed so the tubing could be snapped into place. The cutting
board material has a little more give, more than the Lexan I use so the
amount will differ with different material. I used a router table to trim
but there are many ways. A saw and a vixen file would work.

I cut my material on a table saw , wood, plastics and aluminum. Some trim
done with a scroll saw.

Rich

-----Original Message-----
From: tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Brian Hall
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 10:14 PM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [TCML] Support brackets for a flat spiral primary - right tool for
the job?



Today I 'machined' the bracket supports for what will be my 1/4" copper
tubing flat spiral primary on my mid-size Tesla coil.
I documented the process here:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1hKE2Ms-tk 

And I am curious - what other approaches have been used to milling the
material?  I know that two tools now on my wish list are a drill press and a
jigsaw/band saw/small table saw (that would have left much less of a mess on
the pieces and less re-drilling to get the notch depths right)
It looks like I am going to end up using zip ties in combination with these
brackets, through the clear plexi top.  Or do some folks just glue the
copper tubing down?  
How do you cut this insulating plastic cutting board-type material into long
lengths and with a smooth edge? 

----------------------------------

Brian Hall   



 
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla

_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla