I did this many years ago using poly sheets and long, wide, thin strips of
copper. Everything is laid down, aligned,r olled up, and packed into a
plastic container. Container is filled with oil, and sealed except for a
small hole to account for gasses (I think). These caps worked OK with a
15KV neon transformer for the most part.
For me the most challenging parts were to prevent arc over between the
turns and dealing with the inevitable punch through and subsequent failure.
I do believe you can find certain type of poly sheets that provide a minor
self healing action, but I gave up on the whole thing and moved to MMC.
On Sat, Oct 20, 2018, 10:39 AM <doug11642@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi Steve, What I am doing here is just experimenting around to pass
> time. I already have a number of functioning MMC's built with
> purchased caps. This is "my fun"! I have lots of this food saver
> tubing that I got for almost nothing, and the aluminum foil is cheap.
> I doubt that anyone has tried this method before, so now to see what
> it takes to destroy one. I have rolled three so far and the third one
> is quieter than the first. Now I will try vac'ing them down to see
> what I get.How many ways did Edison find not to make a light bulb?Doug
>
> -----------------------------------------From: "Steve White"
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List"
> Cc:
> Sent: Saturday October 20 2018 6:50:41AM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Brush copper plating onto polystyrene
>
> Instead of trying to build your own HV capacitor, one of our TCML
> members is offering an excellent Maxwell capacitor suitable for a
> small NST-powered TC. It is 0.02 uF rated at 45 KV. You would probably
> spend as much or more, not to mention your time, trying to build your
> own capacitor. Here is the E-Bay link (ends tomorrow).
>
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/173587314902
> />
> Steve White
> Cedar Rapids, Iowa
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matthew Sweeney"
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List"
> Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 7:27:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Brush copper plating onto polystyrene
>
> From experience I'll say that whatever the voltage rating (depending
> on
> material thickness, flatness of conductor etc.) Once it punches
> through it
> will have effectively 0KV rating :)
>
> Not saying that it isn't fun to build your own caps, but without self
> healing or at the very least the ability to replace parts of an MMC
> it can
> get extremely frustrating and time consuming.
>
> Depending your motivation to use a self made capacitor keep in mind
> you can
> build an MMC for reasonable cost that can provide good reliability
> and ease
> of repair.
>
> On Fri, Oct 19, 2018, 4:05 PM wrote:
>
> > I have been experimenting with home rolled Caps and would like some
> > help with values please?Using food saver tubes as the dielectric,
> > dielectric is 36" X 8", foil inserted in the food saver tubes is
> 32" X
> > 6", uf measures 14uf as rolled. What would be the voltage rating?
> So
> > far I have used one in a small TC [7.5k NST] and have not destroyed
> > it! All-tho it buzzes loudly.Doug J.
> >
> > -----------------------------------------From: "jimlux"
> > To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Cc:
> > Sent: Friday October 19 2018 11:17:01AM
> > Subject: Re: [TCML] Brush copper plating onto polystyrene
> >
> > On 10/19/18 8:59 AM, Matthew Sweeney wrote:
> > > Good info, although I'd still like to find someone who has done
> > similar
> > > work with one of those inflatable exercise balls.. that would be
> an
> > awesome
> > > VDG terminal :)
> >
> > It's out there in the archives. Except it was a kid's bouncy toy,
> > the
> > name of which I cannot remember, they have a loop sticking out of
> the
> >
> > top that you hang on with.
> >
> > When I worked at the effects shop, we made some large "pendulum
> bobs"
> >
> > for a sort of "giant executive toy"
> > (
> >
>
> https://www.amazon.com/JoyTech-Newtons-Collision-Decompression-Psychology/dp/B07921155N
> /> > )
> > />
> > using those things, somewhat overinflated, covered with fiberglass,
> > then
> > spray painted aluminum. They weren't heavy enough without the
> > fiberglass
> > to swing like we wanted, but for an electrode, maybe ok.
> >
> > A hole will cause it to deflate.
> >
> > You might be able to figure out a way to inflate and deflate it,
> but
> > for
> > a VDG, you need the hole for the belt, so using it as a form upon
> > which
> > to make something rigid.
> >
> > If you want a plastic hemisphere, a good way is to build a box with
> a
> >
> > plywood top and a circular hole. You lay a sheet of plastic on top,
> > heat it with radiant heat, then use a vacuum cleaner to pull a
> vacuum
> >
> > under it, and it will form a nice hemisphere. Let it cool, repeat
> it,
> >
> > saw the flange off and join it.
> >
> > But a spherical buoy might be a cheaper way to go..
> >
> > Kwiktek B-20R from amazon is
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Tesla mailing list
> > Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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> /> > />
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