RE: I give up!! I regret building my tesla coil!

["Charlie Davies" <charlied-at-musictoday-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

Ralph, 

How can I get a copy of John Couture's book?  I am interested in designing a
Tesla coil, but have absolutely no knowledge of how to begin.  Please recommend
some informational reading that will help me learn more about building Tesla
coils and more about general principles of electricity.

Thanks, 

Charlie Davies 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Tesla list [<mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com] 
Sent: Monday, August 21, 2000 8:56 AM 
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
Subject: Re: I give up!! I regret building my tesla coil! 

Original poster: Parpp807-at-aol-dot-com 

Garry, 
I can only most strongly encourage you not to give up. Something must have 
initiated your 
desire to build a TC and the reward of success and self-achievement will be 
very sweet. You are going to receive a lot of help from all the experienced 
and knowledgeable coilers on the list and eventually you will succeed. The 
lessons learned the hard way will stick. 
I have been lurking for several years and still have not built a 1/4-wave 
coil, but from reading and asking a lot of stupid questions and from a lot of 
experimenting, I managed 
a small VTTC that needs a lot of work, i.e., complete rebuilding. ;-((  I 
finally got a very nice 
bipolar coil that throws a 20-inch spark equal to the width of the secondary. 
I win the prize for stupid mistakes but If I can do it....... 

>From the few technical details you give, I think you have gone off in some 
wrong directions. 

>>Ever being interested in improving the output, I tried various spark gap 
designs. One suggestion was use two rounded brass doorknobs in an air cooled<< 

This is one area where I have gotten a little experience. Two SMOOTH rounded 
brass doorknobs mounted on 1/4 x 20 brass bolts make an excellent SG for a 
NST. 
But the SG is part of a complete system that requires an integrated plan. I 
do not 
understand why you would think that just changing the SG will produce 100 ft 
sparks. The SG sounds good, don't throw it out, you're gonna need it. 

I urge you to slow down and organize your building plans. I found that the 
best books 
on the subject are John Couture's, TESLA COIL DESIGN and TESLA COIL 
CONSTRUCTION. ( Thanks John, don't need anymore complimentary copies  :-)) )  
Read, study and do not be afraid to ask questions on the list. I would 
suggest that you 
bounce your questions off the Tesla list and tell us of your plans before you 
act. 

Dark is the dawn when day is nigh, 
hustle your horse and don't say die. 

I've got more 
Safe coiling 
Ralph Zekelman