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Re: Non-tech Question

Ted,

I will tell you what I get out of coiling, although I CAN NOT answer for
any other "coiler" than myself.

>But there are those of you who not only start with a coil capable of 6
inch 
>streamers and keep building more and more until 10 footers or more are 
>attainable.

--Tesla started small too, then built a few mamoth coils too! 

>Once someone has achieved that 10 foot arc...what becomes of the coil
once 
>it's power has been shared with all either in person or on the web?

--Learn from that coil, tweak that coil, so you can get even more output
with the same input power (higher Q).

A few years ago I got interested in Tesla. He was "introduced" to me by
my uncle (another fan of Tesla). I originally was fascinated by Tesla's
bladeless turbine (it still amazes me). I started work on one, and it
still remains unfinished (I am lacking the "valvular conduit" any one
have one they want to part with?). In the mean time I kept reading about
Tesla and also learned there was a faction of modern day Tesla fans who
built Telsa Coils. I too thought the coils were neat but saw no practical
purpose for building one. Frankly I did not care whether or not the was a
practical purpose (although I know if Tesla was here would argue this,
ie- wireless transmission of electricity)...not many hobbies serve any
practical purpose. Yeah, you can argue fishing--for food, or hot
rodding--you can fix your own grocery getter car, but what about stamp
collecting or oil painting? So to some, coiling is a hobby and that is
all it is.

I get satisfaction out of building a coil because I know that I have
carefully chosen, crafted, and calculated every aspect of the coil...the
culmination of these boring figures (to some) being several kilovolts.
Not many people have the patients or dedication of doing this. I also get
a lot of satisfaction by continually upgrading and peaking out the system
over several weeks/months--seeing a system make a 6" originally then
growing to 12" of discharge. It is also one of the most educational
hobbies too. I definately think coiling is one of the coolest 
(definately unique) "hobbies" around. Plus, being a fan of who I consider
the most brilliant inventor, scientist, thinker etc, I am paying him an
homage of sorts. Unfortunately even our educators and public haven't a
clue who Tesla is and his NUMEROUS other contributions. I will refer to
the post from a few days ago where a high schooler, sorry can't recall
your name, won the science fair with his Tesla coil, the judge thought
Tesla was a proponent of DC current!!! and Edison was the father of
AC....ugggh. Tesla was years ahead of his peers, and still ahead in many
respects of today's scientist. Imagine if he had the materials available
to him that modern scientists have at their disposal! Come on, Tesla was
using wood, rubber (gutta percha), glass, oil, and metal (copper and
iron)...plus he had to build all of his own equipment! Including his
alternators and generators (the Colorado Springs power company cut off
his free power supply when he RF'd their transformers to death). I have
no idea just how many patents he has on polyphase generators,
alternators, circuit controllers etc. alone!

There are other people (amatuer and professional alike) who do in fact
perform many physics/electrical emperiments with coils. They can and have
been used in particle beam accelerators and old medical equipment for
instance. I also think that Tesla pretty much invented and honed LC
oscilatory circuits with the Tesla Coil (or Disruptive Discharge Coil as
he called them). There are all kinds of applications of this discovery,
like radio!

Well this is starting to get a little off the topic...and hope to not
start any wars myself!

Dan
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