Re: Primary Coils and Other Stuff

[FutureT-at-aol-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)]

In a message dated 9/2/00 6:16:04 AM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

> Original poster: "Travis Stewart" <mrprosser-at-geocities-dot-com> 
>  
>  Hello,
>   I've built one tesla coil, using a 10Kv/23ma OBIT and did a
>  very quick, hideously ugly, and just plain badly made because of time
>  restrictions, as it was built for a school project.  I would like to
>  re make the primary coil, but have been having a hard time finding
>  1/4" copper tubing in any length, as everywhere I've looked have only
>  had very short lengths that are much to short for making the coil.  I
>  was wondering where would it be easy to find this in long lengths, or
>  from the experience of others what other materials might be good to
>  use.

Travis,

I  often use 10, 12 or 14 awg, pvc close wound insulated wire for
a small coil like this.  Another approach is to use 1/8" refrigeration
tubing.  I prefer the thinner types of wire or tubing because it lets
you use more turns on both the primary and secondary for a given
cap size, and gives 10% longer sparks in comparitive tests I've done.
It also results in a nice compact portable table top TC design.

  http://hometown.aol-dot-com/futuret/page3.html

But in any case long lengths of 1/4" tubing can be obtained from
the Home Depot, Lowes, and similar stores.

John Freau