[TCML] Winding the primary

[stamsund]

Neal,

You heat it then quench it with water to soften it.

Rob

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Neal Namowicz" <neal at imagesbyneal.com>
To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla at pupman.com>
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 10:37 AM
Subject: Re: [TCML] Winding the primary


>I have a couple of lengths of  "salvaged" tubing myself with a few too many 
>bends in it. I wouldn't have bothered in the past, but with the cost of 
>copper... Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has managed to UN-work harden 
>tubing? I was thinking of sticking it in the oven on high heat for a while 
>and letting it slowly cool. Anyone ever try it? It's a pain in the neck, 
>sure, but compared to unpotting an nst for example, it doesn't sound too 
>bad.
>
> Neal.
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Quarkster" <quarkster at att.net>
> To: "Tesla Coil Mailing List" <tesla at pupman.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2008 11:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Winding the primary
>
>
>> Steve -
>>
>>  What is your primary conductor? If you're using copper tubing, here are 
>> a few tips:
>>
>>  1. Use virgin refrigeration tubing, and leave it in the coiled shape 
>> that it comes in. Don't try to re-use "salvaged" tubing if you want a 
>> nice looking primary. Copper tubing "work-hardens" and stiffens very 
>> rapidly as you deform it, so deform it as little as possible.
>>
>>  2. DO NOT try to straighten the tubing, then re-form it into a spiral. 
>> The tubing will work-harden, then is likely to kink and become 
>> unmanagable.
>>
>>  3. Have an assistant hold the coil of tubing about a foot above your 
>> primary forms, and just let one coil drop down at a time. The typical 
>> diameter of a coil of rerfigeration tubing is around 18", so I start at 
>> the end of the primary that is closest in diameter to the diameter of the 
>> coil of tubing. For a small diameter primary this means starting at the 
>> OUTSIDE of the primary form and wind inward. For a large diameter 
>> primary, this means starting at the INSIDE of the primary form and 
>> winding outward. This way the tubing requires minimum deformation 
>> initially, and then must be gradually formed into a larger or smaller 
>> radius as you move outward or inward.
>>
>>  Regards,
>>  Herr Zappp
>>
>
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