Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

[Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 08:20:09 -0800
From: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

High Voltage list wrote:
>
> Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2003 14:29:54 EST
> From: Esondrmn@xxxxxxx
> To: hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)
>
> In a message dated 12/27/03 2:05:27 PM Pacific Standard Time,
> hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> > Hi All,
> >
> > Many thanks for everyone's thoughts!!
> >
> > I will go ahead and build the thing.  It sounds just about right safety
> > wise.  Not a toy by any means, but not like a case of dynamite either.
> >
> > It sounds just about right :-))
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> >     Terry
> >
>
> Terry,
>
> What is your top load (sphere) made of and how do you plan to cut the hole to
> mount it?  I have a similar sized stainless steel (gazing ball) sphere but I
> have thought how difficult it would be to use a hole saw to cut a 3" or 4"
> hole in it.  Heck, it is difficult just to drill a hole in one of these things.
>
> How about a belt?  What do you plan to use?
>
> Ed Sonderman

	How about making a small hole with (anything) and then enlarging it
with a nibbler?  I've found that to be the best way to get smooth cuts
in very thin sheet metal and it should work with the stainless, which I
bet is quite thin.

	For belts there is stuff called Therabond (sp?) available at
hospital-supply houses.  Appears to be latex rubber, color coded
according to the thickness.  It's available up to at least 25' lengths
and 6" widths, which should cover the needs of any home grown coil.  Our
local sick room supply pharmacy stocks it and can order anything they
don't have.  I've only used it for a very small VDG but intend to give
it a try next time I rebelt my big machine and try to run it.

Ed