Geek Gap Mark-1

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>

After about 2 years of using the "Crap Gap Model-1" Model-2 Model-3...etc 
The Geek Group has not only produced a wonderfully working static gap, but 
another work of art :)

I was setting Project Sam up today (our 6" coil) for a Monday demonstration. 
Since the demo is for a TV interview I like to have it all set up and 
tweaked DAYS before they get there with cameras. This way when something 
blows up I have a weekend to fix it, and it seldom happens on camera (I've 
learned this from experiance, yes). There is NO way to predict kids or coils 
if you're on camera.

I had everything all set up, simple, low power setup. 1 bank of the 12kV 
MMC, a pair of 12-60's, and there....that hideuous CrapGap Mk-3. I had to do 
something about it. I removed it and started looking around the building.

I scrounged one of the big phenolic disks, about 8" dia by 1.5" thick.
3 pieces of diamond shaped Tungsten carbide from the batch Marc M. sent 
over.
2 4" pieces of 1/4-20 brass threaded rod, leftover from the MMC weekend.
and a 6"dia x 8" tall station post insulator.

And a 4" muffin fan, plus a few bits of wire.

A quick stop at the nut and bolt store and then off to work.

After 5 hours in the shop, working with Lynn and Nicole it was finished 
(I'll post pics to the site in a day ot 2) and it's as beautifull as the 
other new parts of the coil. It really looks like some weird sculpture.

I ran back to Sigma-6 and immedatly fired it up in Sam. The electricians 
were still there working on the new 480 service for the elevator and were 
rather impressed by what a Coil can do.

btw, they think we're nuts.

I noticed right away how incredibly LOUD this thing is. WAY louder than any 
of our previous gaps. It took only a few seconds to set and runs smooth and 
solid with the safety firing every couple seconds. I did notice something 
I've never seen in our gaps before, little sparks (like from a grinder, 
comet type sparks) shooting from the gap every now and then. I think it's 
the cutting rake blowing off from the electrodes (the rake is very thin at 
the top) and wasn't concerned.

The other thing I'm noticeing is this thing wants T O R O I D! and bad!

I put the 28 X 3 on, then an inverted salad bowl, then a pair of bowls one 
on top of the other, the top inverted (all the bowls are about 16" and 
hemispherical) and then even got the art-deco metal screen trashcan, pencil 
holder, and cup from my office! and I'm STILL getting multiple smallish 
arcs. a breakout point on top of the pile gives me 2' arcs to the ceiling 
beams.

Tonight I'm making a chicken-wire toroid :)


What do you think of using a 30gal tin trashcan as a topload? With all the 
garage coilers out there I KNOW someone has tried this. Mine is a 5gal and 
worked great :)

Have fun!

Christopher A. Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
www.thegeekgroup-dot-org
Because the Geek shall inherit the Earth!

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