Re: Just starting out

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

Original poster: "colin.heath4 by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <colin.heath4-at-ntlworld-dot-com>

daniel i think we can all agree with steve on that one i wasted hundreds of
pounds and a lot of time but then i wont forget it in a hurry after such an
expensive lesson the list is brilliant and i learn something new everyday
cheers
colin heath
www.geocities-dot-com/colinheath2002/

----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla list <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2002 2:21 AM
Subject: Re: Just starting out


> Original poster: "Steve White by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<slwhite-at-zeus.ia-dot-net>
>
> Hi Daniel,
>
> I would recommend one thing above all else. Read the postings and the
Pupman
> archives for several months before you start buying or building anything.
> This will avoid the wasting of money and buying things that are
unsuitable.
> I have wasted a fair amount of money. Fortunately, I am in a position to
> absorb this. Understand what you are going to build before you build it
and
> why you are building it the way that you are. The more power that the coil
> puts out, the more that this applies. The hardest component that I found
to
> fabricate is my 3600 RPM rotary spark gap. This will not apply to the coil
> that you are going to build first.
>
> Steve: Coiling in Iowa
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 4:54 PM
> Subject: Re: Just starting out
>
>
> > Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>
> >
> > Hi Daniel,
> >
> > At 09:27 AM 3/28/2002 -0500, you wrote:
> > >Hi guys,
> > >I may not be worthy of this group because you all sound like highly
> > >intelligent engineers to me. But I've been involved with electronics
all
> my
> > >life. I've been a repair lab tech for years.
> >
> > The members of this list span from kids trying to make their first coil
to
> > the real heavy theory Ph.D. types.  Everyone is welcome with open arms
> :-))
> >  There are many beginners that are just trying to learn about coils so
you
> > are not at all alone.  If you work in a technical field you are already
> way
> > ahead of many :-)  Questions range from what is + and - in electricity
to
> > high powered math stuff...  It is all welcome here.  We do limit the
> > subject matter to Tesla coils and posts do have to reach a certain
> standard
> > of public decency but other than that everything goes at all levels of
> > knowledge.  Ask any question you wish and you will probably get more
> > answers than you ever wanted :-))  Things range from very simple
> mechanical
> > construction details, electronics, where to find stuff, local coiling
> > meetings, equations, web pages, theory, experiments, heavy theory, heavy
> > math....  Just the whole range of subjects that deal in any way with
Tesla
> > coils.  Topics such as the Tunguska explosion, free energy,
anti-gravity,
> > etc. are not discussed since they are not real practical for people
making
> > real Tesla coils and some of those odd fringe subjects get a little too
> > goofy...  We are concerned with what it takes to make real practical
tesla
> > coils for fun.
> >
> > >
> > >My question is I am interested in building my own tesla coil. I'm not
> > >talking about a huge one with 10 foot arcs, maybe 12" or so arcs.
> >
> > I think we can help there :-)))
> >
> > >
> > >Would you guys have any recommendations for where to start. I work for
an
> > >electric utility communications company dealing with communications via
> > >power-line carrier and fiber optics. I am the technical writer here.
This
> > >seems to me like it could be a valuable resource for this interest of
> mine.
> >
> > Oh!  Terry used to work on 220kV - 375kV line-carrier and transmission
> line
> > SCADA stuff ;-)) I was a few years too early for fiber optic stuff but I
> > used to beg that they should plan for it in all new construction...
They
> > didn't, and only two years latter they started tearing the new stuff
back
> > up to put it in.  Don't get me started there ;-)))
> >
> > >
> > >Like right now I took from their discards a huge coil that looks like a
> > >cigarette butt stand. You know those cigarette butt stands with the
tray
> of
> > >sand on the top. It seems to me I should be able to use this in some
way
> in
> > >making my tesla coil but without expert advice like from you guys I
don't
> > >know.
> >
> > Not sure what that would be...  Perhaps a blocking inductor for the
> > line-carrier signals?  They make those in all different ways so hard to
> > say.  Do you have a picture?  Grab it if opportunity knocks since you
can
> > always throw it alway but you can't go back in time to get it...  Be on
> the
> > lookout for potential transformers in the 14.4kV range.  VERY useful!!
> >
> > >
> > >I'm very interested in starting and I am aware of the safety protocol
of
> > >working with high voltage.
> >
> > Our voltages are still far higher but, a few hundred million VA less in
> > power :-))  You will catch right on since much of the stuff is similar
to
> > the things you do in your work.
> >
> > For your first coil, "I" usually recommend that you watch the Tesla list
> > awhile and ask questions and look at what other's have done.  Maybe try
to
> > find a coil someone else has made that you think you can copy.  Copying
a
> > nice working coil is a great way to learn and not too much can go wrong.
> > You then don't have to know too many details that would be required if
you
> > just made it all from scratch.  Even first coils with no real "design""
> > behind them almost always work too.  However, "copying" a good working
> coil
> > is less trouble.  A nice page is at:
> >
> > http://home.earthlink-dot-net/~electronxlc/
> >
> > Also the big Tesla coil webring:
> >
> > http://j.webring-dot-com/webring?ring=teslaring&list
> >
> > 325 Tesla coiler's sites there :-))  Don't be overwhelmed, you will
learn
> > it very fast and it is great fun.  Once you actually make your first
coil
> > it will all be very clear.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Terry
> >
> > >
> > >Thank you very much.
> > >

>
>