Re: magnetically quenched gap "Director"

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

Original poster: "Matthew Smith by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <matt-at-kbc-dot-net.au>

Hi

>http://webpages.charter-dot-net/tesla/director.htm

In the words of Mr Spock, "fascinating".  It begs a few questions:

Do I get it right that, used as a spark gap (switching device), this is 
effectively self quenching (as polarity reverses) ?

I assume that these 'directors' would get hot with time/sufficient 
power.  If this is so, to driving a large coil would need a more robust 
device.  I was wondering about popping the tube into a water jacket - would 
the extra glass/water/air gap be of sufficiently low reluctance to cause a 
problem?

In one of the photographs, the tubes appear to be mounted in what looks 
like the head magnet assembly of a 'vintage' full height hard drive; is 
this the case?  It's just that I've got one in the shed, if I can prise it 
off whatever it has stuck itself to ;-)

For anyone considering trying to reproduce this - and living in a rural 
area with no neon signs/neon sign shops - what sort of glass would be 
recommended, of what should the elecrodes be made, and how to you get the 
one to stick in the other without gas leaks?

I've got a cylinder of MIG (C02/argon) in the shed - any good for this?

Cheers

M

-- 
Matthew Smith
IT Consultant - KBC, South Australia
KBC Web Site    http://www.kbc-dot-net.au
PGP Public Key  http://gpg.mss.cx