People who live in glass houses should not throw flaming toroids

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

Original poster: "Bert Pool" <bert.tx-at-prodigy-dot-net> 

At 05:33 AM 11/1/2004 -0700, Steve Mathison wrote:

>The 12" duct makes a nice toroid but it will dent with a lot less force than
>you may think. Bert pool made a nice toroid out of the flexible drain which
>was demonstrated at the 2004 TCBFW Teslathon. Bert's "Tar Baby" toroid
>worked extremely well and is resilient to dents. The one problem was 20KW
>arcs would burn holes in it.
>
>Stephen A. Mathieson

Steve, the flames are a problem?!  Heck, I thought the flames and smoke 
just added to the excitement of the coil run :>)  And maybe, just maybe, 
the smoke and flame allowed the sparks to shoot further out from the toroid?

Seriously, folks, this toroid is tough and it works.  It's a composite 
rubber and steel wire drain pipe that maintains it's shape because of a 
spiral steel wire inside; the wire forms the structural core of the 
pipe.  Think of a slinky sprayed with a hard rubber compound.  It's 
practically indestructible.  One does, however, need break-out(s) to 
prevent undesired fire.  It's the biggest, toughest toroid form I've seen 
yet.  You can beat on it with a two-by-two and not hurt it at all.  I found 
the pipe at a scrap yard.  Yes, it is heavier than an aluminum pipe, but 
the weight is still light enough that it works as a big toroid.  I have no 
idea where one can get more, (McMaster Carr, probably), but we now know 
that this wire-rubber pipe exists, and that it works great for larger 
toroids.  Originally, I was thinking I would have to cover it with aluminum 
tape for it to work, but it works well just as it is.  With the caveat that 
one may want to place (optional ) break-outs.

Of course, these "optional" break-outs that prevent smoke and fire may not, 
however, be optional for some of us.  For example, those of us who get 
unexpected visits from the local fire marshal the morning after our first 
coil run!   Steve, care to share with the group your weekend experience 
with your too-excitable neighbors and the not-so-impressed Weatherford fire 
marshal?  He wasn't alone, as I recall.  The swat team?  Well, maybe 
not.  But please, fill us in with the juicy details - I'm sure many of us 
would like to hear the long version!

Bert