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Poor Form? (fwd)
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From: Thomas McGahee [SMTP:tom_mcgahee-at-sigmais-dot-com]
Sent: Sunday, February 15, 1998 2:43 PM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Poor Form? (fwd)
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 14 Feb 1998 16:16:07 -0600
> From: Chuck Curran <ccurran-at-execpc-dot-com>
> To: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> Subject: Re: Poor Form? (fwd)
>
>
> Richard, All:
>
> Just as a tip for anyone looking for a source for a polyethylene storage
> drum. I was able to obtain 7 drums made of high density polyethylene from
> by brother in-law, who manages a prison laundry (He is not a prisoner!).
> These containers held a liquid detergent and are perfect cylinders 22.75" in
> diameter by about 33" tall. These are 55 gallon drums and 32 gallon were
> also apparently available, but I didn't get any measurements from these. I
> would guess as many of us scrounge at neon sign shops for transformers, a
> stop at a hospital (or prison) laundry may also provide for some great
> materials.
>
> These HDPE drums can not be glued in any manner that I am aware of. The top
> and bottom lids are inertia welded into place and I found that they can be
> "WELDED" together by using a 200 watt soldering iron. After carefully
> aligning the drums, I simply dropped the big soldering iron through the drum
> bung hole, mounted on a long stick and melted the bottom of one to the top
> of the other, using 16-18 joints. I then wacked the heck out of the
> assembly and nothing even came close to failing. The assembly basically
> ends up with internal stiffening from the drum lids. The lids do have to be
> trimmed and the joint filled in. I trimmed mine with no trouble, but I
> won't be doing the "body work" until it warms up around here. The wall
> thickness is about 5/16" on these units, in case anyone is wondering about
> that point. I'll be posting more on this attempt later this spring. The
> moral here is not to go to prison or the Hospital for Tesla materials, but
> some handy materials are available out there if you keep looking for them.
> That old saying about not what they are, but what they can be----
>
> Chuck
Chuck,
An excellent example of Dumpster Diving! Thanks for passing along the tip.
You can also find such polyethelene containers at many kinds of factories.
Here on my street it looks like every other resident is using one as a big
garbage can. They are everywhere. You just have to keep your eyes open.
For smaller coils there are a number of commercial garbage cans that work
quite nicely. Some of these have perfectly parallel sides. Know how I found
my local source for polyethelene drums? I noticed a neighbor had one as
a trash can, and I asked him where he got it. He got it from work. A bit
more conversation and he said he'd get me one, too. And he did. I also
found out where he works. Every so often I go by there to see if they have
thrown any more out.
I have noticed some great looking coil forms disguised as large plastic
flower pots at the local garden supply. That is also where I pick up
round brass hanging plant containers that I use for discharge electrodes
for my Van de Graaff generators (Not collectors, but grounded discharge
electrodes... for making those loud white snappy sparks)
Hope this helps.
Fr. Tom McGahee