Re: Coil for rent?

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Coil for rent?
From: Doug Brunner <dabrunner-at-earthlink-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <terryf-at-verinet-dot-com>)
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 21:10:00 -0600
Approved: terryf-at-verinet-dot-com

A good coil, built from scratch, would be about $200. I estimate about 7-foot
streamers, but the construction process is fairly involved (you would have to
wind a power transformer). You might be able to put a small one together
with a
used NST for around $100, with sparks around 2 feet. However, I would
definitely not recommend a Tesla coil for use at a party. There's a massive
stupidity factor, as I call it, when you have people around who do not know
about the dangers of a coil. If you are going to build or use one, I would
definitely encase the primary in aluminum (be sure that it won't touch the
primary itself) to eliminate the danger of a streamer hitting the primary and
giving someone a fatal shock. I don't want to intrude on the creative process,
but I would recommend a Jacob's ladder instead of a Tesla coil. It would have
to be inside a Plexiglas case, of course. It looks more like something that
would be in a mad scientist's laboratory (they were part of the Frankenstein
set), and is safer and cheaper than a coil. Just run two metal rods from the
secondary of a NST, starting at about 1" apart and going to 3" apart.

Good luck!

Tesla List wrote:

> Original Poster: "Delano J Lopez" <DELANOL-at-prodigy-dot-net>
>
> Hello.  My name is Delano Lopez and I work for a company called Gala
> Events.  We put on parties and events and such. I am putting together a
> proposal for a "Mad Scientist's Laboratory" Halloween party.  Is there any
> one on the list who owns a Tesla coil and lives in the greater Washington
> DC area and would be willing to rent out their coil?  If so, please send me
> what you would charge for the rental. also include what you would be paid
> for your time either to attend the party or to show us how to work the
> coil.  alternately, can anyone provide me with a rough estimate as to how
> much the raw materials for building a tesla coil would cost? Finally, does
> anyone sell premade coils?  Many thanks.
>
> "Delano J Lopez" <DELANOL-at-prodigy-dot-net

--
           --Doug Brunner
                <dabrunner-at-earthlink-dot-net>