Woo Hoo! I'm getting my comments on coiling put into conformity magazine!

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

Original poster: "Garry Freemyer by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <garry-at-ndfc-dot-com>



-----Original Message-----
From: Lorie Nichols [mailto:lbnichols-at-rcn-dot-com]
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 12:37 PM
To: garry-at-ndfc-dot-com
Subject: Re: Re Article on Build your own Tesla coil


Dear Garry,

I'd like to include your letter in the "Letters to the Editor" section of
our
May issue.  May I have your permission to do so?

Sincerely,
Lorie Nichols
Conformity

Garry Freemyer wrote:

> I sent this to Conformity magazine regarding their article. I hope this
will
> help reduce the chances of a desaster caused by commonly accepted
> misinformation.
>
> March 2001 vol 6 number 3.
>
> Article starting on page 10 called "Build Your Own Tesla Coil"
>
> I really appreciate the article in your magazine on Tesla Coiling. It is
> indeed a fascinating and valuable hobby. However, the article speaks of
> tesla coilers being able to take sparks to themselves and other
experiments
> that are supposed to be "safe" due to the so-called "skin effect" myth of
> high frequency current.
>
> The skin effect is a myth that does not hold true for human beings as
> conductors. It is entirely possible that the current IS going through deep
> tissue and even cause deep tissue burns because the frequency of TOO high
to
> be responded to by the nervous system. Just as you cannot hear a sound of
> too high a pitch, readers who foolishly take sparks to themselves could be
> incurring damage that they cannot feel. The article seems to indicate that
> tesla coils are a safe hobby as long as you are careful. This may be true,
> but it depends on the knowledge of the coiler. If the perspective coiler
> does not have the knowledge necessary to know "How" to be careful and
"How"
> to avoid dangers, such a person building a tesla coil would be tantamount
to
> someone taking to the road in a car without driving lessons.
>
> Another of the dangers of taking sparks to one's person is that sparks
could
> jump from you to a wire connected to 60 cycle 20 amp house current or may
> jump to any other wire carrying high amperage current which can kill.
>
> It would be a desaster to our hobby should someone be killed or severely
> injured as a result of misinformation or lack of knowledge. Much like a
> knife, and other common work shop tools and house hold appliances, Telsa
> coils are not a toy and proper knowledge is necessary for safest
operation.
> I myself have built a coil, and I have taken some pictures of the
wonderful
> displays these are capable of at http://home.pacbell-dot-net/garryfre/ I had
the
> pictures framed and put on the wall because I find that looking at the
> pictures are safer and as ejoyable as operating my coil.
>
> There is much correct information to be found on the internet by examining
> the information at www.pupman-dot-com that will give prospective coilers
enough
> information to make the right descision as to whether they are ready to
> begin building a coil.
>
> I urge you to put an ammendum to encourage readers to educate themselves
by
> use of the safey information that can be found at www.pupman-dot-com
>
> Regards
> Garry Freemyer