Help with first coil

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Original poster: "Kevin Wampler by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <wamplerk-at-u.arizona.edu>

I have completed the construction of my first coil and have ran into a
problem.  As far as I can tell, everything is working, but I can't seem
to get a spark length to a grounded object of any more than about 10". 
When tuning the coil, there is a range of about 2-3 turns on the primary
where the spark length is at a maximum, but within that range I don't
see much of a difference.  The toroid also has little or no effect on
the spark length.  Does anybody have any ideas for what could be wrong,
or at least have some suggestions for things I could try that might get
it working?

Here is the info on my coil:
NST:		10kV at 30mA

Spark gap:	Air blast gap set at about 1/2"

Caps:		2 2.8uF 30kV caps wired in parallel, I bought them online.

Primary:	30 degree saucer shape of 1/4" copper tubing spaced 3/8" apart.

RF ground:	3 metal stakes hammered ~2' into the ground, the top part of
each where I attach the grounding cable has been sanded clean, but the
part in the ground has a fairly heavy coat of paint left. The soil here
is also very dry, though I did try wetting it, which didn't seem to
help.

Secondary:	6.5" outside diameter white PVC pipe, with 1/4" thick walls. 
It was sanded clean and dried for several days in a low temperature
oven, then varnished with polyurethane and capped with plexiglass.  It
is 27 1/2" long, the middle 24" of which is wound with 22 AWG enamel
coated magnet wire.

Toroid:		4" minor diameter, ~12" major diameter, made from corrugated
aluminum duct.  A metal rod about 4" in length has been attached as a
point to arc off of.

	~Kevin Wampler~