Re: Coil costs $0.00? and $,$$$,$$$+++?

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

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Mddeming-at-aol-dot-com>

Hi All,
These posts do point out that the most elaborate, high-quality coils are always
built with OPM. (Other People's Money), whether schools, foundations, museums,
or clients. It might be interesting to know the most and least expensive
self-financed coils.
         The actual costs can really never be known unless every nut, bolt,
screw, piece of wood, plastic, tubing, wire, dab of glue etc., etc. is
accounted for. For example, if I use 10 brass screws out of a box I bought 20
years ago for another project, do I prorate them at the current cost for a box
of 100 brass screws or at the price I paid, or do I call them "free"? Do I
include the O-scope and meters I bought, or just a fraction of each one?
         A number of years ago, North American-Rockwell was able to really cut
costs on their B-1 bomber bids by "borrowing"  R&D men and material from their
space program contracts (~$1000 M). I believe that someone did go to jail for
that one, but it shows the accounting difficulties.
Matt D.