Re: My Primary Coil disaster

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

Original poster: "Brian by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <ka1bbg-at-webryders-dot-net>

Hi, well all is not lost, if the tube is all kinked you still could flatten
it and then try again. it will allow more turns closer and many coils have
been made with copper strap instead of pipe. to soften copper you can make a
fire and get it red in color then dunk it into water will make it butter
soft. if you dont know how to do that see if there is a weld shop nearby
they might do it for you. My best primary uses 1/8 by 1/4 wire strap from a
welding transformer. if you flaten the pipe out it should end up something
like 1/8 by 1/2 inch. still nice primary stock. cul brian f.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
To: <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Sent: Saturday, November 24, 2001 1:54 PM
Subject: My Primary Coil disaster


> Original poster: "Patrick Bloofon by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <transactoid-at-home-dot-com>
>
> Okay, this whole tesla coil thing has not been going my way. First, the
wire
> breaks while winding the secondary (perhaps you've seen my post...). Now,
my
> primary coil is all but an expensive hunk of copper.
>
> I cut out and drilled 5 really nice offsets. I mounted them onto a
surface, and
> began feeding 1/4" copper tube through it, starting from the outside.
After
> about 5 loops, the tubing was so bent, twisted, and demented out of shape
I
> couldn't go any further.  Loops were overlapping and the tube was flexed
in
> multiple planes (ie, bent side to side as well as up and down...). I'll
try to
> get some pictures up so you can see this mess.
>
> What I'd like to know is:
>
> -Are there any good ways to re-bend or straigten the copper tubing when it
is
> in such a state? (ie, is this thing salvagable)
>
> -Seeing as my method of winding failed miserably, I'm guessing it's not
how
> others do it. What is the "proper" way to wind it?
>
> PS. This copper tube is extremely expensive where I live. The cheapest I
found
> was $30 for 50 feet.  Home Depot doesn't even carry it around here.
>
> Thanks,
> "A very frustrated coiler",
> Patrick
>
>
>
>
>