Funky NST, but it'll work good!

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

Original poster: "Sundog by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <sundog-at-timeship-dot-net>

    Hi All!
 
 Well, I got my little 9/30 NST depotted.  I used the hotplate method, took a
few hours.  I peeled off as many big hunks as I could with a screwdriver and
let it set awhile.  After pouring out a goodly amount of tar, I let it set some
more and then poured out most of the rest of the tar.  While it was still
boiling hot, I removed the HV leads from the insulators (pulled them out with
needlenosed pliers), along with the LV terminals and the ground lug.  It is
still a gooey mess, but it's intact (checked it with a DMM).  I got a good look
at the core, and it's not good.  
 
  The core is 3 pieces, 2 funky E's on the top and bottom, a chunk of I's in
the middle.  At first I thought I was outta luck.  I'd have to grind the welds
off, and grind off shunts from the core.  Then I though about my pig ballast. 
It's current is set by separating the I's from the E's with cardstock and
clamping it back together.  More cardstock=more gap=more current.  With the NST
I can separate 1 "E" from the  transformer, and put some cardstock in there,
then re-clamp it.  Volia!!  Instant "easy-adjust" NST :))  
 
  It's still all messy, but I have no intention of soaking it in gas.  I'll
clean it up with a heat gun and screwdriver.  Carefully.   It's the tranny I'll
use on the SRSG I made (mentioned in another post).  
 
  My best spark length is 35" streamers and a 37" ground strike from a 9/60.  I
think I'm going to try to beat that record with this tranny at that power
level.    It'll be a task, as I did this originally on a 2x13" secondary.  The
coil was at the hairy limit of overcoupling.  Any takers on beating me? ;)  A
"War of the Little Coils" if you will.  
 
        Anywho, it's late, and I got work tomorrow!  I'll let everybody know
how the NST works out.  
                                                                           
        Shad