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FrozenGate by Avery

Tesla Coil Build Thread

Down with Umbrella said:
It comes in a small 1/2pint can. You shouldn't need much because the secondary. Heck, that 1/2pint can is only half empty after ten coats on mine.
I rested my coil horizontally on a broom stick handle that was secured in the vice and manually rolled it as I applied the polyurethane with a 2in foam brush. It does start out runny but continuous rolling and brushing prevents the runs. After about 5 mins it starts to solidify and won't run.
With the use of a space heater, I was applying coats every 5-6 hours. Usually one before work than one after. The directions say to stir; do not shake.
Click to expand...
Can that polyurethane be bought at home depot?
 





I bought that particular can at Ace hardware but I'm sure lowes or Home Depot has the same thing. Fast drying polyurethane might come in other brands also.
 
Down with Umbrella said:
It comes in a small 1/2pint can. You shouldn't need much because the secondary. Heck, that 1/2pint can is only half empty after ten coats on mine.
I rested my coil horizontally on a broom stick handle that was secured in the vice and manually rolled it as I applied the polyurethane with a 2in foam brush. It does start out runny but continuous rolling and brushing prevents the runs. After about 5 mins it starts to solidify and won't run.
With the use of a space heater, I was applying coats every 5-6 hours. Usually one before work than one after. The directions say to stir; do not shake.
Click to expand...

Thanks again for the info. Depending on when I get mine I may try to do a morning and evening coat as well. They recommend three coats IIRC but I'll probably do five to be safe. The latest update is the manuals were supposed sent off for printing today so who knows when people who ordered a bound manual will actually see their kit shipped. I'm still hoping it'll be here within a month or so. No idea when they're going to start shipping the SD interrupters.
 
No problem, this thread has been a great help to me.
What gauge wire for the secondary do they use? Hopfully they ship it with the ends taped up properly. It would be a shame to open a package of a coiled mess.
 
I'm not sure what gauge they use but from the pics in the manual it's pretty fine stuff. I'm guessing when the secondary was wound there must have been some adhesive on the tube because it says if the wire breaks when making the connection to the toroid to use a sharp razor to separate the top winding from the rest.

For anyone curious the manuals and schematics for all of OneTesla's coils can be found here:

oneTesla - Tesla Coil Kits and More
 
I snagged some good shots from today's run and I'm really tempted to double post this in the "exercise your Argon thread" but I'm not Hehe :tsk:
When I get brave I might run them both at the same time but it will require some special planning. There is going to be a lot of current draw on the two circuits which means I'll be running extension cords across the basement which present their own hazards from the RF. Some of the cords will need to be run in proximity to the coil. Hm



So...it's hard to see in the photo but something I queried sigurthr about was what would happen if you ran a TC with a fog machine? He said he wasn't sure, never had. (It's hard to see the fog in the photo but it was pretty hazy)
My thoughts (and maybe his) was the particulates suspended in the air might aid in ionizing channels to produce longer streamers. Personally I didn't notice a difference. By that same token, The effect might also impact the spark gap performance as well. Some of these things might be hard to measure. I'll work on it. Hmm

Note in this photo the streamer appears to strike the MMC but I'm not sure if this is an optical illusions or an actual strike. Everything seems to be running as usual.
 
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The streamer didn't impact the mmc as it would be white hot if it did, just an illusion. Be careful though! You're getting good length.

RF bypassing, RF-on-mains potential balancing, mains current balancing, and impeccable grounding must be seen to before running both concurrently.
 
That's more like it :) :evil: Nice arc length btw!

Do be careful where those arcs are heading to.
 
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I suspected it was an optical illusions. Ha those wispy fingers.

Here's a question. I have a few metal objects I'd like the streamers to strike. Example an old steel typewriter, a metal sculpture etc. however these things are more apt to be struck if they are grounded. Were I am indoors could I run a jumper from the RF ground that's connected to the strike rail or do these objects need their own ground?

S_L, are you working on any coils or are you looking for radioactive material in Canada ? Haha I saw that thread.
 
Awesome laser and awesome coil! I'm still hoping to get my Tiny Tesla kit by the end of the month but it's probably not going to happen. According to their latest update they're into round four of backers so it's getting closer. Guess I should start cleaning out my work area so I have a place to build it when it arrives.
 
Ah-oh, the treadmill in the house keeps kicking the breaker which doesn't usually happen.(there was no more current draw then usual)
That day I had been running the coil and I think my parents suspect the TC is to blame...I'm not convinced, nothing else in the house has ever been damaged and the outlets are on two different breakers.
I stand by my statement that it was used when they got it so it could have been faulty from the beginning.
Is there a test I could do? Plug my "risk" DMM into the outlet, run the coil and look for spikes? Hm
 
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Don't probe the outlet, there's no damage to the outlet if when there's nothing plugged in it doesn't pop the breaker.

IF the treadmill cord isn't directly wired to the treadmill motor (very old ones are with just a minimal switch in between) you can check the resistance between the hot and neutral prongs on the treadmill with it switched off (AND UNPLUGGED), it should show up as open or very high resistance. If it is short or low resistance than it is either connected directly to the motor (appears as a dc short) or there's a short somewhere. Not a whole lot you can do with a dmm here. Try plugging the treadmill on a different breaker circuit line and see what happens too.
 
Today I arrived home to work and found a package on my porch that I wasn't expecting. To my surprise and delight it was my Tiny Tesla kit which is perfect timing since I have a three day weekend coming up. After work tomorrow I'm going to swing by Lowe's and grab some of that quick drying poly. Wondering if I can get away with a spray poly since the secondary is super fine wire and all of 2.5" tall.
 
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