WTB: Oudin Coil

[pschlosser]

I've spent a good part of my day, today, scouring the internet for an Oudin Coil. Very similar to a Tesla Coil, only it's more of a hand-held unit emitting high voltage at the tip.

I found this one:

Oudin Coil with safety switch $199

But the $200 price tag is a little hard to swallow.

I've heard and read about these enough times for testing gas lasers, that I'm ready to seek one out and add to my tool box.

Does anyone have one they want to sell?
Or can anyone point me to a lower cost solution?

Would one of those 9v battery driven stun guns do the trick?

 

[Fiddy]

they used them for insulation testing at one stage didnt they?

found this one for $110 on ebay: Electro Technic Products Hand Held Tesla Coil Electrical Apparatus | eBay

 

[Meatball]

I think Daguin might have some experience with them.. :thinking:

He might even let you borrow one for replication if you ask nicely.

(I'm putting words in your mouth Dave)

 

[daguin]

I think Daguin might have some experience with them.. :thinking:

He might even let you borrow one for replication if you ask nicely.

(I'm putting words in your mouth Dave)

The one that the OP linked to in his first post is the one that I own and use.

The difference between the one linked in the OP and the one that Fiddy linked to (in eBay) is the "safety switch" in the OP.
That "safety switch" is actually a momentary switch to power the coil
The one Fiddy linked to is "plug and burn"
I like the control that a momentary switch gives me when working with 50,000 volts :undecided:

If one is going to work with old gas lasers, having one of these is essential.

As you might imagine, I am reluctant to mail off a $200 item to someone I don't know

Peace,
dave

 

[pschlosser]

Thanks, to both Fiddy and Daguin. I likewise located that coil on eBay once I began searching for "hand held tesla coil" It's helpful to know by what other names these go by. I've also seen "Vacuum Tester."

@Daguin, And I wouldn't want the responsibility of a $200 item, either. Your advice and input is already a great deal of value.

 

[T_Warne]

In some circles ( :spank: ) it is known as a violet wand or violet ray. Lots and lots of fun! :eg:

 

[jArdi]

Are you good with building circuits? Because to tell you the truth i would just make one (rather than spending 200). There are tons of ways/schematics to get a 50kv in a handheld. I've done it for a friend before and put it in a pvc pipe. One of them was a full wave voltage multiplier (30kv, DC) and another two i did was with a small flyback transformer (hand wound, you could fit it in your fist.) One was with a 555 timer (25kv, AC), and another was with an atTiny85 (adjustable, up to around 55kv max)

 

[HitShane]

https://www.google.com/search?q=vio...quantumbalancing.com%2Fviolet-ray.htm;400;312

 

[jcranmer]

In some circles ( :spank: ) it is known as a violet wand or violet ray. Lots and lots of fun! :eg:

Yes they are. I actually have one of the old units still in good working order. I once had the option to buy a second one for $10.00 at a flea market and turned it down. I'm still kicking myself over that decision.

I might be willing to loan it out, but it would have to be someone I trusted a great deal. That number of people, I could count on one hand.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

I've spent a good part of my day, today, scouring the internet for an Oudin Coil. Very similar to a Tesla Coil, only it's more of a hand-held unit emitting high voltage at the tip.

I found this one:

Oudin Coil with safety switch $199

But the $200 price tag is a little hard to swallow.

I've heard and read about these enough times for testing gas lasers, that I'm ready to seek one out and add to my tool box.

Does anyone have one they want to sell?
Or can anyone point me to a lower cost solution?

Would one of those 9v battery driven stun guns do the trick?

Nope.... The price for the Neon leak tester is pretty standard. $200 sounds about right. However, you could find it cheaper but you'd be taking a risk of it not being working.
The only company I know making them still is Electro-Technic products.
They are $195.00USD new.
Electro-Technic Products Inc. Leak and Pinhole Detection
Actually there are several kinky California based companies selling them as a "violet wand" BDSM sex toy.


Alternatively you could make one using a 12V Car ignition transformer and 24/30VDC and a 24V relay...
Pretty easy to do. Would basically do the same thing. The idea is that the
relay acts as the interrupter switch and pulses the ignition coil at high frequency. This use of a relay gap was when Transistor technology was virtually non-resistant.
115V models use a 2000V capacitor across the interrupter.
Here is a link on what these things look like on the inside.
The Turn Of The Century Electrotherapy Museum Tesla Library

 

[Cromagnum]

I always thought these were just called Tesla Coils. When I was teaching 1st year chemistry lab, my students always thought I was calling it a Testicle. Geez.

 

[Seoul_lasers]

I always thought these were just called Tesla Coils. When I was teaching 1st year chemistry lab, my students always thought I was calling it a Testicle. Geez.

Technically not a tesla coil, as they are not air core resonant. These are
closer to a HF ignition coil.
These were intended to be used in around neon sign shops to spot leaks in tube work.

 

[jeffreythe00]

I'm actually after one of these myself. Been looking for a few weeks and lost a few auctions trying to get one. If you find a cheap source let me know as me and mariomaster need one for an old HGM argon that won't fire up

 

[jcranmer]

I'm actually after one of these myself. Been looking for a few weeks and lost a few auctions trying to get one. If you find a cheap source let me know as me and mariomaster need one for an old HGM argon that won't fire up

A quick hint: These are sold online as "Adult Toys" for folks that like a little pain. Try Violet Wand or Master Violet as helpful search terms. I just read someones blog that said the new one he got didn't "feel" as good as the vintage one he owned and that he believed it was operating at a lower frequency so with the new ones YMMV.

Here is one for 99.00, all you would need is the metal electrode spike which I assume someone here could machine or you might find the correct size metal rod at the hardware store.

NovA Solid State Violet Wand

And the metal spike electrode:
http://www.violetwands.com/main-vir...odes/other-electrodes/hot-shot-electrode.html

 

[Seoul_lasers]

A quick hint: These are sold online as "Adult Toys" for folks that like a little pain. Try Violet Wand or Master Violet as helpful search terms. I just read someones blog that said the new one he got didn't "feel" as good as the vintage one he owned and that he believed it was operating at a lower frequency so with the new ones YMMV.

Here is one for 99.00, all you would need is the metal electrode spike which I assume someone here could machine or you might find the correct size metal rod at the hardware store.

NovA Solid State Violet Wand

And the metal spike electrode:
Hot Shot Electrode

There are 2 coils featured on that site. One is $99.00 and is completely solid state. The other is $239.00 and is an oudin Coil that is the same one used as a neon tester. Both will work, the Oudin coil technically maxes out at 65Kv.

 

[cheech226]

Here is a link on what these things look like on the inside.
The Turn Of The Century Electrotherapy Museum Tesla Library

wow, when i was a child i had a babysitter who owned a hairdresser shop. she had one of these and used it for some type of hair treatment. i remember being facinated by the violet spark inside the glass. this was in like 1962