Someone built Big TC

[MRMILSTAR]

While perusing E-Bay today I found this for sale. This is the Big TC project from the July 1964 edition of Popular Electronics that someone built long ago. Its based on outdated ideas prevalent at the time such as a candlestick secondary, tightly coupled coils, glass plate capacitors, and no top load. It is built straight from the plans though. When I attempted this back in the late 1960s, I built everything but the secondary. I never finished it because I couldn't afford the acrylic tube needed for the secondary coil. Oddly enough, this one has the identical NST transformer that I used and still have which I use for a Jacob's ladder. A true classic!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Tesla-Coil/254367716909?hash=item3b397f562d:g:Va8AAOSwuP9diA5N

[thedoc298]

Thanks for the post, I have wanted to build a coil for the last 40 years, but I had a wife. Now I am having the pleasure of finaly building one and almost to completion thanks to you two fellows.

[MRMILSTAR]

My wife is very understanding of my hobbies. I built all of my TCs with her blessing. 

[thedoc298]

My wife is very understanding of my hobbies. I built all of my TCs with her blessing. 

She did not care, just did not want me to kill the kids.

[304er]

Hi Steve,

I had forgotten about this older post. When you replied to my glass cap...I got wondering...and found it.

Do you still possibly have this started/unfinished project? Would love just to see a couple of pictures if you do and of the old glass cap.

I know your Lil' TC still exists from back then...

Chris

[Mads Barnkob]

My wife is very understanding of my hobbies. I built all of my TCs with her blessing. 

She did not care, just did not want me to kill the kids.

With safety first approach, that is not going to happen. Never leave anything powered on or with charge on. Then its just a matter of keeping them away when it is powered, but well, im away from it at the same point But this is also why most work is done when they sleep!

[304er]

Steve:
"My wife is very understanding of my hobbies. I built all of my TCs with her blessing.  "

thedoc298:

"She did not care, just did not want me to kill the kids. "

Mads:

"But this is also why most work is done when they sleep!"


Good "move" Mads...best for concentration of course...but then what they don't know... 

Mads, you also made me smile big today and laugh a bit on these quotes...   



For me: I am currently alone here...I just bother myself...since I can not get used to me!   

Chris

[MRMILSTAR]

Unfortunately I no longer have the Big TC remains. I had completed everything except for the secondary coil in the late 1960s. It then sat for a while. When I returned from college it was gone. My mother threw it all away except for the NST! Fortunately I had removed the NST and located it somewhere else. I still have that NST.