Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Tue Feb 06 2007, 06:35PM

Here is the cutting of the second electrode.

Re: New Rotary Gap build
J. Aaron Holmes, Tue Feb 06 2007, 07:36PM

Lookin' real fancy! In fact, you just made me think of something (besides the fact that I need to know somebody with a metal lathe ): My recent VTTC efforts have won me a bunch of those plate cap heatsinks. They look a lot like those nice fins you've..."lathed"...into your electrodes. The lathe-disinclined among us (like me), might consider those as an alternative for electrode heatsinks. They'll just pop right onto any old metal shaft and look real slick.

Regards,
Aaron, N7OE

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Tue Feb 06 2007, 08:31PM

Hi Aaron,
Thanks for the kind words Yes a slide on heatsink would work really well and that was my first intention. I then got carried away with the turning
Next up is the upright posts which I am thinking of some nice flutes machined down the side. Totally unnecessary but fun all the same.
I will post machining pics of that also.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Fri Feb 16 2007, 06:14PM

Well lazy with the pics and didn't go as complex as I planned but I think they look nice all the same.
The insulator is machined from PTFE. Will get the other finished this week and then ready for the disk rotor machining.
Hope to have the whole coil finished for the UK Thon in May.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Fri Feb 23 2007, 06:52PM

Hi All,
Here is the same post and insulator but finished with the connection stud with milled flat also. Will be making the other shortly.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Myke, Fri Feb 23 2007, 07:41PM

Very nice and fancy.

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Sun Feb 25 2007, 07:58PM

thanks myke. hope to have whole gap finished within 2 weeks

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Tue Feb 27 2007, 08:50PM

OK Here are the 2 stationary posts done. rotary disk next.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Steve Conner, Wed Feb 28 2007, 12:33AM

Looks neat Colin BTW, what kind of motor is that? It looks kind of like an induction motor, but you said it was going to be variable speed?

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Wed Feb 28 2007, 07:54PM

Hi Steve,
Yes it is a single phase induction motor. I will get some speed control with a dimmer circuit. Not true speed control i know but hey
speed control of this gap will not be critical but the other gap will need to be truly variable but much, much slower.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Tue Mar 06 2007, 08:03PM

Hi All,
Ok the Rotor is finished now just all needs a polish up to remove machine marks etc.
Here are some pics

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Download, Tue Mar 06 2007, 09:32PM

is that tufnol?

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Myke, Wed Mar 07 2007, 02:37PM

very nice. I like it a lot.

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Wed Mar 07 2007, 05:38PM

Hi,
Yes that is Tufnol of the whale type I think. The conductive ring is made from Copper same as the the spun spheres I am about to make for the safety gap will be.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Sun Mar 11 2007, 07:30PM

Hi All,
well at long last I have finished the rotary gap All runs fine so on to the second gap now which I will post pics of.
another step closer towards the coil being finished for May Thon.
Cheers
Colin

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Myke, Sun Mar 11 2007, 09:00PM

Look nice! Good work!

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Download, Sun Mar 11 2007, 10:21PM

where did you get the tufnol disk?

Re: New Rotary Gap build
Dr. Drone, Sun Mar 11 2007, 10:57PM

Re: New Rotary Gap build
colin heath, Mon Mar 12 2007, 06:32PM

Hi Chris,
Yes a pig would break this gap in nice Download I machined the disk from sheet bought from RS components.
Cheers
Colin