> Updated 11-28-94 I have (with the assistance of others) put together a list of a references for those who are interested in Tesla and his work. > Tesla Book Company, PO BOX 121873, CHULA VISTA, CA. 91912 This catalog has pretty much everything: Oscillator handbooks, Tesla Coil handbooks, Tesla Coil design manuals, coil plans, Tesla's Complete Patents, Tesla's Lectures, Colorado Springs Notes, Vacuum Tube Tesla Coils, and many other titles. The catalog has a 1-800-398-2056 information line. I steer clear of the time travel, free energy, scalar wave, etc. crackpot stuff... > Twenty First Century Books, Box 2001, Breckenridge, CO. 80424. Twenty First Century Books has a very complete Tesla book catalog, again I steer clear of free energy, zero point, etc.. Tel: 303-453-9293 > Lindsay Publications, Inc., P.O. Box 12, Bradley, IL. 60915 > Voice - 815-935-5353 ; Fax - 815-935-5477 Lindsay also offers a good selection of Tesla literature, classic electronics publications, reprints, and T-Coil Design software. I avoid the scalar-wave, free-energy, time-travel, etc., stuff. > High Voltage Press, 4326 S.E. Woodstock, #489, Portland, OR., > 97206, USA Carried coil plans, manuals, classic reprints, etc.. > INTERNATIONAL TESLA SOCIETY, INC, (ITS) P.O. Box 5636, Colorado > Springs, Colorado, 80931, USA They have a book shop that does mail order, again I steer clear of the crackpot free-energy-time-travel-scalar stuff. > The TESLA COIL BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, (TCBA) Harry Goldman, 3 > AMY LANE, QUEENSBURY, NEW YORK, 12804, USA. Publishes a quarterly newsletter NEWS, with parts mart, Q&A, reader project, historical project, topical reprints (such as the two Popular Science projects recently mentioned here), etc.. Back issues and index are available, tell Harry I sent you. > Information Unlimited, P.O. Box 716, Amherst, NH., 03031, USA Coils, rail guns, lasers, tasers, stun guns... you name it. Completed units, kits, parts, or just plans. > High Energy Enterprises, P.O. Box 5636, Security, CO. 80931 This firm had several publications and literature on high voltage devices. > The U.S. Patent Office, Washington, DC. Copies of Tesla's patents are available for $1.50 each. You must specify patent numbers. > Tesla Information, 18321 Edgewood Ave., Villa Park, CA. 92667 They carried Tesla coil design instructions, manuals, and supplimentary papers and manuscripts. > Vangard Sciences, P.O. BOX 1031, Mesquite, TX, 75150 BBS: 214-324-3501; Has Tesla software, Tesla papers and Tesla info; public domain information accepted and available. > Barnes & Nobel Booksellers, 126 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10011 Tel: 1-800-242-6657. I list them because they have been increasing their number of Tesla titles. In addition to a couple of books reviewed below, they also have a video tape: > NIKOLA TESLA: THE GENIUS WHO LIT THE WORLD that takes the viewer inside the Tesla museum in Belgrad, Yugo- slavia where some of Tesla's handmade exhibition equipment was still operational, and his original demonstrations are reproduced. > Tesla Memorial Society, 453 Martin Rd. Lackawanna, NY, 14218 Produced the video mentioned above. > Tesla, Inc., 820 Bridger Circle, Craig, CO 81625 Technical articles and Tesla coil software. > chip@grendel.objinc.com Internet mailing list for Tesla files (public domain), or, write to: Chip Atkinson, 7675 Matai Court, Niwot, CO. 80503 Tel: 303-652-3616 ... Books to look out for: > THE COLORADO SPRINGS NOTES, 1899-1900 By Nikola Tesla... Hardcover, 440pp, Published by NOLIT, Beograd, Yugoslavia, 1978. At the time of his death, Tesla was actually a Yugoslavian dependant. Recognized as a national hero, the govern- ment of Yugoslavia had set up a small trust fund to insure Tesla had rent and food. At his death in 1943, his personal effects were examined, plundered a bit, then forwarded to his next of kin, Yugoslavia, who built a museum in Belgrad (spel Belgrade & Beograd) to house them. In the mid 1970s the Tesla Museum organized Tesla's notes from the 1899-1900 experiments at Colorado Springs, CO., and sent them to the museum publisher NOLIT. This edition ran in 1978. Prefaced and annotated by Aleksandar Marincic, Assoc. Prof. of EE Beograd Univ. and advisor to the Nikola Tesla Museum, Yugoslavia; it accurately transcribes Tesla's original english manuscript. It includes schematics, and many B&W photos. > NICKOLA TESLA ON HIS WORK WITH ALTERNATING CURRENTS > AND THEIR APPLICATION TO WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY, TELEPHONY, > AND TRANSMISSION OF POWER This is a fine product of a modern legal research, edited by Leland I. Anderson, published in 1992 by Sun Publishing, Div. of Boyle & Anderson, Denver, CO., 80219. Library of Congress Catalog #92-60482, ISBN 0-9632652-0-2; this book is the transcript of Tesla's pre-hearing interview conducted by his legal counsel in 1916. The interview was precipitated by a number of pending court cases in the fledgling radio industry. One of the attorneys conducting the interview held an EE degree. Photos, patent covers, schematics, mechanical drawings, etc. were submitted by Tesla as the stenographer recorded his answers and explanations. None of this material was intended for print, and there is no question as to accuracy or authenticity. His testimony and depositions led to a US Supreme Court decision in his favor 1943. Highly recommended. > THE INVENTIONS RESEARCHES & WRITINGS OF NIKOLA TESLA Nikola Tesla, 1893 (edited and prefaced by Thomas Commerford Martin), ISBN 0-88029-812-X, published by Barnes & Nobel (1992 second edition). 512pp, hardcover, (Item #1774447, $9.98 US) Transcripts of Tesla's famous lectures and articles up to December 1893, with many sketches, schematics, and wiring diagrams of Tesla polyphase systems, bulbs, RF systems etc.. > THE COMPLETE PATENTS OF NIKOLA TESLA Nikola Tesla, edited by Jim Glenn; 1994, ISBN 1-56619-266-8, Barnes & Nobel, paperback, 535 pp, $14.98 (plus a couple of bucks shipping and handling in the U.S.), Barnes & Nobel item # 1903210 The title says "THE COMPLETE PATENTS", but Tesla, fluent in more than five languages, had dozens of additional patents approved in countries outside the U.S.; however, all one hundred and twelve U.S. patents are reproduced in their entirety. > JOHN STONE STONE ON NIKOLA TESLA'S PRIORITY IN RADIO AND > CONTINUOUS-WAVE RADIOFREQUENCY APPARATUS edited by Leland I. Anderson, published as "THE A.W.A. REVIEW" Volume I, 1986 by the Antique Wireless Association, Inc., Holcomb, New York, 14469. I received this 41 page paperback booklet courtesy of Leland I. Anderson and was very impressed with Stone's views and interpretations of Tesla's work. John Stone Stone was witness to Tesla's famous trio of lectures in New York in 1891. Stone went on to a career in wireless, making an association with Lee de Forest (inventor of the audion, the first triode tube amplifier), then going on to become a leader of the Institute of Radio Engineers: president in 1914-1915, Medal of Honor 1923. Stone devoted his entire life to developing radio. Needless to say, his life was greatly influenced by Tesla; he clearly and concisely traces the radio industry back to Tesla's 1891 lectures and Tesla's patents that followed. Excellent! > GUIDE TO COLORADO SPRINGS NOTES Richard Hull, 1994, published by Twenty First Century Books, or available from the author: Richard Hull, 7103 Hermatiage Road, Richmond VA, 23228. Cost is $22.50 (which includes shipping and handling in the U.S.), and well worth the price. Richard Hull is head of an informal group: Tesla Coil Builders Of Richmond (T.C.B.O.R.), which is currently the world leader in Tesla Magnifier development. Mr. Hull also offers a video tape series which includes a video presentation on the construction of homemade pulse discharging high-voltage capacitors (Video #3). > VACUUM TUBE TESLA COILS James F. Corum, Ph.D. and Kenneth L. Corum, 1987, published by Corum & Assoc, Inc., 8551 State Route 534, Windsor, Ohio, 44099, USA. ISBN 0-924758-00-7. Tesla Math, tube coil circuits, theory. > TESLA, MAN OUT OF TIME Margaret Cheney, 1981, published by Dorset Press, ISBN 0-88029- 419-1; available from Barnes & Nobel, 320pp, hardcover, (Barnes & Nobel item #1611151, $7.98 US). Well balanced and researched biography of Tesla; accurate, informative, and good reading. > ELECTRICITY AT HIGH PRESSURES AND FREQUENCIES Henry L. Transtrom, orginally published: 1913, second edition 1921, Joseph G. Branch Publishing, Chicago; Reprinted 1990, ISBN 1-55918-054-4, Lindsay Publications, Bradley, Illinois, 60915. Paperback, 247pp, Lindsay # 20544, $ 11.95. Excellent technical book; useful in designing coil control systems, coils, (calc.) inductance, field strengths, capacitance, etc.. Classic trans- former reference text, but the Tesla coil/capacitor designs are primitive by today's standards. > HIGH FREQUENCY APPARATUS Thomas Stanley Curtis, 1916, Everday Mechanics Co., Inc., New York; Reprinted 1988, paper ISBN 1-55918-003-X, cloth ISBN 55918- 004-8, Lindsay Publications Inc., Bradley IL. 60915. Paperback, 246pp, Lindsay order number 20030, $ 11.95 : Classic coil text, much of which was reprinted in 1985 by R.A. Ford in his book "Tesla Coil Secrets". "Classic" means before the age of plastics, and these historical coils and coil components frequently lack efficiency, reliablity, and safety. > TESLA COIL SECRETS: Construction Notes and Novel Uses R.A. Ford, 1985, Lindsay Publications, Inc., Bradley IL 60915 ISBN 0-917914-31-7, paperback, 74pp. Ford researches and repro- duces several classic Tesla coil and component designs from publications of yesteryear; but he updated nothing... **************Imported*text************************************* MB> I hope the following information on Tesla books will be of MB> interest to some of you. - Mark Brown MB> I recently purchased the following books from Lindsay MB> Publications, Bradley IL 60915: Their Technical Books MB> catalog has many Tesla Coil books in it. Their service was MB> EXCELLENT!! I have tagged each book with a brief "review." MB> The opinions are my own. Lindsay order numbers are given (#). > DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF INDUCTION COILS # 20404, $ 12.95; Step-by-step guide to building your own induction coil. Reprint from early 20th century magazine project. Fascinating, but many turned brass parts, etc.. > EXPERIMENTS WITH ALTERNATE CURRENTS OF HIGH POTENTIAL # 4392, $ 9.95; (no review given by Mark, but it is an EXCELLENT experiment book) > HOW TO BUILD A 40,000 VOLT INDUCTION COIL # 844, $ 4.95; A solid state design that uses a surplus auto ignition coil and a power transistor. Almost all Radio Shack parts. Small booklet. Some info on Kirlian photography, ozone production, etc. Interesting (and easy - no coil winding) project, but not a Tesla coil. > HIGH POWER WIRELESS EQUIPMENT # 4953, $ 9.95; Step-by-step process from old radio magazine on building an spark-gap transmitter. Nice historical information, fascinating processes and diagrams. > TESLA'S LOST INVENTIONS # 748, $ 5.95; Booklet (by George Trinkaus). Short descriptions of several of Tesla's most interesting inventions, including turbines, etc. Good, but too short! ***************End*of*imported*text****************************** > TESLA COIL DESIGN MANUAL > TESLA HANDBOOK > TESLA COIL CONSTRUCTION GUIDE (Separate Titles) J.H. Couture, 1992, 1988, & 1994 JHC Engineering Co., 10823 New Salem Point, San Diego, CA., 92126 USA. No ISBN or Lib. of Congress catalog #, but available from one or two of the bookdealers listed previously. The first two titles are John Couture's input towards a more modern Tesla Coil design theory based on empirical data. The basic math for 1/4 wave coil winding, tank circuit design, performance, etc., is well laid out here, but when it comes to using his charts for actual design parameters, it falls short. Many of my best coils would never have been built if I had gone by his data. His JHCTES Tesla Coil design program also kicks out my coil designs, saying they exceed the construction voltage breakdown limits! The program is based on the same data. Also he does not adequately address proper grounding of these systems. I have not yet reviewed his most recent title, TESLA COIL CONSTRUCTION GUIDE. > TESLA COILS! 100 Years of Electrical Magic Brent C. Turner, 1991, no ISBN or publisher. Briefly covers three basic coil types; Spark Gap, Vacuum Tube, Solid State. Useful to have for the wiring diagrams, specs, and basic math. I have no address for Brent, but this book should be available from at least one of the bookdealers who specialize in Tesla. > TESLA COIL George Trinkaus, 1986, 1987, & 1989, Third Edition, Extensively Revised. No ISBN, published by High Voltage Press, 4326 S.E. Woodstock, #489, Portland, OR., 97206 ($4.95). Mr. Trinkaus has a few Tesla booklets out for under $10.00. This one is a simple Tesla Coil built from scratch: neon sign xfrmr, beer bottle salt water capacitor, brass bolt spark gaps, PVC plastic pipe secondary, primary wound on a Rubbermaid "Servin' Saver" bowl, copper toilet tank float for a discharger... Need I say more? > THE TESLA COIL COMPENDIUM Randall S. Peterson, no date, ISBN, publisher, etc.. I guess it is available from Randy at: 16671 T.R.51, MT. Cory, Ohio, 45868 This publication is a compilation of Randy's favorite designs. Pretty good coils, and he used to ship out complete kits and fully assembled coils in his spare time... > MODERN RESONANCE TRANSFORMER DESIGN THEORY D.C. Cox, no date or ISBN, published by the Tesla Book Co.. I will quote from the inside jacket: "This book was written and dedicated to the young coil builders who will design, modify, measure, test, and evaluate today's technology, and then, design and develop tomorrows highly efficient Tesla coil systems." I don't think I ever got a thing out of this book, although it does have design math, toroid math, etc.. DC Cox is a pro, and his company Resonance Research, designs and builds museum coils; but never forget he is in it for the $$$$$... ... Additional resources, reviews > Resonance Research Corp. RTE. 1, Shadylane Rd. Baraboo, WI > 53913 USA, Tel: 608-356-3647 This is D.C. Cox's company (see publication notes above) and I assume he sells completed coils, plans, and parts. But he won't reply to even an information request without $10.00 in his hands (no personal checks accepted: bank money orders or cashiers checks only).... Go figure... > Tesla Technology Research, 2527 Treelane Ave, Monrovia, CA > 91016 USA Bill Wysock is a well known, respected coiler, and (at least until his the July 94 ZAP SHOW at the Colorado Springs Tesla Symposium) reliable coiler. His 1/4 wave coil work supplies big sparks for some Hollywood producers and museums. > THE BELL JAR Journal on vacuum work written by Steve Hanson and published quarterly, $15.00, 35 Windsor Drive, Amherst, NH, 03031 Many high voltage projects. > THE TESLA COIL DESIGNER IBM DOS coil construction software by Walt Noon. Available from Lindsay Publications, Bradley IL., this is a first class Tesla Coil design package that reduces the hours and hours of paper, pencil, and calculator time to mere seconds. All constants and formulas are already programed into the menu driven package, just "plug n chug" for a fast accurate custom coil design. Write to: Walt Noon III, 3283 Belvedere, Riverside, CA 92507 > October 1992, Popular Electronics pp 69-71, Fun With Tesla > Coils, by Charles D. Rakes This article builds a small solid state coil using a driver oscillator which base feeds the HV HF Coil. The project uses a 567 tone decoder IC, a few resistors, caps, and a power supply to drive a small coil to light bulbs etc.. The secondary is wound on a piece of 4" PVC, looks simple and inexpensive (~$80.00). My archives contain a self extracting program (TESLABLD.EXE) that gives detailed instructions on building this project. > November 1993, Electronics World + Wireless World, (magazine) pp 937-942. "The spark that gave RADIO to the world", by George Pickworth: "Marconi" this and "Marconi" that; Tesla mentioned only once; but it did have clear photos and diagrams of what not to do... As well as useful photos of damped wave trains produced with authentic gap systems. A good general explanation of spark gap types and functions. > Vacuum Tube Industries, Inc., 506 North Warren Avenue, > P.O. Box 2009, Brockton, MA. 02405 USA > tel: 508-584-4500, tel: 800-528-5014, fax: 508-584-0096 Specialize in new and rebuilt 450 KC power tubes for commercial RF induction heaters and the supply & control xfrmrs, cooling loops, etc.. These are the type tubes I would use for a CW coil. > The Condenser Products Corp., 2131 Broad Street, > Brooksville, FL 34609 Manufacturers of commercial high voltage plastic film pulse discharge (Tesla) capacitance. Minimum order $150.00, minimum shipping time about 6 weeks. These are where my big commercial capacitors come from, as they will build them to your specs. > Larry J. Rebman > The Transformer Bank, Inc. > University Technology Center > 1313 Fifth St. SE > Minneapolis, MN 55415 > Tel: (612) 379-3958, Fax: (612) 379-5962 Suppliers of surplus high voltage transformers and transmission equipment. Good source of non-shunted step up xfrmrs. TS> NWL Capacitors TS> 1 Industrial Dr., Snow Hill, NC 28580 TS> voice 908-842-5757 TS> FAX 908-842-1161 I was given the following address from a very reliable coiler: > NWL CAPACITORS, 8050 Monetary Dr., Riviera Beach, FL., 33404 > Tel: 407-848-9009 Custom manufactured high voltage pulse discharge Tesla caps... TS> NWL Transformers is a sister company in Bordentown, NJ, BTW. TS> Is Plastic Capacitors, 2623 N. Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 99120 TS> also on your list? Their voice is 312-489-2229. TS> How about Cornell-Dubilier, 1605 E. Rodney French Blvd., New TS> Bedford, MA 02744, voice 508-996-8564 ? They bought out the TS> old Sangamo plant and trademark a number of years ago. TS> Danny Churchill at Commercial Radio Co. in VT, 802-226-7582, TS> sometimes has some interesting stuff around. I bet you'd TS> find him interesting even if he didn't have whatever model TS> you currently need. Among other things, he manufactures TS> custom high voltage inductors and transformers, in an old 3 TS> story brick schoolhouse converted to a factory/warehouse. THANKS TERRY SMITH (203)732-0575 BBS (1:141/1275) for your input! > Hipotronics, Inc., RTE.22, Brewster, New York, 10590 > TEL: 914-279-8091 Manufacturers of high-voltage test equipment. Capacitors, transformers, bussing, toroids, etc. are available. These are the guys who make the equipment that commercial utilities use to test/destroy their equipment to determine breakdown limits. > CSI Capacitors, 810 Rancheros Dr. San Marcos, CA, 96069 > TEL: 619-747-4000 Another source of custom made, commercial plastic film, high- voltage, pulse discharging, (Tesla type) capacitance. Ask about left over units from production runs, sometimes you will find a bargin in a top quality cap. > Maxwell Labs, Inc., 8888-G Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA, 92123 > TEL: 619-279-5100 Manufacturer of commercial high-voltage equipment, capacitors, power supplies, etc.. > Antique Electronic Supply, P.O. Box 27468, Tempe, AZ, 85285 > TEL: 602-820-5411 Source for the tube coil builder, many old/rare vacuum tubes and related equipment (sockets, mica caps, power supplies, etc.) for projects like "Lil Tesla Coil" of the 1960's Pop Electronics era. > Weisner Electronics, 149 Hunter Ave, Albany, NY, 12206 > TEL: 518-438-2801 Another source for the tube coiler. Plate xfmrs, mica caps, tubes, etc.. > Daily Electronics, P.O. Box 5029, Compton, CA., 90224 > Tel: 213-774-1255 High powered triodes for Tube Tesla (CW) coils. > Fair Radio Sales, P.O. Box 1105, Lima, OH (no zip given) > Tel: 419-223-2196, 419-227-6573, FAX 419-227-1313 "One of the best sources for electronic surplus." H.Goldman > Richard T. Quick II, 10028 Manchester Rd., Suite 253, Glendale, > Missouri, 63122, USA I have a two hour video tape that documents my 10" diameter secondary coil and 10 KVA power supply in operation. It covers a wide area of related high voltage experiments and techniques. (Jacob's Ladder, RF choking, spark gaps, critical coupling, etc.) Due to the dangerous nature of this work I cannot be responsible for the safety of life, limb, or property should anyone choose to, or attempt to, reproduce any of the equipment or experiments featured on the video. To obtain a copy: send a blank, high quality, VHS video tape; a first class postage pre-paid, self addressed mailer; and $10.00 US. I will happily trade tapes. This text file gets regular updates, as I both see and receive, many requests for information on this subject. YOUR references or reviews would be welcomed additions to this file. While I always try to be as accurate as possible, there are no assur- ances that ANY of the information posted here is error free, or, that there is no risk in acting on this information.