@Aleph(0) this conversation, should be continued in PM, to get my complete take on it. And not just meaning the non joiners.

Shortbus plz relax! Cuz my negative assessments are definitely NOT applicable 2 anyone registered on AAC that I know of! Now there are a few ppl from our team who registered on here and stayed no-posters But I say that's not cuz of frustrated _FB hedonism_ it's just being afraid to _break ice_ on technical format which is new type of on-line venue for them

So I say (and HP totally agrees) that _mixed signals_ of thread being vry casual but mostly on-topic thread in off-topic forum is big part of problem cuz it's like they can _do_ social media and they can _do_ educational but they don't know how to approach thread that looks like both I definitely wish more ppl were into amateur radio cuz _flavor_ of thread is vry close to on-air tech-net so with that perspective they'd know how to be comfortable with present thread format

Anyhow we're totally happy to make move to on-topic since _not knowing where they stand_ is main complaint of readers abt how we're running thread and so impediment to active participation here (so we're definitely happy they _lurk_ but we want interactive engagement with readers cuz that's whole advantage of fora over just textbooks) Anyhow we've basically decided to start 6 Mo _trial_ after completion of EHT meter AND LVPSU _TIHIDIs_ cuz we need 2 keep _momentum_ finishing those b4 returning to _central subject_ under on-topic format

Now it's vry important 2 let everyone know that LVPSU and EHT meter are definitely NOT digressions! Even though they're vry basic equipment they're also vry specialized! So we definitely don't want ppl ruining their Lab SMPSUs trying to power EHT PSU or risking their health and safety trying to measure EHT with TV HV probe!

Abt school:

I sure miss the good old(?) days.

Shortbus funny thing abt that is at first I didn't' miss them at all! But now with passage of time I get more and more nostalgic abt them!

 

Now it's vry important 2 let everyone know that LVPSU and EHT meter are definitely NOT digressions! Even though they're vry basic equipment they're also vry specialized! So we definitely don't want ppl ruining their Lab SMPSUs trying to power EHT PSU or risking their health and safety trying to measure EHT with TV HV probe!

I've got to admit I'm still out on that? Everything you say is valid but at the same time expecting them to design and figure out how to build a 0-80V unregulated linear power supply and a 0-100kV DC voltmeter isn't asking very much! Jebus!

BTW IMO you don't have to turn the thread into a monastery! Just link freebies to registration and participation! Source: I'm a student smack dab in the middle of your "target demographic"!

 

OBTW @Hypatia's Protege, I have a photographic surprise to pluck you from the depths of your "electrical depression" with memories of better times and thoughts of better days to come! In the words of your often recited "ancient broadcaster": stay tuned!

Better late than never! Plz have a look!

Ah yes! It's hamfest season again and none too soon!

 

Everything you say is valid but at the same time expecting them to design and figure out how to build a 0-80V unregulated linear power supply and a 0-100kV DC voltmeter isn't asking very much!

I apologize in advance if I misunderstood your intention. But if they can't handle the former, should they even attempt to be working with anything needed by the latter???

 

I apologize in advance if I misunderstood your intention. But if they can't handle the former, should they even attempt to be working with anything needed by the latter???

IMO absolutely not untill they attain the needed skills and safety habbits! So HP's and A0's argument is that they'll be up to speed by the time they get to the HV/radiation generating projects. So ok I see their logic! Everybody has to start somewhere! So I guess my real problem is the drag the auxiliary equipment projects are putting on the courses! Three years is a long time for one subject and we've barely gotten started! Well I guess comparing it to school is flawed but HP's absolutely right that w/o rigor ppl lose interest! Attention spans are getting worse each generation! We're becoming a society where ADHD is the norm.

 

if ur wondering why we don't just find more mature behaved ppl for teams all I can say is they are cross-section of target demographic! Plz just look around web on subject of HV, x-rays and related topics and see how almost all non-academic sites are totally loaded with like 3'rd hand misinformation! Even the few good amateur sites don't give theory just instructions So maybe we're just _charging windmills_ I can't deny that possibility at all! But somebody needs to try for sake of ppl who want comprehension w/o spending a lot of money or years on formal education that maybe isn't available to them! So it's not that we're such _saints_ or philanthropists! It's just that we have like _passion_ for subject that we want to share and see treated with respect!

My sentiments exactly! --- I only hope yours are sincere!

I've got to admit I'm still out on that? Everything you say is valid but at the same time expecting them to design and figure out how to build a 0-80V unregulated linear power supply and a 0-100kV DC voltmeter isn't asking very much! Jebus!

So HP's and A0's argument is that they'll be up to speed by the time they get to the HV/radiation generating projects. So ok I see their logic! Everybody has to start somewhere! So I guess my real problem is the drag the auxiliary equipment projects are putting on the courses!

While I quite agree that it's early days for presentation of EHT application -- Fundamental development tools are quite another matter! Despite its 'basal nature' please note that the LVPSU is capable of a significantly greater EMF range and maximum current availability than provided by similar devices (e.g. 'battery eliminators', etc...) -- Then too, our EHT indicator offers greater EMF range, power handling ability and polarity versatility than available outside of multi-thousand dollar radiography system maintenance equipment -- Perhaps most importantly said instrument facilitates the user's distance from itself/energized equipment during testing -- such being the first and, often, 'saving' 'line of defense' where electrical and/or radiological hazards are anticipated...

For the record:

they'll be up to speed by the time they get to the HV/radiation generating projects.

Although we plan in depth treatment of health physics, radiographic technique and, perhaps, a few Labs in (botanical) radiology (Spec: 'mutation breeding') -- Under no circumstances will we offer explicit instructions as regards assembly of ionizing radiation generating apparatus - publicly or privately! While I doubt said 'omission' will prove an obstacle to the serious student -- such may well preserve 'dabblers' decades of 'life expectancy' while providing us with a collective clear conscience!

Best regards
HP

 

To everybody!

So rumor that EHT courses are canceled is totally false!

It's just that we have some _dissension among the ranks_ cuz of @Jazz2C disrespecting HP's online privacy and now they're both having a sulk abt it! Now I say who would have thought I'd be only _adult in room_

Anyhow we'll be back 2 normal (hopefully better) once _storm_ blows over!
TNX!

 

Wow, a controversy not caused by me! Who would have ever guessed that would happen?

Does this mean jazz doesn't get his allowance this week?

 

Does this mean jazz doesn't get his allowance

Shortbus being honest I totally doubt that cuz then he'd just drop out of school and become derelict or something One thing's for sure is he's OFF TEAM indefinitely (and that's straight from HP!) which I say isn't problem since IIRC he hasn't contributed a single thing to tutorials or projects yet!

So for ppl thinking we're being too severe with him plz think on this! He either knew doxing HP's pic would annoy her or he didn't! If he did then he's just being _pot stirring_ troublemaker and if he didn't that means he has totally poor judgment! So either way he has to PROVE he's _mended his ways_ b4 we can totally trust him again!

Now being clear we're just regular members on here so JC's status on AAC isn't our call at all! So all I can say is if he continues 2b active on here (by which I mean on AAC as a whole) plz don't connect him with us if he gets out of line!

 

So here's update on EHT tutorials:

So since HP's totally POed at @Jazz2C for _doxing incident_ and also at team members refusing to register (both of which I totally agree with her!) she's basically on indefinite hiatus

So here's plan! Even though my VPN makes UPing pix vry iffy, that's not problem finishing EHT meter presentation cuz HP has all those assembly and pre-assembly pix in her blog! So I can totally finish EHT meter _tihidi_!

Now plz don't panic! In presentation I totally promise to limit use of even just standard abbreviations and to be vry careful not to use any _textease_ at all! So even though I can't be as formal as HP, I'm confident I can present construction article totally clear to most readers! Also don't be afraid to ask questions if anything's unclear! I know some of you maybe saw my curt post (on a totally different thread) to a member criticizing my use of abbreviations But my _attitude_ was cuz I thought he was being a mean spirited _drive by_ buttinski 2 months after the fact! So all I'm saying now is that I agree with HP's insistence on courtesy and patience with sincere students! So if something's not clear (no matter whose _fault_ it is) plz just ask me abt it until it is clear!

Anyhow HP says she can sign in just to set _project overview_ (in her blog) to public view asap so for now it's on post 1962 but I'll link to _official copy_ in her blog as soon as she makes it viewable!

So first topic will be building dropping resistor towers here:

Plz give me a couple days to gather needed info (by which I mean materials dimensions and like that) then I'll start step by step presentation! Tnx!

 

HP says she can sign in just to set _project overview_ (in her blog) to public view

Done.

Even though my VPN makes UPing pix vry iffy

Plz give me a couple days to gather needed info (by which I mean materials dimensions and like that)

Below is an annotated image of the external features of a 'tower' descriptive of materials and dimensions -- Hope it helps...

(Note to readers -- The 'towers' are identical in every respect save for the arbitrarily assigned 'polarity markers/bands' about the tops of the Mini-Fed wells).

---Obsolete image deleted---

So I can totally finish EHT meter _tihidi_
!

@Aleph(0) please be advised that you are in no way obliged to do this...

Now plz don't panic...

Aleph don't you dare change your manner of expression or otherwise deviate from truth to yourself by way of humouring that lot of whiners and ingrates! -- Of course those sincerely requesting clarification/offering suggestions, etc... should be assisted/acknowledged -- while those who merely 'disapprove' of your verbal style can jolly well belt up! To wit: Stay focused upon the "3%" -- The remaining noise is merely that of 'buzzing flies', 'barking dogs' and/or 'screaming brats' and, hence, worthy of no attention and less regard!

So since HP's totally POed at @Jazz2C for _doxing incident_ and also at team members refusing to register

At this point 'weary' is the apt adjective --- I've done with these tutorials, with the sorry excuses for alpha and development teams and with persistant interference from my 'off-line' schedule -- Now that my anonymity is destroyed (it's merely a matter of time before google, etc 'matches' my image with others bearing personally identifiable information) what modicum of 'fun' was left to be had (Re: the tutorials) is gone out of it... --- Nor is 'pulling' my image a meaningful solution -- it was 'up' many hours prior to our awareness of same...

BUT I SAY YOU OWE ME BIG TIME APOLOGY!

Indeed I do! -- You've had it privately - now you have it publicly!...

@Aleph(0) Please advise me should you require further images, etc. I owe your kind efforts (and the 3%) that much!

Very best of luck!
HP

 

Aleph don't you dare change your manner of expression or otherwise deviate from truth to yourself by way of humouring that lot of whiners and ingrates!

HP I'll definitely be using a lot less abbreviations but not for benefit of teams (who I 100% agree with you about!) but mainly for the 3%ers and fact that Mods are enforcing stricter brevity rules (which I seriously say is probably just as well in long run).

I've done with these tutorials, with the sorry excuses for alpha and development teams and with persistant interference from my 'off-line' schedule -- Now that my anonymity is destroyed (it's merely a matter of time before google, etc 'matches' my image with others bearing personally identifiable information) what modicum of 'fun' was left to be had (Re: the tutorials) is gone out of it... --- Nor is 'pulling' my image a meaningful solution -- it was 'up' many hours prior to our awareness of same...

HP I say this whole thing is totally heartbreaking to me! Now please don't be angry but I say YOU have to be thinking about _the 3%_ too!

PS huge thanks for upload of annotated tower!

 

ATTN: @Aleph(0) -- Pursuant to your inquiry Re: the 'over-cropped' image linked below (said image being apparent upon post #1991):
---Obsolete image deleted---


While I offer sincere apologies that such escaped my notice - I daresay said truncation would appear inconsequential (even if inelegant) --- To wit: the initial characters of 'Mounting' and 'Steel' would seem to be unambiguously implied by dint of both photographic and verbal context?

Please be advised that while correction is greatly complicated by my failure to 'save' the annotated image prior to cropping same, I am, nonetheless, willing to re-annotate the 'raw image' should you feel such to be advisable...

Very best regards
HP

 

@Aleph(0) and @Hypatia's Protege From my perspective as a machinist and builder of things, I see a slight "problem". And it is just slight. In the photo on the far left side a stud is shown, shown as 0.25" 28TPI. While that is one way of describing a screw thread it isn't the normal accepted way, it should read 1/4-28, going into most hardware stores and asking for a screw the way you present it will in most cases be met with a blank stare, since most hardware isn't sold like that. And they won't know that 0.25" is in reality 1/4".

Also on another note why use a fine thread? Places like Home Depot or Lowes probably won't even stock them. 1/4-20 is one of the most common screw threads in use, and I can't see an reason not using one here. Is there a reason to pick a fine, hard to find threaded stud for this?

 

@Aleph(0) and @Hypatia's Protege From my perspective as a machinist and builder of things, I see a slight "problem". And it is just slight. In the photo on the far left side a stud is shown, shown as 0.25" 28TPI. While that is one way of describing a screw thread it isn't the normal accepted way, it should read 1/4-28, going into most hardware stores and asking for a screw the way you present it will in most cases be met with a blank stare, since most hardware isn't sold like that. And they won't know that 0.25" is in reality 1/4".

Also on another note why use a fine thread? Places like Home Depot or Lowes probably won't even stock them. 1/4-20 is one of the most common screw threads in use, and I can't see an reason not using one here. Is there a reason to pick a fine, hard to find threaded stud for this?

Shortbus THANKS! So since in my opinion picture needs to be redone anyway because of too close cropping on left side, I can just ask @Hypatia's Protege to annotate with like _conventional_ description at same time! So timing of your heads-up post is perfect!

Now about fine thread pitch. That's just because at first we planned on using stainless fasteners (which was only available in fine thread for ¼" size). But since stainless is basically impossible to solder and some people don't have welder we decided to use just _regular_ fastener grade steel hardware for bolts, nuts and washers (so just to explain, even though we only solder nuts and washers and definitely NOT bolts (which we want removable) HP and I say dissimilar metals for nuts and bolts could be bad idea cuz of possibility of electrochemical reaction permanently seizing them together and like that).

So anyhow when we went to plain steel we also decided on regular thread pitch but forgot to update notes! Now I'm going to tell you something totally embarrassing! If you look very closely on picture you can see stud bolt is really 20 pitch after all! So that's TOTALLY as much MY fault as HP's because it was built like 2 years ago and we both missed to update notes

@shortbus anyhow just to be sure I totally understand, what you are saying: Bolt should be speced as ¼-20 X 1¾" is that right? (Being clear by 1¾ I mean 1+¾)

EDITED at 6:20 PM CDT by @Aleph(0) to expand textease and iffy abbreviations

 

@shortbus anyhow just to be sure I totally understand, what you are saying: Bolt should be speced as ¼-20 X 1¾" is that right? (Being clear by 1¾ I mean 1+¾)

¼-28

 

¼-28

@Yaakov Many sincere thanks for your interest! -- Indeed, as I understand @shortbus' post, '¼-28' is the correct 'trade' designation applicable to the 'fine thread' (i.e. 28 TPI) 0.25" fastener? -- Howbeit, as @Aleph(0) correctly recalls (as she does on post #1995 of this thread), we opted for 'coarse' (i.e. 20 TPI) thread pitch fastiners - our 'stainless ambitions' having been dashed

(Being clear by 1¾ I mean 1+¾)

@Aleph(0) I wholly sympathize with your 'discomfort' in this matter! --- 1¾ is a sum (as opposed to product) and should be written as such - convention be damned! Hence my insistence (Re: rational notation) upon Integer+(Numerator/Denominator) 'format'! -- Said non-standard notation being with the not-inconsiderable advantage of significantly reduced liability to ambiguity/misapprehension!

Notes:
1) Silicone adhesive bonds strongly with PVC but only tenuously with PTFE - the ribs' positions upon the PVC tubing are, nonetheless, firmly established by the silicone 'beads' formed about said tubing each side of each rib.

2) It cannot be over-stressed that rib ID geometry and 'dress' of the silicone must be such that a full-thickness, 'plasma-tight' seal is formed!

3) @shortbus Please be advised that (Re: the image below) I took the precautions of re-annotating the 'raw' image right to left and saving a 'copy' prior to annotation of the mounting stud -- hence, correction of any error/omission regarding said fastener would be a simple matter (To wit I may readily re-annotate the 'left end' sans requirement of re-annotating the entire image)! All of which is to say please don't hesitate to 'speak up' should the fastener notes yet remain erroneous/ambiguous!

Many thanks all around!
HP

 

@Aleph(0) -- Should you anticipate requirement of further assistance prior to 5/5/2019 I need to hear from you asap! --- I refuse to play 'phone tag'!

Best regards
HP

 

@Aleph(0) -- Should you anticipate requirement of further assistance prior to 5/5/2019 I need to hear from you asap! --- I refuse to play 'phone tag'!

Best regards
HP

HP it totally looks ok to me but since I don't know _hardware store-ease_ any better than you I say it's good idea to let @shortbus give it thumbs up before I start!

HP since I TOTALLY know people will be wondering and just for my curiosity how do you calculate optimal intercostal distance? So I get that if ribs are too close they'll basally act as only one. So arc would just bypass intercostal space jumping from edge of one rib to edge of other! Also being too far apart allows steep enough gradient to set up corona possibly initiating arc! So o/c in perfect world it's basically just normalizing from interval of convergence but in REAL world with unrestricted, non-ideal gas (by which I mean air) as _part_ of insulator it's way more complected than that! So I'm basically asking is there just like _rule of thumb_?

I took the precautions of re-annotating the 'raw' image right to left and saving a 'copy' prior to annotation of the mounting stud -- hence, correction of any error/omission regarding said fastener would be a simple matter (To wit I may readily re-annotate the 'left end' sans requirement of re-annotating the entire image)!

HP that's definitely good thinking but I also say if you'd just take time for learning Photoshop instead of always using MS Paint you wouldn't need to worry about that! So with PS you can just put text, drawings and picture on three separate _layers_ so text layer stays random access editable and because drawing layer also has transparent background you can make random changes w/o needing to do everything over again!

¼-28

@Yaakov big thanks from me too! So even though we gave up on stainless (which was only sold in 28 tpi pitch for ¼" dia bolt) because of problems soldering to it and went back to just regular steel 20 tpi pitch bolts. Your post is still very helpful showing I have format right!

@Aleph(0) I wholly sympathize with your 'discomfort' in this matter! --- 1¾ is a sum (as opposed to product) and should be written as such

HP HUGE thanks! Now I say if we could just start trend of people writing rational fractions like that and also give them enough appreciation of thermodynamics to recognize red is _cold_ end of visible spectrum and blue, violet is 'hot' end we'd have totally done our duty to humanity and so could just rest on our laurels! So like you know those are two of my worst pet peeves!

Anyhow I don't think @shortbus logs in on Sundays so hopefully he'll see new Pic and posts tomorrow! So thanks in advance @shortbus!

 

@Aleph(0) . @Hypatia's Protege You now have the bolt description correct. And your correct I don't very often go online on Sundays or Holidays, those are family days.

But you are incorrect in saying stainless is only available in fine thread, my small local Ace hardware carries inch fine, coarse and metric in stainless. If soldering is involved why not use brass hardware? Ace carries that too. While places like Home Depot or Lowes are much larger than an Ace Hardware, they former don't have the selection of fasteners that an Ace or maybe a True Value hardware has, though I haven't been in a True Value for years.

Next question(s). Why use Teflon for the 'fault path ribs'? If PVC is good enough for the rest of the tower, why isn't it good enough for the ribs? The PVC sheets are or were available in hobby stores. Also don't understand the use of silicone glue to hold things together. I'll draw up my way of thinking for tower construction and post in the next day or so.

As far as "rational notation" over "conventional notation" and using medical and scientific terms for mechanical things, if you or any one were to take any of this somewhere to a machine shop that wasn't tied to a university they wouldn't have a clue to what you wanted. I know we've had this conversation before but it's just how things are.