I soldered up practice grids yesterday, using 0.030 inch diam. stainless steel MIG wire, and 56% silver solder (I got 70% silver, 30% copper, 0% zinc, solder today). I made a 4.5 inch diam. outer grid and a 1 inch diam. inner grid.
I found that the grid construction was infinitely less tedious if the wire is first annealed by passing the wire axially through the torch flame. I can then wind the wire around a rod forming a stable coil, then cut out single turn sections of the coil, with a small overlap, held in a vise, for soldering a lap joint.
Looking at the various pictures of the inner grid in action on Richard Hull's web site, it appears that the inner grid is constructed from only four rings (three rings meeting at each pole and one equitorial ring. Is this correct?
Created on Tuesday, March 27, 2001 10:18 PM EDT by Thomas D Dressel