>With a suitably automated forming process ypu could probably take a
>long chain of welded Cu and Al wires each a few 10's of mm long and
>fold it up into an arrangement that clustered around a "chimney". As
>long as you didn't melt the metal all should be well.

There was an article in Electronics Australia back in the 1960s (well it was 
under it earlier name which I forget now) where a guy made such a device 
using thermocouple type wire, to make a stack of junctions that he fitted 
over an oil lamp type of device, after removing the glass chimney. He 
pictured it driving a typical 9V powered 6 transistor pocket radio of the 
period. I think he used circular mica washers, suitably pierced to hold the 
wires, and had a stack that became the chimney for the flame, with all the 
cold ends on the outside looking like a "bad hair day" porcupine.

I cannot remember just which types of wire he used, but seem to recall he 
had done experiments with the common thermocouple type wires.

It was in the "Reader Built It" section IIRC. 

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