What do you think?
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JamesBroussard
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What do you think?
I'm not sure if this is cost effective but i have a friend with a machine shop with CNC/Lathe etc, and thinking of making a vacuum pump if i can find plans somewhere and i have a budget for this at about $150 so that should be enough to buy the metal and motor... what do you guys think?
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Steven Sesselmann
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Re: What do you think?
James,
The road to fusion is long and winding, if you start by building a vacuum pump you are making it a lot longer than it needs to be.
If you have all the machines and skills, you would be better off buying a broken or worn rotary vane pump (cheap), and fixing it.
Relatively simple but high precision macines.
A properly serviced rotary pump will be as good as new, after changing a few rubber seals.
Steven
The road to fusion is long and winding, if you start by building a vacuum pump you are making it a lot longer than it needs to be.
If you have all the machines and skills, you would be better off buying a broken or worn rotary vane pump (cheap), and fixing it.
Relatively simple but high precision macines.
A properly serviced rotary pump will be as good as new, after changing a few rubber seals.
Steven
http://www.gammaspectacular.com - Gamma Spectrometry Systems
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Steven_Sesselmann - Various papers and patents on RG
Re: What do you think?
I'd have to echo Steven, many ebay dealers offer just the pumps, and it takes a lot of resources to build a pump. If you have the CNC available you could look into making the vacuum chamber, and flanges.
Re: What do you think?
James -
From one DIYer to another.
I would also agree with Steven and Mark . The issue is less the machining sophistication, and more, getting the proper grade of materials. The older belt drives have very hard alloys in the pump ring and end plates... so they don't wear and leak.
The direct drive pumps use hard aluminum castings... probably something like a high silicon casting similar to an engine block.
If you have access to these materials, (and they are rather pricey per lb) you probably COULD make your own pump, and it would be a very educational project... BUT.... for the same effort and expense, you can probably find a serviceable, used pump and some hardware to connect it... maybe even enough to get your fusor project going.
It's the same argument as with instrumentation, power supplies and etc. If you can do, and want to...perhaps you should. But often what we learn best in these efforts, is that other folks have spent a whole lot of time learning what we are about to begin learning. That's a lot of man-hours that could be invested in other parts of the project.
FWIW....
Dave Cooper
From one DIYer to another.
I would also agree with Steven and Mark . The issue is less the machining sophistication, and more, getting the proper grade of materials. The older belt drives have very hard alloys in the pump ring and end plates... so they don't wear and leak.
The direct drive pumps use hard aluminum castings... probably something like a high silicon casting similar to an engine block.
If you have access to these materials, (and they are rather pricey per lb) you probably COULD make your own pump, and it would be a very educational project... BUT.... for the same effort and expense, you can probably find a serviceable, used pump and some hardware to connect it... maybe even enough to get your fusor project going.
It's the same argument as with instrumentation, power supplies and etc. If you can do, and want to...perhaps you should. But often what we learn best in these efforts, is that other folks have spent a whole lot of time learning what we are about to begin learning. That's a lot of man-hours that could be invested in other parts of the project.
FWIW....
Dave Cooper
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Chris Bradley
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Re: What do you think?
I'd say go for it! If you really want to. The pump you make will likely be insufficient and unreliable for the purpose, particularly because of the material issues mentioned, but this is supposedly a hobby of engineering exploration.
If you a) *knew* what you were about to undertake could be done to a given standard, then why bother?, b) wanted to build a fusor to do something no-one else has done, then the 'fusing' part of it won't be the 'never done before' bit. If you want to c) try to 'reclaim' the capability of making these things from industrial infrastructure on behalf of hobbyists then that seems a noble intent, but I regret to say I think you will likely fail in a budget of $150 to make a device that is fit for use with a fusor, but consider that a challenge from me rather than a snub!
If you a) *knew* what you were about to undertake could be done to a given standard, then why bother?, b) wanted to build a fusor to do something no-one else has done, then the 'fusing' part of it won't be the 'never done before' bit. If you want to c) try to 'reclaim' the capability of making these things from industrial infrastructure on behalf of hobbyists then that seems a noble intent, but I regret to say I think you will likely fail in a budget of $150 to make a device that is fit for use with a fusor, but consider that a challenge from me rather than a snub!
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JamesBroussard
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- Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:06 pm
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Re: What do you think?
Well i have a fusor I'm just lacking a good vacuum pump and that seems to be my problem, i have a suitable vessel and power source (all thought id like a more professional one) i was just thinking that if they are made in a machine shop why cant i get the metal/plans, bring them to a friend with a machine shop and get him to machine the parts for me.. and threw that something valuable could be learned by me.. just a novel idea if anything though
Also iv used a machine shop before to make the fusor shell halves... i should post that in the image section of the forms to show you guys!
Also iv used a machine shop before to make the fusor shell halves... i should post that in the image section of the forms to show you guys!
Re: What do you think?
why re-invent the wheel? they're better at it than you,
I can dream up a string of experiments for a working fusor - better to play with something you or any of us, don't know or has not been attempted.
I can dream up a string of experiments for a working fusor - better to play with something you or any of us, don't know or has not been attempted.