Fusor Forums

Hello, my name is Adam and I am a thirteen-year-old from Brisbane, Australia. I am interested in building a real fusor (not a demo one) sadly I don't have much money as I am a student so if anyone is interested in funding my project, please contact me binnsa@student.jpc.qld.edu.au or reply to this thread. also if anyone is selling a diffusion pump, a vacuum chamber or deuterium as I am still gathering that equipment. Ok anyway, my interests: I'm interested in anything and everything high voltage- mention plasma and prepare for a fifteen-minute conversation. I also love blacksmithing and the television show Archer.

Adam it is good to know your are willing to use your hands and brain. Both are needed in blacksmithing as well as the quest for sustained plasmas and in achieving fusion. Welcome.

Richard Hull

Hello, Adam.

Trying to get a fusor together with little resources is not easy; one can consider a few options - for instance, your school might have a proper vacuum pump (with a vacuum hose attached) and even an acceptable vacuum gauge. Then a chamber can be an inexpensive four-way 5 cm diameter (or so) vacuum cross. Adding a window and a high voltage/current feed-thru to this cross should not be difficult since these can be made using a hand drill and some skill using local or easy to order materials. Adding a vacuum inlet can also be a very straight forward issue using a hand drill, epoxy and local materials.

If the school has a metal shop/program that would be ideal but I suspect those are not generally around anymore.

Making your own deuterium is within reach as well (or maybe, a local university will supply some if you ask their chem or physics departments - one could fill a simple evacuated "tank" and fill it to atmospheric pressure.) Building a simple "leak" valve inlet control system is also fairly easy since most the materials can be obtained at a hardware store. Maybe a local 'welding shop' will order some deuterium [however, until one obtains the proper fusor grade power supply (remember, fusors use a very high voltage supply that is extremely lethal), this would be a pointless "buy".]

If you do not want to build a demo fusor, then figuring out how to obtain a proper power supply (and cable!) and the neutron detector system are the most difficult tasks (though, a detector system can be built fairly cheaply if one wants to learn the details and the import costs for cheap russian detector tubes isn't an issue.) These are the major issues that face everyone who wants a real fusor. Here, I think, your only choice for a proper power supply (cheaply) is the university again.