Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Baby Steps
Date: Sep 21, 12:45 pm
Poster: Stephen Coley

On Sep 21, 12:45 pm, Stephen Coley wrote:

You were right, all I had to do was read my notes to know my power supply was woefully under powered. I'll be building another strong enough to use on my fusor work I hope and donating my current one to the next generation of the family's amateur scientists. So while I'm doing power supply research I'll be making grids and improving my vacuum techniques. As a side experiment I was thinking of making an inner grid similar to the one by Joshua R., putting it in my 5.5" x 11" steel chamber, using the chamber as the outer grid, just to see what happens.

Having worked for Frigidaire Microwave Products Division, I found it interesting that a simple fusor power supply might be made from the transformer and other components (why didn't I think of it). When my wife asks me why I destroyed the microwave, I'm going to blame it on you, Richard. I would like to add a safety note here; any one disassembling a High Voltage device (like a Microwave oven) should take measures to insure that no residual charge remains in any component of the device!

Questions about shielding. While I know I'm far off from producing neutrons, eventually I am going to require some sort of shielding. I evidently have some misconceptions about shielding. Lead will shield the x-rays, but not neutrons? Is it possible to operate safely with light water shielding? Originally I had thought to shield with water. It is also my understanding that the shielding becomes radioactive with exposure.

Now if I could just find a pristine 10" belljar for about 5 bucks . . . . . . . .