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: New Fusioner! #3
Date: Sep 03, 12:18 pm
Poster: Richard HullOn Sep 03, 12:18 pm, Richard Hull wrote:
All,
It is with great pride and honor that I announce a third member to the "neutron club". That is a fellow who has successfully built a fusor and has done actual fusion. (produced neutrons.)
Joe Zambelli has produced, over the last two years, a full Stainless steel fusor. He has only over this summer been operating it and only over the last month and a half, producing neutorons.
He monitors this list, but I don't think has ever posted (I may be wrong) I hope he will at some point. His input would be welcomed.
I have in hand about 8 high-res jpegs of his system. I hope to put a couple up on my website next week and will post the news accordingly.
Joe is at Bucknell University, I believe in his first or second year. Let me give some background.
I first heard of Joe when he and his dad came to one of my yearly Teslathons which featured Tesla coils and other high energy amateur physics devices, etc. Joe was in High school at that time and he and his dad had built a pretty impressive tesla coil which was unusually good for relative newbies in the Tesla trade. I was most impressed then.
I heard from Joe about a year ago when I posted the list of folks directly involved with fusor work. He told me I should include him as assembling parts of a fusor and as such he was included.
Suddenly, yesterday, I get an E-mail with photos from his dad, bursting with pride, announcing that Joe had "climbed mount Olympus"! Upon seeing the pictures I was stunned and elated.
Scott Little of Texas built his fusor with all professional parts. (pointer and hot button to his site is on my website). Thus, Scott's fusor was a thing of professional beauty built with parts he assembled from work in his amateur effort.
Joe's system is even more amazing in its use of all professional components and instrumentation!! It makes my kludged up, semi-pro component, fusor III system look like a "peanut whistle"! It is a glory for the eye and a wonder to behold and shows what a young person possessed with an idea and goal can do.
Before you say..."oh well, he got the stuff from school".... I will comment that he has informed me that he built the thing the way I did, the way all people working in the spirit of Phil Farnsworth do it.... 100% out of pocket (his own) and by his own hand. No profs giving advice, just Joe with his head in books, going home and doing the work, gaining needed skills, buying surplus, and off E-bay. (and I thought I was a scrounger).
I am real proud of Joe. He did it the old fashion way.....He earned it by the sweat of his own brow, the use of his own hands, gathering skills and parts as needed to meet a goal. He deserves the highest accolades for his work. Good going Joe!
What's more, Joe's results fall right in with what Scott and I have seen for a simple D-D fusor. That is, about 10e5 neut/sec in and around 25-30kv at about 10-15ma in the area of 3-10 microns D2 pressure.
It ain't no fluke and no bogus data if three independents agree to such close tolerances. It is a science.
I now proudly ammend the top of the old listing:
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The Neutron Club (neutron producing fusors - doing fusion)
Richard Hull
Scott Little
Joe Zambelli
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Much more later and those Pix on my web site later this week, I hope.
Richard Hull