Building physics instruments

A place to keep track of reference material - any particularly useful books, articles, etc. should be listed here.
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Richard Hull
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Building physics instruments

Post by Richard Hull »

The following two books are incredible and highly recommended as being the plus ultra in combo physics instrumentation "how-to" books with a lot of good, if dated, material sciences info tossed in for good measure.


"Procedures in Experimental Physics", Strong, 1938. Lots of printings and modern paper backs. My guess is that most of the best and most capable in this forum already have a falling apart, pepsi stained, dog earred copy of this magnum opus laying around amongst the old pizza boxes and disgarded chippo bags on the lab bench. Nuff said

"Building Scientific Apparatus", Moore, Davis and Coplan, 1989. A modern version of Strong's 1938 book on steroids. Into its eleventh printing!! Really superb. How to make ion guns!!!, etc. Complete and detail specs on NIM with simple interface circuits, IEE buss specs and much, much more...........

Ya' can't really say you have a lab or library without these two books.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by DaveC »

Thanks for the references, Richard. I looked for the
"Building Scientific Apparatus... book on Google.. had many potential suplliers, of the paperback. Got the 2nd edition in nearly perfect hardback about $30 plus handling. Great reference!!

Dave Cooper
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by bwsparxz »

Just got a copy of Procedures of Experimental Physics. An absolutely great book. The chapter on high vacuum is a good reference. And I have found solutions to projects I want to do. Especially the induction and metal melting under vacuum . Also on sputtering. A MUST HAVE. A deal for just $25.
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Mike Veldman
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by Mike Veldman »

Trying to get into the book review groove here. I have both of these texts and have used them both many times over the years. No matter how many things one has built in his life, seeing a diagram or picture of someone elses construct can be very valuable, not to mention time saving. I highly recomend both of these as well.
mike
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Richard Hull
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by Richard Hull »

Pictures are, indeed, worth a thousand words. The style of technical drawing seen in these refs, particularly in Strong's book, is a virtual lost art in scientific works nowadays. They remind me of the superlative drawings in the Amateur Scientist section of Scientific American when it was in its prime during the 50's and 60's. Profusely illustrated is an understatement when describing these books.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by MarkS »

I actually picked up a copy of the book from the University library. It's probably the number one book to read/have if you're planning to build a fusor, especially if you have no relevant skills. Interestingly enough, this fantastic book is online free for all to read.

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id= ... lt#PPP1,M1
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by tligon »

Dr. Bussard had Moore Davis Coplan, so I bought Strong. They complement each other nicely. Strong is particularly intriguing for dirt-poor DIY hobby scientists, and at least gives us a great perspective for the state of the art around the time the linear accelerator was invented.
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Richard Hull
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by Richard Hull »

If you don't mind critical pages of info being withheld, the online book is a great way to review content. Unfortunately, the critical charged particle duo-plasmatron page is restricted and not present, page 371. They knew just which page to clip out.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by MarkS »

I can post the missing pages on tuesday afternoon.
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Chris Bradley
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by Chris Bradley »

Bear in mind likely copyright issues of posting such materials on this forum. google.books may have some arrangement to which this site is not a party.

Materials >50 years old are not copyrighted in most countries, but under that age you can get into trouble.
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Re: Building physics instruments

Post by DaveC »

I just checked out the "online" version of Building Scientific Apparatus - the part that you can review, is limited... I scanned through the section showing on the Google site, it was most of Chapter 4 and little bit of 5. The restricition is simply because Google is presenting only some of the book... not all of it.... for your purview, in case you're interested to buy it.

Nothing sinister here... just... the usual... internet version of the plastic wrapper, I guess.

Third Edition looks quite a bit enlarged over Second Edition. Either is a good investment.

Dave Cooper
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