FAQ - Fusor Construction Journey in images from the beginning #2

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Richard Hull
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FAQ - Fusor Construction Journey in images from the beginning #2

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Late 1997 - Richard's fusor I

No more than 4 weeks passed since the Teslathon and I had assembled my own demo fusor, made up much after Tom's first demo inside a larger nalgene desiccator. it is now termed "Fusor I". Much about it was a kludge. I used an old worn out Welch 1400 1 CFM pump and out-gassing hose and chamber that was sealed with a vacuum greased O ring. Nevertheless, It was my first instruction in IEC plasma and in the basics of what to expect in the way of future issues that came up in this poorly assembled device.

I learned.... Vacuum was tough with terrible materials..... Stuff that out-gases has no place in a vacuum system..... Plasmas can draw a lot of current and the demo device acts much like a voltage regulator or an electronic glow lamp. Fusor I, while instructive, was a self limiting and self defeating proposition and this "first pass" would not make it to Xmas 1997. I could not wait to get busy on Fusor II. I had learned a lot in the doing and "hands-on" imperative.

After viewing the images below, you can move on to my next journey into fusion, fusor II at

viewtopic.php?f=24&t=13052&p=84814#p84814

The few images of this effort are included below. Many are snatched from video tape.

Richard Hull
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A photo taken of me by a TCBOR member at one of our meetings in the lab.  You will note the new pump did better, ~40 microns, but not good enough.<br />Wow, my rich black hair of youth at 51 years of age!
A photo taken of me by a TCBOR member at one of our meetings in the lab. You will note the new pump did better, ~40 microns, but not good enough.
Wow, my rich black hair of youth at 51 years of age!
The early setup with the chamber on a 5 gallon paint bucket for show and tell at one of the TCBOr Monthly meetings.
The early setup with the chamber on a 5 gallon paint bucket for show and tell at one of the TCBOr Monthly meetings.
The entire setup involved a better pump by November 1997 which did not out erase the out-gassing issue
The entire setup involved a better pump by November 1997 which did not out erase the out-gassing issue
A close-up of the guts of Fusor I.
A close-up of the guts of Fusor I.
what to expect at 143 microns of vacuum.  The highest voltage I could run was about 700 volts!!
what to expect at 143 microns of vacuum. The highest voltage I could run was about 700 volts!!
An image of the poissor at 80 microns.  A sign of grossly poor vacuum. the &quot;bugle jets&quot; are an indicator or poor vacuum
An image of the poissor at 80 microns. A sign of grossly poor vacuum. the "bugle jets" are an indicator or poor vacuum
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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