Sources for Fusor Related Items

[Frank Sanns]

Most people look to eBay and other sources to scrounge for their fusor items. I thought it may be helpful to create a sticky here in the trading post for the new people so they know where to find some of the more common items.

Feel free to add to the list and I will incorporate ones that I think are most appropriate. This is not so much for manufacturers but rather distributors of things useful for a fusor.

I will start by adding LDS as they have served many of us here on fusor.net very well over the years.


Vacuum fittings, flanges, adapters, pumps etc.:

LDS Vacuum Shopper http://www.ldsvacuumshopper.com
https://www.duniway.com


Ceramic stalks, HDPE moderator, teflon, etc.:

https://www.mcmaster.com


Chambers, everything UHV:

http://www.lesker.com

[Sarvesh Sadana]

Duniway stockroom is another good place for vacuum products. They offer several types of (rebuilt) pumps and other vacuum hardware.

They also have excellent customer service.

https://www.duniway.com/

http://www.ebay.com/usr/duniway?_trksid ... 2749.l2754

[Frank Sanns]

Thanks. Added.

[ian_krase]

LDS is particularly notable for their compression ports, which are very expensive from other sources.

Notably, Duniway has nicer KF clamps than most vendors.

https://accuglassproducts.com/home.php has a variety of feedthroughs including some highly specialized ones, ones with loads and loads of pins, etc. As well as other metal-glass sealed stuff.

Amazon has some basic KF fittings, Swagelok knockoffs, and a few other things. Not much, and rarely cheap, but sometimes worth attention and you can get fast shipping cheaply. Also, the cheapest way to buy small amounts of Macor ceramic is Amazon. Most of my KF clamps and centering rings are from Amazon

McMaster is very useful for O-rings, gaskets, and large-diameter short-length Pyrex tubes for demo fusor chambers. They also sell conflat gaskets in single quantities. Unfortunately they are quite expensive for many things -- but often cheaper compared to umpteen different shipping charges.

Ideal vacuum products (http://www.idealvac.com/) has a VERY broad selection of vacuum stuff including mech pump rebuild kits. They seem to be cheaper for some items and have a better selection of brass KF fittings. Have to say I'm intrigued by their Ideal Vacuum Cube module chamber but they are dear.

Ted Pella (http://www.tedpella.com/vacuum_html/) is mostly a biological microscopy store, but they sell a bunch of vacuum stuff related to electron microscopy and sample prep. I have never ordered from them.

You can buy inexpensive mech pump oil from the auto parts store. I don't know how it compares, but I get to 8 microns just fine with my blanked-off pump.

[David Kunkle]

http://www.theoringstore.com/

They have every size and material imaginable. Good for weird sizes, custom apps, and rebuilding ancient mystery equipment like my 1/2 century old Edwards leak valve. Minimum quantities are usually 1 to 6 of each, but at pennies a piece, I usually buy the next sizes above and below the size I think I need and use the one that fits best. Shipping is usually 5 to 7 dollars. My orders are usually about $10 to get everything that I need.

[Jim Stead]

BMI Surplus carries vacuum parts, feedthroughs, etc. http://www.bmisurplus.com/
Because they are surplus, availability and pricing changes. But, I've found some good deals there.

[Tom McCarthy]

Robin Whyte from the forum, goes by the username fizz runs recalvac.co.uk - UK based supplier for all sorts of parts, gauges, fittings. His email is recalvac at aol dot com

[Richard Hull]

I have used Ted Pella a bit for their fabulous line of graphite applications. ian supplied their URL above. The one below leads to their conductive coatings.

http://www.tedpella.com/SEMmisc_html/SE ... htm#_16058

They have graphite pastes and thick liquid applications using a brush as well as thin, watery applications using a brush, but more importantly, spray cans (aerodaq - G) for graphite application.

These coatings are often termed a form of acquedaq. (conductive coating used for shielding or electrostatically conductive surfaces.)

I use it for manufacture of conductive shield coating of thin diaphrams for ion cambers and mica windowed GM detectors as well as outer shell GM countings on glass.
Graphite coatings are fine for use as light weight capacitive surfaces of electrostatic motors and other experiments in this area, etc.

Note: the graphite coatings have effectively zero resistance to electrostatic voltages, but for current carrying apps the very expensive thick silver coatings are to be preferred.

Richard Hull

[Jeremy Sims]

If you are having trouble finding deuterium easily:
Global Rare Gases
contact: James J. Avolt
Email: jimavolt@globalraregases.com
Ohio Office: 6964 McNerney Drive, Northwood, OH 43619

50L lecture bottle @ $260
Expect about $100 shipping for hazmat to a business address.

[Trent Carter]

+1 for James at Global Rare Gasses. Two emails and a paypal payment was all it took. Thanks for the tip. This forum never ceases.

Note: USA supplier and USA business mailing address.

[ian_krase]

What does one do if one doesn't have a business?

[Richard Hull]

I ordered mine through the company I worked for and paid with my credit card saying our purchaser was at lunch and I needed to get the order in fast. I gave them a P.O. number (fake).
I told them to send it attention "engineering dept, Richard Hull" I also told them to send a receipt showing "paid" and I could get re-imbursed by the company.
They sent it via UPS and I informed the warehouse that the package was on its way to my attention.

The first order generated a "customer number" for my company at their end. Before I got off the phone, I asked for our company's customer number for future purchases and reference The next time I ordered, I immediately gave them our cusotmer number on file with them and used the same credit card method. Smooth sailing for the next 5 orders I made between 1999 and 2014

Many ways to git 'er done. If you don't work or are too young, your dad might do it for you through his company or a good friend who works might do it. Use your imagination to find a work around.

Finally, if you still can't get deuterium gas, you must electrolyze heavy water. If that is not in the cards, you should not be here, as without deterium gas, you can't do fusionl.

Richard Hull

[ian_krase]

Swagelok compression fittings are much more expensive than their Yor-Lok (McMaster), A-Lok (Parker), Let-Lok, Ham-Let, etc imitators. One thing that Swagelok does, though, is have reasonably well stocked outlets. There is one basically within walking distance of Duniway Stockroom.

You can buy fittings with no minimum and you also *may* be able to buy fittings in the dead of night or on the weekend if you have set up an account in the past or can pay cash with nearly exact change. They have a good selection of brass fittings in stock.

[ian_krase]

Glasscraft sells glass (pyrex) tubing in various sizes, some quite large. They will gladly sell you a single tube (5 feet long) though not less than this -- for a 38mm tube w/ 4mm extra-heavy walls, this was under 20 bucks. Expect to pay a lot for shipping.

Micro Scientific Glass Blowing was willing to cut my glass tubing up into pieces for a low fee while-u-wait.

[Dan Knapp]

Source for high voltage power supplies and components (transformers, diodes, capacitors):
Information Unlimited, Inc. amazing1.com

[Dennis P Brown]

There stuff isn't useful for a fusor power supply. Also, rather over priced compared to e-bay. They do have unique items that are hard to get elsewhere. Worth looking at for HV stuff as long as low current is one's goal. Pulsed systems aren't fusor applicable; so, not going there (lol.)

[Dan Knapp]

It is true that most of the power supplies on the Information Unlimited site are not capable of sufficient current for normal fusor operation, but they do offer a selection of HV components that could be useful. In particular, they do offer some relatively high current ferrite transformers that could be useful to those building supplies. Their pulsed Marx generator supplies could be used for pulsed fusor operation,although few amateurs operate pulsed mode. Pulsed operation is commonly used in fusor neutron sources for active interrogation applications. I just heard a very interesting report from Toshiba, where they are developing a pulsed fusor based system that uses a Marx generator for subcriticality monitoring in spent fuel storage. We are facing a worldwide problem in the nuclear power industry in that spent fuel storage capacity is reaching limits at many sites. More precise monitoring of subcriticality levels could possibly allow more storage in the existing space (if regulatory authorities can be convinced it is safe).

[Dan Knapp]

Deuterium Source - I just searched multiple sources of deuterium gas and found the best price at Cambridge Isotope laboratories. I bought 50 liters of 99.8% D for $148.00. They charge $95.00 for the non-returnable cylinder and $53.00 for ground UPS shipping. Mine is being shipped to a university address; I don't know if they will sell to individuals. You can order online with a credit card, but they state that orders are subject to review.

[Richard Hull]

I would be amazed if anyone get a home address delivery in the review process without a story line to the seller.

A university address is an instant OK. I had all of mine shipped to my company which was D&B listed with a Fed I.D.....no problem.
Way back, 1999, I ordered a cylinder through my welding shop with no problems. I have heard that this can generate a federal form coming at you from some welding gas suppliers requesting usage explanations.

Richard Hull

[Todd Massure]

A local university here always has lots of technical and lab surplus for sale, including vacuum items:
https://surplus.ucsd.edu/