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Making your own Farnsworth Fusor
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Staying alive: Fusor Safety!
As with any nuclear-related project, safety must be taken into consideration. Here are some of the biggest dangers associated with this project:
- High Voltage; the voltages required in ANY kind of fusor are LETHAL! If you accidentally come into contact with the live wire, you will be dead before you even knew you made a mistake! If you get shocked, it my not be your first experience of electrocution, but it will certainly be your last!
- Mechanical Hazards; Poorly made vacuum chambers can implode, sending shards of glass and metal into your face. Welding torches are hot! Machining metal produces razor-sharp metal chips. Always wear eye protection when appropriate and avoid the use of glass in a vacuum system if you plan on going above 5000 volts.
- Radiation; this should be the least of your worries until about 15,000 volts of acceleration potential. At this point, x-rays start to emanate from viewports due to electron and ion bombardment of metals in the chamber. Always use a camera or mirror to peer into the viewport. X-rays can cause burns and lead to cancer. Above 40,000 volts, x-rays will start to come through the stainless steel chamber walls. At this point, you will need to use lead shielding. Neutron radiation is the most dangerous form of radiation known to man, but the fusor does not put out enough of it to be dangerous until about 45,000 volts. It can easily be shielded with water, wax or plastic. You can also minimize your exposure by standing well away from the fusor, or by operating it for only 20 minutes per week.