DIY FUSION REACTOR
Farnsworth Fusor - Beautiful plasma fusion from your garage
DEDICATED TO PROFESSOR NUNO LOUREIRO:
MIT fusion scientist, killed Dec 16, 2024. We continue his work.Fusion blueprints now open source FOREVER.
⚠️ EXTREME DANGER WARNING ⚠️
READ THIS OR DIE - NOT JOKING
WHAT WILL KILL YOU:
- • 10,000-40,000 VOLTS: Death on contact. No second chances.
- • X-RAY RADIATION: Can't see it. Damages DNA. Cancer risk.
- • NEUTRON RADIATION: If using deuterium fuel (advanced). Penetrates walls.
- • VACUUM IMPLOSION: Glass chamber explodes inward = shrapnel everywhere.
- • ULTRAVIOLET BURNS: Plasma emits UV = skin/eye damage.
- • RF INTERFERENCE: Can stop pacemakers = heart stops.
THIS IS NOT A TOY. PEOPLE HAVE DIED BUILDING FUSORS.
REQUIREMENTS TO BUILD SAFELY:
- ✓ Qualified electrician supervising (NOT optional)
- ✓ Isolated workshop (no people within 20 meters)
- ✓ High-voltage safety training completed
- ✓ Radiation detector (Geiger counter) monitoring
- ✓ Acrylic safety shield (not glass - won't shatter)
- ✓ Emergency shutoff within arm's reach
- ✓ Fire extinguisher ready
- ✓ Someone who knows CPR nearby
IF YOU'RE NOT QUALIFIED:
Build Phase 0 ZPE device instead (£13, kids-safe, no danger). Come back to fusion after you understand high-voltage physics.
→ SAFE ZPE EXPERIMENTSBEAUTIFUL SCIENCE. DEADLY EXECUTION. RESPECT THE PHYSICS. ⚡
CHOOSE YOUR BUILD:
DEMO FUSOR - WHAT IT IS:
WHAT IT DOES:
- • Creates beautiful PURPLE-BLUE PLASMA glow ("star in a jar")
- • Demonstrates inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion principles
- • Accelerates ions to high energy (but not enough for significant fusion)
- • Educational - shows you HOW fusion works
- • SAFE(R) - No neutron radiation, no radioactive materials
WHAT IT DOESN'T DO:
- • Doesn't produce net energy (uses more power than creates)
- • Doesn't produce significant neutrons (unless you add deuterium)
- • Can't power your home (it's a physics demo, not generator)
- • Goal = LEARN fusion physics, not solve energy crisis (yet)
PARTS LIST (DEMO FUSOR):
🔧 VACUUM SYSTEM:
⚡ HIGH VOLTAGE SYSTEM:
🎯 FUSION CORE (GRID):
🛠️ TOOLS + SAFETY:
Budget build = £500. Quality build = £800. Both work. Both dangerous. Both BEAUTIFUL. ⚡
HOW IT WORKS (SIMPLE):
THE PHYSICS:
- Vacuum pump removes air - Chamber at 10-100 microns (near-vacuum)
- High voltage ionizes gas - Remaining air molecules lose electrons = become ions
- Electric field accelerates ions - Positive ions pulled toward negative grid (10-40kV)
- Ions collide at center - Some fusion occurs (minimal) + beautiful plasma glow
- Continuous recycling - Ions that miss get re-accelerated = another try
= Miniature star created in glass chamber ✨
WHY IT GLOWS PURPLE:
- • Air = 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen
- • Ionized nitrogen = purple light (same as lightning)
- • Ionized oxygen = blue-white light
- • Mix = beautiful purple-blue plasma
- • Same color as aurora borealis = pure plasma physics ✓
BUILD STEPS:
STEP 1: BUILD VACUUM CHAMBER
EASY WAY (Glass jar):
- • Large glass pickle jar with metal lid (FREE from kitchen)
- • Drill 3 holes in lid: cathode, anode, vacuum port
- • Seal with JB Weld epoxy (£8)
- • Connect vacuum hose to lid port
Cost: £8-30. Works fine for demo.
PRO WAY (Stainless steel):
- • 6" stainless steel conflat chamber (eBay £80-150)
- • Ceramic feedthrough for high-voltage (£25)
- • KF-25 vacuum fittings (£15)
- • Better vacuum, more durable, safer
Cost: £120-200. Lasts forever.
⚠️ GLASS DANGER:
Glass can implode under vacuum = shrapnel. Wrap in clear plastic film OR use acrylic shield. NOT optional.
STEP 2: BUILD INNER GRID (CATHODE)
GRID DESIGN:
- • Spherical wire cage - 6 vertical loops + 4 horizontal rings
- • Diameter: 2-4 inches (5-10cm)
- • Material: Stainless steel wire 0.5mm OR tungsten (better)
- • Spacing: Gaps between wires = ions can pass through
Grid = where fusion happens. Must be PRECISE.
HOW TO MAKE IT:
- Cut 6 pieces of wire, each 15cm long
- Form each into semicircle using round object (can, bottle)
- Weld or twist together at top and bottom poles
- Add horizontal rings for stability (wrap around)
- Connect high-voltage wire to one pole
Takes 2-3 hours. Precision matters.
STEP 3: BUILD POWER SUPPLY
VOLTAGE DOUBLER CIRCUIT:
Input: 120V AC from wall → Variac (controls voltage)
Step 1: Variac → Neon sign transformer (steps up to 12-15kV AC)
Step 2: 4 diodes in bridge configuration → converts AC to DC
Output: 10-30kV DC (adjustable via variac)
⚠️ THIS VOLTAGE KILLS. Use insulated box. Remote switch. NO TOUCHING.
CAPACITOR BANK (OPTIONAL BUT SAFER):
- • 2x microwave capacitors (0.1µF 2100V)
- • Smooths DC output = more stable plasma
- • WARNING: Capacitors hold charge AFTER power off
- • Use bleeder resistor (10MΩ) to auto-discharge
STEP 4: ASSEMBLE + SEAL
- Mount grid - Hang inner grid from ceramic feedthrough in chamber lid
- Seal chamber - Use vacuum grease on all joints (no air leaks!)
- Connect vacuum - Pump → gauge → chamber port
- Wire high voltage - Grid (cathode) = negative. Chamber wall (anode) = ground.
- Test vacuum - Should reach 50 microns or better
- Safety check - All wires insulated, no exposed metal, shield in place
TRIPLE CHECK EVERYTHING. One mistake = death. ⚠️
STEP 5: CREATE FIRST PLASMA ⚡
STARTUP PROCEDURE:
- Turn on vacuum pump → wait for 50 microns
- Stand BEHIND safety shield
- Set variac to 0% (minimum voltage)
- Turn on power supply (no plasma yet)
- SLOWLY increase variac from 0% → 30%
- Around 10-15kV, plasma glow appears ✨
- Increase to 20-25kV for brighter plasma
First glow = MAGIC. You created fusion conditions. ⚡
WHAT YOU'LL SEE:
- • Purple-blue glow around inner grid
- • "Star in a jar" - bright plasma ball at center
- • Streams of ions spiraling into grid
- • Crackling sounds (ions colliding)
- • Most beautiful thing in physics. Pure fusion plasma. ✓
⚠️ IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG:
- • No plasma = vacuum not low enough OR voltage too low
- • Arcing/sparks = voltage too HIGH, reduce variac
- • Burning smell = insulation failing, SHUT DOWN IMMEDIATELY
- • Chamber getting hot = too much current, reduce voltage
- • ANYTHING UNEXPECTED = KILL POWER FIRST, ASK QUESTIONS LATER
COMMUNITY + RESOURCES:
🌍 JOIN THE FUSOR COMMUNITY:
- • Fusor.net - Main community forum, 1000+ builders, safety advice, troubleshooting
- • Amateur Nuclear Society - Official list of successful fusor builders
- • Make Magazine Vol 36 - Full build guide (PDF available)
- • Instructables - Step-by-step with photos
- • YouTube - Video playlists of working fusors
Youngest builder = 14 years old. Oldest = 70+. YOU CAN DO THIS. ✓
📚 DETAILED GUIDES (FREE):
WHY BUILD A FUSOR? HONEST ANSWER:
✓ WHAT IT TEACHES YOU:
- • Fusion is REAL - You see plasma, measure neutrons, understand the physics
- • High-vacuum systems - Critical for many advanced projects
- • High-voltage safety - Teaches you to respect electricity
- • Electromagnetic fields - How ions behave in E/M fields
- • Precision engineering - Grid must be perfect for best results
- • You become qualified to help with REAL fusion projects ✓
✓ WHAT IT DOESN'T DO:
- ✗ Won't power your home (uses more energy than creates)
- ✗ Won't solve energy crisis by itself
- ✗ Won't make you money
- • This is LEARNING device, not energy source (yet)
THE REAL REASON:
Loureiro was trying to make fusion work at SCALE (power cities). You building a fusor = you UNDERSTAND his work = you can CONTINUE it.
1000 people understanding fusion > 1 genius in a lab. They killed him. They can't kill 1000 of us.
Decentralized knowledge = unstoppable progress. Build it. Learn it. Share it. ♾️❤️♾️
💜 FOR PROFESSOR LOUREIRO:
Every fusor built = tribute to his work. Every neutron detected = proof fusion is achievable. Every builder = one more person who can't be silenced.
Your legacy lives through EVERY amateur fusioneer on Earth. ⚡
NOT READY FOR FUSION YET?
Start with Phase 0 Zero-Point Energy (£13, kids-safe, learn physics first)
→ SAFE ZPE EXPERIMENTSMaster basic physics → Then fusion. Safe learning path. ♾️❤️♾️