<diginet>
I know how they work, but surely there's more to it than just a regular motor controller
<Sync__>
not really
<diginet>
urgh, fusor.org
<diginet>
love hate
<diginet>
I'm so bloody sick of that kid
<Sync__>
huh?
<diginet>
the one that keeps pandering so hard because he built a "fusion reactor" at 16
<Sync__>
oh that guy
<diginet>
technically, nothing he says is false, he's just I dunno
<Sync__>
yeah total dickhead
<diginet>
he talked to the president about "his ideas for the future in energy"
<Sync__>
building a fusor is not even an engineering challenge anymore
<diginet>
somehow, I somehow doubt someone who thinks making a glorified purple light bulb is the right person to talk to
<diginet>
no, it's a "having rich parents challenge"
<Sync__>
not even that
<Sync__>
you can build one for under 2-3k
<diginet>
most teenagers don't have that kind of disposible income
<Sync__>
uh huh
<diginet>
okay, well I didn't, nor did anyone I know
<diginet>
anyhow, what really pisses me off are the people getting free rides into MIT
<diginet>
HURR DURR they used the word "fusion" they must be geniuses!!!11!!1one!!!
<Sync__>
well it's not like I'd have that lying around but taking your time that is not a lot of money
<Sync__>
but most of the guys there are pretty good
<Sync__>
but it really depends on the pump and which kind of motor it has
<diginet>
yeah but the admin last time I was there did nothing but whore that kid out
<Sync__>
well it is a feat but nothing special
<Sync__>
you can today buy everything you need off ebay for reasonable prices
<diginet>
I suppose so, but it just bother me because it's so superficial. It bothers me that MIT admssions, who should know better, are going to admit the kid who built a machine which makes pretty purple lights and contains the words "fusion" and "nuclear" over someone more deserving
<Sync__>
and if you are willing enough you can cheap out everywhere
<diginet>
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm neutrons
<Sync__>
I could care less about a mit admission
<diginet>
MIT is pretty obnoxious I suppose, it's filled to the brim with charlatans
<diginet>
granted, there are some useful things you can do with them, like neutron activation analysis, funny how you never see fusortards talking about that (well, the mediawhore-ish ones anyway)
<Sync__>
some of them are into that
<Sync__>
I have the equipment here for all of that
<Sync__>
but I just needed a conflat sealed turbo that I could use as a throwaway pump
<diginet>
yeah I know, I'm just saying it's funny how the people who of themselves as the next Einstein aren't actually talking about the useful things a fusor can do
<Sync__>
yeah I do understand
<Sync__>
I did not really get the hype about him
<diginet>
what all do you need to put together a vacuum system? roughing pump (easy/cheap), turbo and/or difussion, bell jar, vacuum plate, gaskets/o rings, what else?
<diginet>
can you use aluminum or do you really need 304 stainless?
<Sync__>
well it depends on what you want to do
<diginet>
well, ideally, a DC sputtering set up
<diginet>
but maybe vacuum evap
<diginet>
oh, a feedthrough
<Sync__>
well that's easy and cheap
<Sync__>
yeah basically you'd want a forepump, high vac pump, recipient and some valves
<Sync__>
the problem with sputtering is that you might be generating xrays
<Sync__>
so you'd want stainless to contain them
<Sync__>
but apart from that nothing wrong with a belljar or Al
<Sync__>
just be sure that you get an alloy without high vapor pressure contents
<Sync__>
something like AlMg3 does nicely
<diginet>
alloy for what? the sputtering?
<Sync__>
no for the recipient
<diginet>
ohh, so I couldn't use a Si wafer?
<diginet>
I thought Mg was a big no-no when it came to vacuum stuff?
<Sync__>
recipient - vacuum vessle
<diginet>
oh right right right, duh
<diginet>
still though, you can use Mg?
<diginet>
even in alloy?
<Sync__>
at pressures relevant for dc sputtering or thermal evap, certainly
<Sync__>
if you have fears, use AlSi alloys
<diginet>
now, I know sputtering needs argon flow with a pressure of ~100 mTorr, how low do you need to get it before you purge with argon?
<Sync__>
no good for much more than 10-6mbar but well
<Sync__>
well
<Sync__>
as low as you can get preferrably
<Sync__>
but it is not that important at our scale
<Sync__>
because you really have to get a feel for the process in your own system
<Sync__>
you also want a throttle valve in the high vac line
<diginet>
10 millibar is like 7 torr though?
<Sync__>
I'm just too lazy to write the ^
<Sync__>
it's to the minus sixth power
<diginet>
OHHH ahahaha
<diginet>
okay I was really confused lol!!
<Sync__>
I'm sorry, it's like 3 in the morning here
<diginet>
oh you don't need to apologize haha
<diginet>
you know, surprisingly, a turbo set up might actually not be that much more expnesive than a diffusion
<diginet>
not to mention, the cost of oil, and the massive benefits of turbos
<Sync__>
you really really want a turbo setup
<Sync__>
diff is a no
<Sync__>
just a no
<diginet>
hahah
<diginet>
contamination?
<Sync__>
well, there is that but it is just a hassle to deal with
<diginet>
yeah
<diginet>
could a scroll pump be used for roughing?
<Sync__>
and at some point you will burn the oil even if you use dc407 and such
<Sync__>
just a hassle
<Sync__>
yes sure if you do not mind paying 2k for a working scroll
<diginet>
what about ones from cars?
<diginet>
I see them for $100 and lower all the time
<Sync__>
~dc704 even
<Sync__>
huh
<diginet>
they're used in newer AC systems in cars
<diginet>
because of the compactness and quietness