Hello I am a Mechanical Engineer major just starting college and was interested in making a Microwave Radiation emitter similar to the one used in the video at the link bellow this. The video is an anime so I dont know if a Microwave Radiation emitter like the one in the anime is possible but I want to build one obviously on a much smaller one than the one in this anime. The one using a microwave radiation emitter is the red mecha with the silver hand. Near the beggining of the video it grabs the head of another mecha and turns the microwave radiation emitter on and frys the other mecha.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5922WhbegUE

I want to build one in my home and I need a list of materials I need and what safety procautions I should take to make sure I dont hurt myself. I know I probably wont be able to build one as powerful as the one in the anime but I want to be able to use it to warp metal and I'd like to make it as small as possible.

I deleted a reply to your question that ran afoul of our policy against mean-spirited comments.

But, perhaps Mr. Mean Spirited did have a point. Your question seems to be something of the form "I saw this thing in a cartoon. Can you help me do it?" Unfortunately, the answer to a question like that is invariably in the negative. If you have something a little more grounded in reality, we might be able to be more helpful.

Using the magnetron outside of a microwave is pretty dangerous, there's a very real possibility of blindness, tumors, infertility (well on your way to a Darwin award ) not to mention those pesky 3rd degree burns.

Anyway, it's definitely possible to make a microwave weapon, but not anything you'd be able to use as a hand held "pistol". And most kitchen microwave ovens are a pitiful 2-3kw, I'd look into salvaging an old airport/telecommunications radar emitter as they are 100+kw. Military radar emitters are known to kill small wildlife, birds, rabbits, etc.

If you do actually build one, it's generally not recommended to point it at a metal object or surface, as microwaves readily reflect.

www.freedomsphoenix.com/Find-Freedom.htm?At=039605

This website had some interesting information about your project. I work in customer service and recently recieved a phone call from a customer complaining that someone was emitting microwaves at her through her window. This is all I found that sounded legitimate though.

As was briefly mentioned above, metals generally reflect microwaves. If they didn't, RADAR wouldn't work, because nothing would bounce back. Microwave ovens work like they do because the energy is absorbed by water, which meat and vegetables (and this cup of coffee) are just chock full of. The metal inside the oven reflects the energy to keep it inside.

Running an unshielded magnetron pointed at a piece of metal would be like running your microwave oven inside-out. The only 'safety precaution' you need is to not do it.

And check the ARRL and FCC sites about them, if you really need to know about microwave safety issues... You're legally supposed to have a radio license just to unscrew the panel on one.

Let me start out by saying I am an auto mechanic and I was staring at my microwave oven while heating up some coffee one day and it dawned on me that hey I could use this. Now after reading your past entries this so called ray gun would be perfect for the application i have in mind. To make a long story short I want to bring back the steam engine, but alas thats the easy part. The wall that I've somewhat collided with is determining how much my microwave needs to be putting out to vaporize the water being used and how much power one would need to supply to maintain the emitters demand. I would greatly appreciate any feedback.

Thanks guys

I would suspect that the energy used to drive a magnetron to boil water would outstrip the useful energy subsequently drawn from the steam generated. So, while such a thing would probably work, it wouldn't have the oomph you could have received from an electric motor using the same power supply.

Add to that, the aforementioned FCC license and personal safety issues.

Google "Stirling engine" for some different steam engine-related ideas. They'll run on pretty much anything, from solar magnifiers to the heat of your hand. But it's probably best to leave the microwave to make your go-juice.

Thank you karlgg, i suspect you're right. The past few days I have been discussing this matter with a friend of mine who used to work for GM and is now a teacher of automotive technologies. He came to about the same conculsion as you, also he reminded me of the safety precautions that would be a must. I'll just have to search elsewhere to find a more plausible solution. I'll try to post any breakthroughs I stumble upon, Burt out.

If you're able to do this, please make a video of you shooting a an apple off of someone's head, but instead of an apple, make it a t-bone steak, and instead of knocking it off his head, just make it medium-well, and when it's done toss him a bottle of A-1 and a fork and knife and go at it..ooooh yeaaaahh.

@ Gurenmark2
Well, it is possible to get a microwave emitter from your microwave oven. Generating microwaves is one thing, but generating enough of them to warp metal is another. Placing a metal object in a microwave would cause sparks to fly from it instead of warping it. If you want to destroy metal objects with cool handheld microwave emitters so badly, then I suggest that you look up the U.S Military's microwave laser project. I would say that their laser is quite a bit more sizeable than what you propose.

re. warping metal... How about melting it to liquid?

google:

microwave smelter

As was temporarily described above, materials usually indicate micro waves. If they didn't, RADAR wouldn't perform, because nothing would recovery. Microwaves perform like they do because the power is consumed by drinking water, which meat and veggies (and this cup of coffee) are just filled with. The steel in the range shows the power to keep it within.

Running an unshielded magnetron indicated at a item of steel would be like managing your micro-wave inside-out. The only 'safety precaution' you need is to not do it.

And examine the ARRL and FCC websites about them, if you really need to know about microwave range concerns of protection... You're lawfully expected to have a r / c stations certificate just to unscrew the section on one.