this is only part 1 and the playlist embeds arent working here yet but you can watch the whole thing through if you go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHNR6xk8G7o&feature=PlayList&p=B3CDFAB9B55A44D0&index=0&playnext=1

I remember reading a while back about this. As a joke based on this story a few years ago, the U. Chicago Scavenger Hunt included: "A breeder reactor built in a shed, and the boy scout badge to prove credit was given where boy scout credit was due. [500 points]"

And in true Scav style, two physics students managed to complete this task in less than the space of a day.

Myself, I try to stay away from the glow-y, dangerous things. Also meth.

yes, that was done by Fred Niell ( http://www.niell.org/ ) who, amazingly, won the International Science and Engineering Fair in the 90's by actually building a cylotron in his garage! ( http://www.niell.org/cyc2.html ) If you saw "Stephen Hawking's Universe" in '97 on BBC or PBS, that was also him doing the linac demo (at 8:00 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRThXjIMo0A ). He did advanced particle physics research at Fermilab and then just sort of dropped off the face of the earth a few years ago. He does have a flickr account though.... http://www.flickr.com/photos/99408389@N00/page3/

I didn't disappear off the face of the earth! I just grew up and have a real job now. The Stephen Hawking's Universe thing you mention is just one of the two parts of that episode on youtube. I was a scientific advisor for the video you posted about David Hahn. The entire video is about 26 minutes, and the last scene has a photo of me and my roommate the day we made the reactor!