Care to post your schematic for the power supply...? I wouldn't mind checking it out...
As far as home brew transistors, I would say this is basically a "no" - I remember from tech school that a transistor was approximately something like a couple of diodes connected together (its one way you can test transistors with a meter), but that a working transistor can't be built this way (I don't remember the specifics, but it has to do with the PN junctions being directly connected - as in manufactured that way). I also seem to recall (somewhere) a homebrew transistor (or transistor-like) device being made with salt-water and glass jars or similar; it was more meant as a "science-project" demonstration device, and not something for actual use (not very efficient, and so therefore likely wouldn't meet your desires anyhow).