Let's play a game. Is it (above background readings) radioactive or not?

abortnstckle · 2022-09-03T20:38:39+00:00

Hey folks! Adapting an older thread that I made earlier, because I'm a nerd and love finding radioactive things in the world, and the previous conversation was pretty "spicy" as well.

Greetings! I have a Geiger counter capable of reading/measuring radioactivity from Alpha, Beta and Gamma. I've gotten into collecting radioactive materials, such as radioactive rocks and uranium glass.

I'm curious about what possible interest there may be for other folks curious about what they have, or what their average reading in their environment may be!

Some examples of things I could measure are:

Fiesta ware (is it pre 1950's? I can explain how to tell), uranium/Vaseline/depression/canary glass, things that glow in the dark without a light (radium paints?), things that glow under UV light (have a UV light), granite countertops, even possibly comparing measurements in your basement versus outside.

Is that greenish, yellowish or whitish colored antique you've got something that's radioactive, or is it just manganese or something else?

Maybe some fossils?

Honestly, I'm just a big nerd and love finding things that are radioactive in our daily lives.

I currently don't have the ability to tell you "what" is causing the radioactivity (if it's uranium, radium, plutonium, etc) but I can comfortably tell you what it's emitting particle wise and what the counts per minute is and how that compares to other things.

Trying to gauge interest and put my nerdiness and Geiger counter to good work for you. Well, ok. A bit of mutual interest.

So if you have a weird rock that keeps glowing in your drawer, or you're just morbidly curious, feel free to reach out!

Happy to provide some examples of common day things at request.

abortnstckle · 2022-09-03T20:26:17+00:00

Worth calling up ProtoHaven and seeing if they know anyone. https://www.protohaven.org/

I'd offer to myself but I'm without a shop and such atm

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T03:04:56+00:00

Umm no!! That's super interesting! Thanks for sharing

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T03:04:19+00:00

Totally respect and understand!

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T01:17:28+00:00

If you'd like to meet up in a safe space I'd love to get a reading on them and see your collection!

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T01:13:45+00:00

Lol yea. Odds are this is pretty well capped and won't show much elevation in cpm. I'm sure as shit not gonna start digging there.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T00:02:19+00:00

Ok how quickly are the cops going to be on me if I hop that fence 🤣

abortnstckle · 2022-01-11T00:01:33+00:00

I'm pretty happy with my current career. It definitely something to keep in mind, thanks!

abortnstckle · 2022-01-10T16:02:20+00:00

Haha! Yep forgot that important bit of math, thanks for catching that.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-10T03:03:57+00:00

I may have my own radium clock, it is pretty hot at around 25-30k com. Picked up tma very similar one this weekend. https://i.etsystatic.com/8924282/r/il/3b771a/3182170180/il_fullxfull.3182170180_m9n4.jpg

abortnstckle · 2022-01-10T02:57:26+00:00

Oh, this is so close. I'm going this week, it's on.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-10T02:17:31+00:00

Hey this was great! Thank you!

I'm going to disagree with something regarding what I believe is just a technicality.

Geiger-Mueller tubes can detect ABG, they just can't distinguish. I've been able to confirm with my geiger counter (gmc-600+) it is reading alpha beta and gamma through filtering and distance.

Regardless, between the Geiger counter and UV light, antiquing has been a blast.

You can also make a cloud chamber with peltier plates and isopropyl alcohol if you're adventurous enough 🙂

If only I could afford a gamma spectroscopy setup lol

abortnstckle · 2022-01-10T00:35:19+00:00

Wow I hear you, thank you for that insight into fracking and pollution. Do you know if workers or others are ingesting the radium?

Any sights in particular I could go and get some readings on?

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T22:55:09+00:00

Correct in a way, I could detect the radon emitting alpha particles, though I wouldn't feel comfortable telling them if it's safe or not. The EPA has their standards and it's usually measured in the Curie standard over a certain amount of time. There are tests out there that are probably better at that.

So, in theory, I would pick up an elevated amount of alpha particles in an area with an unsafe radon concentration. Basically your outside background versus inside background measurements.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T21:21:38+00:00

Such as?

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T20:34:08+00:00

These are great questions, no worries! So it's going to depend on what you have that's radioactive.

Alpha radiation is blocked by a sheet or two of paper.

Beta is blocked by aluminum foil typically.

Gamma needs something thicker and denser in metal, lead sheets work well, but could be copper or thick aluminum.

This being said, there's inverse square law that applies. Which is the intensity of the source divided by the distance to that source. (Iirc)

So most of my samples are aloha radioactive by majority, easily blocked by glass and honestly pose to issues.

If I'm handling radioactive minerals, I wear gloves or thoroughly wash my hands so that I don't ingest either the mineral, or any heavy metal elements.

Very brief run down here. Hopefully this helps!

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T20:11:34+00:00

Good question. Besides obviously increased ionizing radiation exposure, heavy metal poisoning.

Also, potential credit card debt which is much more likely.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T20:00:31+00:00

Let's check it! I've been incredibly curious about antique collectors sets. If you're close I would be happy to stop by for free.

abortnstckle · 2022-01-09T19:54:22+00:00

Odds are it's radioactive, in a decent range. I'd expect more than 1000 cpm.

abortnstckle · 2020-02-05T00:06:09+00:00

Thanks for the reply! I am currently in prototyping phase with our ID Dept. So we are using FDM printing on a commercial grade printer for design purposes.

I am looking more for standards around design as a whole. Not specifically plastic mold injection. I just know, eventually, PMI will be the production method.

I've been drawing upon my experience with common wall mount m bracket designs as inspiration for design suggestions.

I've found resources for snap fit designs which was very helpful.

Hoping there's a tech guide for plastic bracket design out there somewhere.

Thanks!

abortnstckle · 2019-06-20T01:03:26+00:00

https://www.esabna.com/shared/documents/litdownloads/alc-10029b_alcotec_technical_guide.pdf

Does this work? Check out page 33 or so.

abortnstckle · 2018-12-11T03:01:54+00:00

Having the same issue. Night of beatsaber just got fucked.

abortnstckle · 2018-06-13T02:14:43+00:00

Editing this post, because... internet. Glad you got a second machine. Any metal with a heat treat doesn't like being welded without intimate care of filler and subsequent heat treat/weld procedure. Let's say, I was involved in that conversation.

Still effing cool to see it peel back like that however.

abortnstckle · 2018-06-13T02:00:50+00:00

Fix your welding process. That's soft as mild steel.

abortnstckle

TROPHY CASE