Where can I get hold of a geiger counter?

Where can I get hold of a geiger counter?

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Swarley

Original Poster:

5,278 posts

237 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
I use a 1944 Francis Barker prismatic marching compass, for the odd bit of hiking/climbing and what not.
Now I have just had a thought, this thing could be radioactive!
And a normally keep it in my trouser pocket when I'm out and about. Even worse if its a hot day I sometimes hike in a kilt and put the compass in my sporraneek.

If this thing is radioactive, I have been keeping it a bit too close to the important bits!!eek

So has anybody any idea where I could take it to be checked?


Oh and what is the first sign of radioactive balls?

MGZRod

8,098 posts

182 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Swarley said:
I use a 1944 Francis Barker prismatic marching compass, for the odd bit of hiking/climbing and what not.
Now I have just had a thought, this thing could be radioactive!
And a normally keep it in my trouser pocket when I'm out and about. Even worse if its a hot day I sometimes hike in a kilt and put the compass in my sporraneek.

If this thing is radioactive, I have been keeping it a bit too close to the important bits!!eek

So has anybody any idea where I could take it to be checked?


Oh and what is the first sign of radioactive balls?
Growing another one would be a clear sign, that or hulk sized and coloured!

NitroNick

750 posts

216 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Swarley said:
So has anybody any idea where I could take it to be checked?
a doctor?

Swarley

Original Poster:

5,278 posts

237 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
MGZRod said:
Growing another one would be a clear sign, that or hulk sized and coloured!
Hulk sized and coloured! I could live with that.

So I'm going to turn like spider-man after he was bitten by a radioactive spider?

So a radioactive compass to the cock = what? Will it always point north now?

AndyFoo

1,421 posts

181 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
My boss bought one of eBay.

Try taking it to your local secondary school, ours had a geiger counter for demonstrating radioactivity, maybe have a word with a technician.

ETA: Everything is radioactive btw wink

Edited by AndyFoo on Friday 17th September 17:56

Pesty

42,655 posts

262 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Why would it be dangerously radioactive?



Edited by Pesty on Friday 17th September 17:58

FunkyGibbon

3,795 posts

270 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
AndyFoo said:
My boss bought one of eBay.

Try taking it to your local secondary school, ours had a geiger counter for demonstrating radioactivity, maybe have a word with a technician.
That would be my suggestion too.

speed8

5,035 posts

279 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
To be honest though, the quantities you're talking about are probably so small that it wouldn't be worth worrying over. If you've already grown an extra ball then disregard my comments as it's obviously too late for you.

TheEnd

15,370 posts

194 months

FasterFreddy

8,577 posts

243 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Old, luminous watch hands, compass needles etc. are not dangerous unless you ingest them.

So just don't eat it.

Swarley

Original Poster:

5,278 posts

237 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
speed8 said:
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
To be honest though, the quantities you're talking about are probably so small that it wouldn't be worth worrying over. If you've already grown an extra ball then disregard my comments as it's obviously too late for you.
FasterFreddy said:
Old, luminous watch hands, compass needles etc. are not dangerous unless you ingest them.

So just don't eat it.
Thank you for putting my mind at ease!

Swarley

Original Poster:

5,278 posts

237 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
speed8 said:
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
This might be a silly question but, why?

Dogwatch

6,271 posts

228 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
speed8 said:
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
To be honest though, the quantities you're talking about are probably so small that it wouldn't be worth worrying over. If you've already grown an extra ball then disregard my comments as it's obviously too late for you.
The original luminous watches were a bit iffy because they were strapped to your wrist all day and every day and had relatively strong radiation by today's standards. Hardly the case for a compass dial possibly turning you into the (sterile) Readybrek kid.

eldar

22,647 posts

202 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
FasterFreddy said:
Old, luminous watch hands, compass needles etc. are not dangerous unless you ingest them.

So just don't eat it.
Nasty things, gas mantles and smoke detectors...

http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/radscout.html

Morningside

24,114 posts

235 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Great. It should bang the needle off the scale smile

Also try WW2 aircraft instruments.

speed8

5,035 posts

279 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Swarley said:
speed8 said:
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
To be honest though, the quantities you're talking about are probably so small that it wouldn't be worth worrying over. If you've already grown an extra ball then disregard my comments as it's obviously too late for you.
FasterFreddy said:
Old, luminous watch hands, compass needles etc. are not dangerous unless you ingest them.

So just don't eat it.
Thank you for putting my mind at ease!
Don't take anything I say as gospel!!!
I assume it's radium that's been used in the compass in which case it will be alpha and gamma. Alpha is nothing to worry about but gamma can penetrate. The general rule is time/distance/shielding or double the distance, quarter the dose.
If you want to be sure then lead line your sporran biggrin

If it breaks then don't bother trying to repair it or handling it as it's probably worse for you.

speed8

5,035 posts

279 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Swarley said:
speed8 said:
I've got a geiger meter outside for neutron or gamma.
This might be a silly question but, why?
I've got a couple of sources outside too, we use them for surveys on oil wells. Gamma for measuring density and neutron for porosity.

Mactheknife

122 posts

170 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
The smoke alarms in your house are probably more radioactive.
Only danger from those luminous dials is if you start scraping the luminous paint of and ingest it.

Nice compass though!

hairykrishna

13,537 posts

209 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
Don't eat it and you'll probably be fine. It's also giving out radon, assuming it's radium, but you won't breathe in enough to cause a problem.

Anywhere near Birmingham? If you're worried you can bring it into my lab and we'll wave a meter over it.

Swarley

Original Poster:

5,278 posts

237 months

Friday 17th September 2010
quotequote all
hairykrishna said:
Don't eat it and you'll probably be fine. It's also giving out radon, assuming it's radium, but you won't breathe in enough to cause a problem.

Anywhere near Birmingham? If you're worried you can bring it into my lab and we'll wave a meter over it.
Thank you for the offer!

Its sounding quite safe now, thanks for all the advice!