Uranium fever has done and got me down Uranium fever, it's spreadin' all around With a Geiger counter in my hand I'm a-goin' out to stake me some government land Uranium fever has done and got me down...
Hoooo! That's a scary story. Hope you won't be ill because of your passion Ab. Put that in a box and down the basement. Stay safe. Hope to see you repairing soon!¡😀
Your words say you are a wise person! Recently I have bought a radium wall clock that's why I am here! My clock does not shine all the time ! After turning off the lights, immediately my clock shines very well but gradually it fades and does not glow ! Why? Can you explain?
The radioactivity of the radium excites the paint, usually some kind of zinc based material, which makes it give off light. The constant bombarding of radiation weakens the paint over time until it is very weak or will only glow for a short while. Eventually it will not glow at all but the radiation from the radium is still being given off as strongly as it was when painted on. There are modern relumining paints that can be applied over the old paint for good effect. Since the radium has an element of danger to it I am not certain that trying to repaint it would be a good idea. It is a relic of history. Hope that helps and thank you for watching.
How old were those hands you put the Meter on ? My other hobby is WWII jeeps and all those gages have radium . I was under the impression that after 50 or 60 years , they were basically inert .......? Guess I was wrong ? very interesting video
From the 1930's. Remember I'm not an expert. 😁It is a common misconception that if the hands don't glow, they are inert. What goes inert is the phosphorus paint that accompanies the radium. Essentially, the radioactivity of the radium agitates the phosphorus to make it glow, but over time the phosphorus become weak from constant bombardment and will eventually stop glowing, but the radium is still doing its thing. Since the radium is in the paint which eventually will flake off, that is the primary danger, if particles are inhaled, when not handled properly.
I just found an old Civil Defense Gamma/Beta Geiger counter. And it works well. Tested on a baby Ben clock, WWII compass, and vaseline glass. Tried on the antique glowing porcelain and no radiation. Only radium painted dials have a reading. Watches with radium and vaseline/depression glass barely register, while the baby ben and compass are notable. I'll make a video on it when possible. You have to really get close on the clock for a reading at x1 micro Rens. x0.1 makes it look scary, but not dangerous. If you scrape the radium in a bowl and snorted it a few weeks, you'd have an issue.
Any amount of radium dust that is inhaled will stay in the lungs and continue to radiate, it will never stop. The cumulative effect of this to me is scary but then I'm a delicate flower. 🌷😸
@@time4clocks Thankfully you're not a walking clock dial, Ab. 😅 Eventually the radium will leave the body through long natural processes(takes a long time). That said, like asbestos (I deal with it frequently when repairing antique heaters), any amount should be avoided. When I've cleaned and repainted radium, I wet the dial before removing the radium paint to stop becoming airborne, and used gloves. Same with asbestos. I need to find the vial of radium paint I put away some years ago(3/4 full, and I wrapped in a lead sheet and put up in the workshop attic). Bet that thing will ping the Geiger counter out(I likely won't go looking for it, as I bought it before know HOW bad radium was - I had planned to use it before a google search). 😮
@@time4clocks 😅 I had to do research, because before I knew about the dangers in the 7 main hobbies I have, I was exposed to lots of radiation (antique television repair) and asbestos (lining and cords for high heat devices - which have to use asbestos lined wire still...ugh. .NOS toaster cords are great, but have asbestos. Mathematically I should be long free of the exposures, but scary nonetheless! If I can ever muster the courage to do videos in person, there are so many fun stories and warnings I've learned. 😱 Edit: Noteworthy I sold all the antique television stuff after blowing a Zenith tube up on my stomach, chest, and face when I was 22yo. Recharging the tube and meter was faulty. 😔
@@antiquesandlearningtolive4369 I've heard that wheatgrass juice is good for detox. Maybe you have a juice bar in the area? I'm sure there are many things we encounter daily now that years from now they will say how stupid such people were to use such things....I really don't worry about it. Just try to control what I'm able. You might be a bit camera shy but I was that way as well. Your profile pic is very nice so I don't think you have anything to worry about. 😎
I wash off the radium paint with acetone, into a glass container, throw away the clock, after acetone evaporates the radium goes into a small borated glass tube, to use as a check source for geiger counter and scintillation detector.
Hello Werner! I just watched a video of a Trödelmarkt in Überherrn, and was amazed at all the antique treasures that are available at good prices. Do you ever visit such places? Best wishes to you! 😸
Uranium fever has done and got me down
Uranium fever, it's spreadin' all around
With a Geiger counter in my hand
I'm a-goin' out to stake me some government land
Uranium fever has done and got me down...
OK.......😸
Atom bomb baby little atom bomb
I want her in my wigwam
She's just the way I want her to be
A million times hotter than TNT!
This is 3 Dog, owwwwwww!
that's for that education! fascinating.
Good follow up. You dug deeper than I. Many words and thoughts of wisdom.
Thank you, friend Zeke!! Hope you are doing well! Wishing the best for you always! 😸😸
Hoooo! That's a scary story. Hope you won't be ill because of your passion Ab. Put that in a box and down the basement. Stay safe. Hope to see you repairing soon!¡😀
Thanks Fabien! 2 pineapples, 😹😹
Your words say you are a wise person! Recently I have bought a radium wall clock that's why I am here! My clock does not shine all the time ! After turning off the lights, immediately my clock shines very well but gradually it fades and does not glow ! Why? Can you explain?
The radioactivity of the radium excites the paint, usually some kind of zinc based material, which makes it give off light. The constant bombarding of radiation weakens the paint over time until it is very weak or will only glow for a short while. Eventually it will not glow at all but the radiation from the radium is still being given off as strongly as it was when painted on. There are modern relumining paints that can be applied over the old paint for good effect. Since the radium has an element of danger to it I am not certain that trying to repaint it would be a good idea. It is a relic of history. Hope that helps and thank you for watching.
Amazing and yet a bit scary. Thanks so much for finding this information. God Bless my Friend.
Thanks Mike! And now it's time for a big coffee! 🍵😸
THANK YOU FOR THIS INFORMATION, I NEVER KNEW.
My pleasure, Miss Tracci! 😁
How old were those hands you put the Meter on ? My other hobby is WWII jeeps and all those gages have radium . I was under the impression that after 50 or 60 years , they were basically inert .......? Guess I was wrong ? very interesting video
From the 1930's. Remember I'm not an expert. 😁It is a common misconception that if the hands don't glow, they are inert. What goes inert is the phosphorus paint that accompanies the radium. Essentially, the radioactivity of the radium agitates the phosphorus to make it glow, but over time the phosphorus become weak from constant bombardment and will eventually stop glowing, but the radium is still doing its thing. Since the radium is in the paint which eventually will flake off, that is the primary danger, if particles are inhaled, when not handled properly.
I've heard of the poor ladies, yes indeed, very bad. Watchmakers do special care with radium.
Yes. It makes me shy away from working on them although others tell me it's harmless. Better safe than sorry, as they say. 😸
I just found an old Civil Defense Gamma/Beta Geiger counter. And it works well. Tested on a baby Ben clock, WWII compass, and vaseline glass. Tried on the antique glowing porcelain and no radiation. Only radium painted dials have a reading. Watches with radium and vaseline/depression glass barely register, while the baby ben and compass are notable.
I'll make a video on it when possible.
You have to really get close on the clock for a reading at x1 micro Rens. x0.1 makes it look scary, but not dangerous. If you scrape the radium in a bowl and snorted it a few weeks, you'd have an issue.
Any amount of radium dust that is inhaled will stay in the lungs and continue to radiate, it will never stop. The cumulative effect of this to me is scary but then I'm a delicate flower. 🌷😸
@@time4clocks Thankfully you're not a walking clock dial, Ab. 😅
Eventually the radium will leave the body through long natural processes(takes a long time). That said, like asbestos (I deal with it frequently when repairing antique heaters), any amount should be avoided. When I've cleaned and repainted radium, I wet the dial before removing the radium paint to stop becoming airborne, and used gloves. Same with asbestos.
I need to find the vial of radium paint I put away some years ago(3/4 full, and I wrapped in a lead sheet and put up in the workshop attic). Bet that thing will ping the Geiger counter out(I likely won't go looking for it, as I bought it before know HOW bad radium was - I had planned to use it before a google search). 😮
@@antiquesandlearningtolive4369 Oh my! 😷😁
@@time4clocks 😅
I had to do research, because before I knew about the dangers in the 7 main hobbies I have, I was exposed to lots of radiation (antique television repair) and asbestos (lining and cords for high heat devices - which have to use asbestos lined wire still...ugh.
.NOS toaster cords are great, but have asbestos. Mathematically I should be long free of the exposures, but scary nonetheless!
If I can ever muster the courage to do videos in person, there are so many fun stories and warnings I've learned. 😱
Edit: Noteworthy I sold all the antique television stuff after blowing a Zenith tube up on my stomach, chest, and face when I was 22yo. Recharging the tube and meter was faulty. 😔
@@antiquesandlearningtolive4369 I've heard that wheatgrass juice is good for detox. Maybe you have a juice bar in the area? I'm sure there are many things we encounter daily now that years from now they will say how stupid such people were to use such things....I really don't worry about it. Just try to control what I'm able. You might be a bit camera shy but I was that way as well. Your profile pic is very nice so I don't think you have anything to worry about. 😎
I wash off the radium paint with acetone, into a glass container, throw away the clock, after acetone evaporates the radium goes into a small borated glass tube, to use as a check source for geiger counter and scintillation detector.
That is a clever and unique use!
Thank you
These things sit in homes, quietly. They end up in dumps, broken. They sit in antique and thrift shops. One wonders why we have turbo cancers.
It might be a shorter list, these days, of what doesn't cause cancer. You're right though. Ignorance is not bliss. 🙀👍
And vintage aircraft instruments! Very spicy.
Yes! You are right! 👍
Hello Ab, it seems you also work with very dangerous pieces. Looks really dangerous. Wish you all the best and take care. Greetings Werner ! 👍
Hello Werner! I just watched a video of a Trödelmarkt in Überherrn, and was amazed at all the antique treasures that are available at good prices. Do you ever visit such places? Best wishes to you! 😸
@@time4clocksHello Ab, I rarely come to such places, I'm actually more at meetings with musicians and friends. Greetings Werner!