John Kasaian
19-Jun-2007, 17:13
"Is Monica in?" I asked at the window.
"We'll page her. Is she expecting you?"
"Yes. I spoke with her this morning about my radio active lens" I said, resting my well taped up cardboard box on the window ledge.
"Is that radio active?" the receptionist asked.
"I've heard that these are emitters" I replied, "thats why I'm here."
"Where did you get it?" Someone from back in the office asked.
"Why, eBay of course!" I replied.
Laughter.
FWIW The only thing resembling a serial # is hand-etched EE17569 on the barrel of the front element. I took it to the Nuclear Medicine department at the local hospital, seperated the front and rear elements and the techs did the geiger counter thing and then ran it through a camera of some sort that was connected to a computer screen. Here's what they told me: It's giving off one mg of radiation a minute and at a distance of two feet the reading is "background" meaning it is undescernable from background radiation (the everyday stuff) Whatever isotopes it is emitting were not of discernable levels. The cardboard box lined with wonderboard (cement impregnated fiberglass) which I brought the lens in with (I couldn't find any sheet lead) cut the emissions down to .1 mg. The only hazard I was warned of was to avoid using it if I should become pregnant :D , or let children play with it. Either way not a problem and its certainly not a weapon of mass destruction!
This was quite an interesting experience! The nuclear medicine people were very nice and actually took a genuine interest in what I had planned for this grubby old lens. I promised them prints if I get any good ones.
This presents a bit of a hitch in the plans, as I don't want to take my son with me (he's 6) and expose him to the lens for half a day and night, but thats nothing that an overnight visit with his favorite auntie can't fix, is it?
Cheers!
"We'll page her. Is she expecting you?"
"Yes. I spoke with her this morning about my radio active lens" I said, resting my well taped up cardboard box on the window ledge.
"Is that radio active?" the receptionist asked.
"I've heard that these are emitters" I replied, "thats why I'm here."
"Where did you get it?" Someone from back in the office asked.
"Why, eBay of course!" I replied.
Laughter.
FWIW The only thing resembling a serial # is hand-etched EE17569 on the barrel of the front element. I took it to the Nuclear Medicine department at the local hospital, seperated the front and rear elements and the techs did the geiger counter thing and then ran it through a camera of some sort that was connected to a computer screen. Here's what they told me: It's giving off one mg of radiation a minute and at a distance of two feet the reading is "background" meaning it is undescernable from background radiation (the everyday stuff) Whatever isotopes it is emitting were not of discernable levels. The cardboard box lined with wonderboard (cement impregnated fiberglass) which I brought the lens in with (I couldn't find any sheet lead) cut the emissions down to .1 mg. The only hazard I was warned of was to avoid using it if I should become pregnant :D , or let children play with it. Either way not a problem and its certainly not a weapon of mass destruction!
This was quite an interesting experience! The nuclear medicine people were very nice and actually took a genuine interest in what I had planned for this grubby old lens. I promised them prints if I get any good ones.
This presents a bit of a hitch in the plans, as I don't want to take my son with me (he's 6) and expose him to the lens for half a day and night, but thats nothing that an overnight visit with his favorite auntie can't fix, is it?
Cheers!