Need a cheap "radiac" for Haloween

[Chip G]

I am somewhat of a laymen when it comes to electronics but hope that you can
point me in the right direction. I want to build a "radiac" as part of a
Haloween prop.

Basically, I intend to put a few cheap components inside a small cardboard
box with a handle... paint it yellow and put the familiar magenta radiation
symbology on the box. Then I intend to use an old curly phone cord to
connect to a paper towel tube to simulate the "sensor" for the radiac.

I poked around at my local Radio Shack and came up with a Piezo Buzzer that
blows at about 90db using a 9V battery which is plenty loud... almost too
loud but I figure I can muffle it when I mount it in the box. I think I can
just put a simple push-button in line with the 9V battery and the buzzer for
that part. However, I would prefer to have another sound as well... the
sound of a Geiger counter... click-click-click... needs to be fairly loud so
people can hear it in the din-of-party-noise or as I go door-to-door...
preferably with a thumb wheel to raise/lower the periodicity between the
clicks as I wish.

I am open to working with simple things... capacitors, resistors, speaker,
switches, etc... and a little solder but don't want to spend much money on
this project. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Chip

 

[Lenroc]

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 16:54:36 +0000, Chip G wrote:

I am somewhat of a laymen when it comes to electronics but hope that you
can point me in the right direction. I want to build a "radiac" as part of
a Haloween prop.

Hehehe... only 4 hours left before this
(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2564084946&category=11896
or http://tinyurl.com/r6gp) auction closes... currently at $10.50

Then you could just carry around something slightly radioactive...

--
Lenroc

 

[Chip G]

Great thought... though it takes the fun of the do-it-yourself-aspect out of
it. Still may build my own but am tempted to buy it anyway. Shipping is a
bit steap for my area though.

Thanks!
Chip

"Lenroc" <lenroc@NOSPAMFORYOU.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:GwAjb.28845$gi2.7721@fed1read01...

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 16:54:36 +0000, Chip G wrote:

I am somewhat of a laymen when it comes to electronics but hope that you
can point me in the right direction. I want to build a "radiac" as part
of
a Haloween prop.

Hehehe... only 4 hours left before this

(http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2564084946&category=1189

6

or http://tinyurl.com/r6gp) auction closes... currently at $10.50

Then you could just carry around something slightly radioactive...

--
Lenroc

 

[Lenroc]

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:43:28 +0000, Chip G wrote:

Great thought... though it takes the fun of the do-it-yourself-aspect out
of it. Still may build my own but am tempted to buy it anyway. Shipping is
a bit steap for my area though.

Hehehe... just trying to give you the idea. That was the first result with
a picture from a simple search for "geiger counter" on eBay.

--
Lenroc

 

[Chip G]

"Lenroc" <lenroc@NOSPAMFORYOU.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FzDjb.28870$gi2.11995@fed1read01...

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:43:28 +0000, Chip G wrote:

Great thought... though it takes the fun of the do-it-yourself-aspect
out
of it. Still may build my own but am tempted to buy it anyway. Shipping
is
a bit steap for my area though.

Hehehe... just trying to give you the idea. That was the first result with
a picture from a simple search for "geiger counter" on eBay.

--
Lenroc

And a great idea it is! Now I know that I can get the real-thing and some
dosimeters to boot if I cave on the DIY portion... definitely more realistic
doing it your way... but I am still intrigued by the original concept...
though now I have a cost reference to know if I am spending too much. Looks
like they go for about $10 on ebay... $20 with the dosimeters.

Do you happen to know if those things actually contain a radioactive
component? Wonder if I would have to worry about exposing the kids (or
adults for that matter) at Haloween?

 

[Spudley]

An old smoke detector has a radio active element, but I don't know
that a geiger counter would be sensitive enough to pick it up above
normal back ground radiation. * Warning donot play with Radio Active
substances *

"Chip G" <NOSPAMchipg_98@ATyahoo.TODELETE.com> wrote in message
news:KGEjb.483124$2x.197259@rwcrnsc52.ops.asp.att.net...

"Lenroc" <lenroc@NOSPAMFORYOU.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:FzDjb.28870$gi2.11995@fed1read01...
On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:43:28 +0000, Chip G wrote:

Great thought... though it takes the fun of the
do-it-yourself-aspect
out
of it. Still may build my own but am tempted to buy it anyway.
Shipping
is
a bit steap for my area though.

Hehehe... just trying to give you the idea. That was the first
result with
a picture from a simple search for "geiger counter" on eBay.

--
Lenroc

And a great idea it is! Now I know that I can get the real-thing and
some
dosimeters to boot if I cave on the DIY portion... definitely more
realistic
doing it your way... but I am still intrigued by the original
concept...
though now I have a cost reference to know if I am spending too
much. Looks
like they go for about $10 on ebay... $20 with the dosimeters.

Do you happen to know if those things actually contain a radioactive
component? Wonder if I would have to worry about exposing the kids
(or
adults for that matter) at Haloween?

 

[Lenroc]

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 22:09:46 +0000, Chip G wrote:

Do you happen to know if those things actually contain a radioactive
component? Wonder if I would have to worry about exposing the kids (or
adults for that matter) at Haloween?

There was a brand of plastic (toy?) plates made a while back that was
radioactive. Can't remember if it was the paint or what...

I know there are others but can't think of any at the moment.

--
Lenroc

 

[JeffM]

Scrape your thumb across a plastic comb and tape-record it.

 

[tim kettring]

I am pretty sure that glow-in-the-dark watch-hands have slight radioactivity .

tim

Lenroc <lenroc@NOSPAMFORYOU.hotmail.com> wrote in message news:<hCMjb.29356$gi2.605@fed1read01>...

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 22:09:46 +0000, Chip G wrote:

Do you happen to know if those things actually contain a radioactive
component? Wonder if I would have to worry about exposing the kids (or
adults for that matter) at Haloween?

There was a brand of plastic (toy?) plates made a while back that was
radioactive. Can't remember if it was the paint or what...

I know there are others but can't think of any at the moment.

 

[Chip G]

"tim kettring" <tim5kettring@e-garfield.com> wrote in message
news:a7d7f056.0310181049.24f6c26@posting.google.com...

I am pretty sure that glow-in-the-dark watch-hands have slight
radioactivity .

tim

They definitely do. When I was in "nuke" training, I made the mistake of
placing my glow-in-the-dark watch face directly against the probe of a
radiac while I was waiting for a class to begin. It immediately set off the
alarm... and of course... being brand new... I had no idea how to make it
stop alarming so I started flipping switches and dials in hopes that noone
outside the room heard. Of course, a group of instructors came into the
class room almost immediately... applauding... laughing... and telling me
that they always have a pool to see how long it will take for a newbie to
setoff the radiac out of curiosity!

 

[Overlord]

You could always throw together a cheap audio oscillator for the
sound. Slowed way down it would give you the ticking sound you want.
Since you're using a phone cord for the probe..... wire it into the
oscillator circuit and put a little pot in the "probe" for when you're
finding something hot. If your phone cord has 2 twisted pairs, wire
the other into the piezo buzzer and a momentary contact switch, also
in the probe. Some very minor sleight of hand with the probe and you
can be designating things as hotter than others. A little more minor
sleight of hand and you can have the women setting off the buzzer.

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 16:54:36 GMT, "Chip G"
<NOSPAMchipg_98@ATyahoo.TODELETE.com> wrote:

I am somewhat of a laymen when it comes to electronics but hope that you can
point me in the right direction. I want to build a "radiac" as part of a
Haloween prop.

Basically, I intend to put a few cheap components inside a small cardboard
box with a handle... paint it yellow and put the familiar magenta radiation
symbology on the box. Then I intend to use an old curly phone cord to
connect to a paper towel tube to simulate the "sensor" for the radiac.

I poked around at my local Radio Shack and came up with a Piezo Buzzer that
blows at about 90db using a 9V battery which is plenty loud... almost too
loud but I figure I can muffle it when I mount it in the box. I think I can
just put a simple push-button in line with the 9V battery and the buzzer for
that part. However, I would prefer to have another sound as well... the
sound of a Geiger counter... click-click-click... needs to be fairly loud so
people can hear it in the din-of-party-noise or as I go door-to-door...
preferably with a thumb wheel to raise/lower the periodicity between the
clicks as I wish.

I am open to working with simple things... capacitors, resistors, speaker,
switches, etc... and a little solder but don't want to spend much money on
this project. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Chip
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[Chip G]

"Overlord" <kurt_SPAMLESS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f933bb9.30676265@news.central.cox.net...

You could always throw together a cheap audio oscillator for the
sound. Slowed way down it would give you the ticking sound you want.
Since you're using a phone cord for the probe..... wire it into the
oscillator circuit and put a little pot in the "probe" for when you're
finding something hot. If your phone cord has 2 twisted pairs, wire
the other into the piezo buzzer and a momentary contact switch, also
in the probe. Some very minor sleight of hand with the probe and you
can be designating things as hotter than others. A little more minor
sleight of hand and you can have the women setting off the buzzer.

Thanks! Great suggestion on detecting "hot" spots too.

 

[Jimmy]

Built a device one time that if you squeezed a handle it would tell if you
were a man or a woman. It got all of the men right and most of the women.
The handle was all for show and to get you to stand in the right place.
Actually there was an infrared detedtor that detected whether or not you
were wearing a dress. This was during the hayday of mini skirts so accuracy
wasnt too bad. Not a bad thing to have in a bar to collect a few quarters.


"Overlord" <kurt_SPAMLESS@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:3f933bb9.30676265@news.central.cox.net...

You could always throw together a cheap audio oscillator for the
sound. Slowed way down it would give you the ticking sound you want.
Since you're using a phone cord for the probe..... wire it into the
oscillator circuit and put a little pot in the "probe" for when you're
finding something hot. If your phone cord has 2 twisted pairs, wire
the other into the piezo buzzer and a momentary contact switch, also
in the probe. Some very minor sleight of hand with the probe and you
can be designating things as hotter than others. A little more minor
sleight of hand and you can have the women setting off the buzzer.

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 16:54:36 GMT, "Chip G"
NOSPAMchipg_98@ATyahoo.TODELETE.com> wrote:

I am somewhat of a laymen when it comes to electronics but hope that you
can
point me in the right direction. I want to build a "radiac" as part of a
Haloween prop.

Basically, I intend to put a few cheap components inside a small
cardboard
box with a handle... paint it yellow and put the familiar magenta
radiation
symbology on the box. Then I intend to use an old curly phone cord to
connect to a paper towel tube to simulate the "sensor" for the radiac.

I poked around at my local Radio Shack and came up with a Piezo Buzzer
that
blows at about 90db using a 9V battery which is plenty loud... almost too
loud but I figure I can muffle it when I mount it in the box. I think I
can
just put a simple push-button in line with the 9V battery and the buzzer
for
that part. However, I would prefer to have another sound as well... the
sound of a Geiger counter... click-click-click... needs to be fairly loud
so
people can hear it in the din-of-party-noise or as I go door-to-door...
preferably with a thumb wheel to raise/lower the periodicity between the
clicks as I wish.

I am open to working with simple things... capacitors, resistors,
speaker,
switches, etc... and a little solder but don't want to spend much money
on
this project. Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
Chip
~~~~~~
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postmaster@localhost
admin@localhost
abuse@localhost
postmaster@[127.0.0.1]
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