Radium Clocks

A video analyzing the radioactivity and emissions of THREE old antique clocks I have whose dials and numbers are painted with a radioactive radium-based paint. (Note the silent-film musical pieces done by Kevin MacLeod of incompetech.com)

Radium clocks used to glow in the dark, but since they are so old, the chemical in the paint that causes the glow has 'expired'. It is still very radioactive, but, on exposure to a UV Light (blacklight), whill fluoresce brilliantly, which is my secret behinding capturing the (emulated) glow.

Check out my website for a brief history and further discussion of radium-painted clocks:

http://jeremybechen.bravehost.com/radionuclide_collection/radium/Radium_Clock...

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• radium
• clock
• nuclear
• radiation
• radioactive
• geiger
• muller
• counter
• gammascout
• timex
• alpha
• beta
• gamma
• neutron
• atom
• atomic

[amethyst8teen]

I'm trying to find a large older clock, the kind that they put a vial of radium in the back for touch ups, I mean how cool would it be to have a vial of radium paint?

[JeremyBechen]

Sounds like you might have read Ken Silverstein's "The Radioactive Boyscout".

If you haven't you should.

[626hunters]

I have almost the same baby Ben

[shandamoon]

And all these years I've worn radium dial watches as a kid and radium alarm clocks were still common. There's radium in the local water supply-- wonder if a glass of water would set off one of those counters?

[amethyst8teen]

Oh I've read it and I draw much inspiration from it, but I really don't have any plans to build a reactor... at the moment.

[amethyst8teen]

I just bought three radium clocks from an antiques store and they all work which is cool (but they were grossly overpriced (as if that would make a difference)). One of them is pretty low on my beta/gamma detector but its missing the cover face so it probably produces plenty of alpha rays. I guess I'll have to put it in the cloud chamber and see. Do you think there is any significant danger of radon from having these on a shelf in my room?

[JaksProductions]

1 dollar for 1 mrem lol:D

[vicmeuk]

Radium is also a right mess to clear up. two loca areas are full of it from the 2nd world war. dalgety bay and balloch near loch lomond. Made place meter parts hence the parts were disgarded too. Nice video!!

[klutz22]

LOL I just found the one to the left at a freaking thrifs store only 3 dollars it measure to about 7 mrem on my CDV 700 on beta/gamma mode.

I also found a nice little watch there for 1 dollar that was about 1 mrem

[jihadjared]

interesting...