How to Disassemble a Smoke Detector
This video shows the extraction process of Americium-241 from a household ionization-type smoke detector. We will be using the Americium-241 in future videos as an radioactive source in the cloud chamber and live online alpha radiation visualizer. Tools required: Soldering iron Flathead screwdriver Americium (correct pronunciation: ah-mehr-ih-see-um [I think]) is a synthetic transuranic element which is not dangerous to the human body in this amount and form unless ingested, and even then …
so is the cast going to become like a science channel?
Second sentence in the video description
I am amazed that you didn’t cut yourself, they way you were hacking into that. It totally distracted me from my question of “why are you doing that?”
As stated in the description that would not be very harmful. What would be bad though would be to get it stuck inside one of your lungs.
Eat it.
”DEEPER….IT’LL SLIDE RIGHT OUT”
Lmfao!
The caster gets down and dirty.
OMG I’m flagging.
= D
The video description tells you everything.
ok so whats the point of taking out the americium
The Radioactive Boyscount! Originally published in Harpers mag.
It’s in the description, HeadCrab.
I tried pliers on the tabs, they were too small, smooth and low. I didn’t have any smaller or better quality pliers. I also tried “propping” one of the plastic tabs open and trying the other two with my fingers— wouldn’t move.
As it happened, The metal housing for the plastic housing was soldered to the board anyway.
Thanks. It made me feel better to pronounce the “solder” how it was spelled, until I looked up the entymology: French.
Several things: You need a better set of tools. I can’t believe you missed two obvious ways of getting those three tabs loose - twist them off with pliers or prop them open with toothpicks whilst pulling off the cover. And the L in soldering is silent. For more fun, search for “aquarium smoke detector test” to see how useless the ionization type smoke detectors used in most US homes are. My home has the more expensive commercial photo-electronic detectors which actually detect smoke!
Dang, I was kinda hoping that for whatever reason, you would cut the blue cable and the whole thing just explodes.
cloud chamber of something similar?
kid tried to make reactor story:
David Hahn
dangerouslaboratories . org/radscout.html
*** obviously, don’t do this ***
I remember reading a story about someone about your age that collected a BUNCH of the radioactive material from clocks (the glow-in-the-dark paint) and other sources, that he amassed enough to cause some very serious concern.
Now all you need to do is suspend that from the top of a jar with a bit of alcohol in the bottom, and sit it on some dry ice. Voila - you have a cloud chamber.
Interesting stuff.
I’m sorry, but what was the experiment you needed this for?
reminds me of the time i took apart my first stereo
i was 2…
my mom left the room and came back a few minutes later.. i had the cover off, a screwdriver in my hand, and components lying all across the living room floor.
it was still plugged in mind you.
That was awesome. Make more disassembly vids.
Good luck building that bomb, buddy.
Wow, that was really interesting mac, you should do more videos like these, it was really fun to watch. I would do the same with my smoke detector but at my apt. buildings they require that I not take apart things…