In the Maker Shed: Geiger Counter Kit

Computers & Mobile Craft & Design Technology
In the Maker Shed: Geiger Counter Kit
YouTube player

This Geiger Counter Kit, available in the Maker Shed, is one of my favorite kits. I’ve wanted a Geiger Counter for a long time but could never justify spending a couple hundred dollars for a commercial unit. When this one came along I knew I had to have it! The kit is relatively simple; it goes together in an evening and doesn’t have any complicated displays or dials. You simply turn it on and it clicks and the LED blinks in the presence of beta or gamma radiation. It’s small enough to fit in a jacket pocket and it even has a silent mode for checking radiation levels discreetly. One of my favorite things to do with this kit is take it to antique shops to see what’s “hot.” Old dinnerware (especially “Uranium Red” Fiesta), depression glass, and old watch dials are especially fun to check.

At home, you can use the Geiger Counter to see if your granite counter tops set it off (mine do) or if your bananas are radioactive (spoiler alert: not enough that you’ll notice.) A Geiger Counter really is a handy thing to have around. Trust me, you’ll find all kinds of uses for it!

Features

  • Detects Beta & Gamma Rays
  • Serial logging output for tracking radioactivity over time.
  • Mute button
  • LED indicator
  • “Clicker” speaker
  • Pulse output
  • ATtiny2313 microcontroller
  • SBM-20 Geiger-Muller tube
  • (2-AAA alkaline batteries not included.)
  • Note: Picture shows kit with optional acrylic enclosure (not included.)

Hint: Following the Maker Shed on Twitter or subscribing to our Deal of The Day RSS feed might be a good idea!

4 thoughts on “In the Maker Shed: Geiger Counter Kit

  1. TImmy says:

    where can i buy it???

    1. TImmy says:

      NM found it :P

Comments are closed.

Discuss this article with the rest of the community on our Discord server!
Tagged

I am the Evangelist for the Maker Shed. It seems that there is no limit to my making interests. I'm a tinkerer at heart and have a passion for solving problems and figuring out how things work. When not working for Make I can be found falling off my unicycle, running in adverse weather conditions, skiing down the nearest hill, restoring vintage motorcycles, or working on my car.

View more articles by Michael Castor

ADVERTISEMENT

Maker Faire Bay Area 2023 - Mare Island, CA

Escape to an island of imagination + innovation as Maker Faire Bay Area returns for its 15th iteration!

Buy Tickets today! SAVE 15% and lock-in your preferred date(s).

FEEDBACK