Jim Scott wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jun 2006 20:11:49 GMT, John Nickum wrote:

Anybody know if it's still possible to get thorium mantles of the sort
fitted to tilley lamps from any place there days?

It's actually for testing an old Geiger counter that was a Maplin kit.

I'd have guessed that the thorium has been replaced by some other
material these days, but I could be wrong.

Try a smoke alarm. The disc is Americium (alpha source)

Thanks. I've just tried monitoring a smoke alarm, but of course, alpha
particles can't go through its plastic case. At least smoke alarms are
cheap, so I'll try breaking one open tomorrow.

--
John