Andrex X-ray machine question.

[Gi4CZW Cliff]

Not sure if this proper to our forum but needs must. Also could be in wrong list.
So my friend has one of these. He says it can be used to image through four inches of steel, goes up to 1 Mvolt and comprises two parts linked by a cable. Might be heavy. No photo yet. Said to be from Denmark via Watsons in Middlesex. Model number 1652. What can he do with it ? Please be kind. Cliff.

[GMB]

I think the best thing to do with it is to sell it to someone who needs to test welds, which is I think what it is for.

IT IS SERIOUSLY DANGEROUS

If he doesn't have the correct equipment to monitor it then do not even think about powering it up.

[GrimJosef]

It sounds like its use (if in the UK) would fall under the Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017. These have the force of law and are very strict. The safety authorities have a track record of prosecuting people for breaching them, even inadvertently. I'd very strongly second GMB's advice not to power this up without getting professional advice first. You might start with Yxlon https://www.yxlon.com/contact#thirdDivHref who are the company formed by the merger of Andrex with Philips Industrial X-Ray,

Cheers,

GJ

[Julesomega]

I think you'll be ok when you have got the lead-lined room ready for it, with all the necessary signage
I did work for a while in X-ray machine maintenance

[M3VUV51]

i used to work in weld inspection on gas pipelines years ago,we always used colbolt 60,was gamma not xrays,supposed you could use it for diy cancer treatment!! or cause.

[Electronpusher0]

Originally Posted by Julesomega

I think you'll be ok when you have got the lead-lined room ready for it, with all the necessary signage
I did work for a while in X-ray machine maintenance

You would need a lot of lead!, the higher the kV the more penetrating the X-Rays. Standard hospital x-ray machines only go up to 150kV, 1MV is in a totally different category.

Gamma rays are far more penetrating again, lead only slightly blocks them, a standard hospital lead coat is transparent to gamma rays. You need several feet of concrete (that why radio therapy rooms are usually underground) or several inches of Tungsten.
I used to work for a medical imaging company and we used tungsten "pigs" to contain FDG - fluorodeoxyglucose - a source of Positrons that instantly destroyed themseves when they met an electron and emitted two gamma rays at 500KeV in opposite directions. The pigs were about 8 inches long with walls 3 inches thick made of solid tungsten and could only just be picked up!

Peter

[AC/HL]

In view of the warnings about this seriously dangerous equipment we feel that it's not a suitable subject for us. He needs professional advice, which would probably be unwelcome to say the least