Physics guys - x-ray question

[Nickotym]

Finally got it done.

What follows are three pics I took of my PA63 with a full mag and one in chamber. The settings I used were:

FFD 40cm
kVp 46, 56, 76
mA 100 (with small focal spot)
mAs 15
sec 3/20
no grid
intensifying screens

I think I may experiment a bit more with different settings.

Without further ado, here it the xray taken at 46 kVp:

PS if anyone is able to host them I'd appreciate it greatly.

 

[Nickotym]

Here is one at 56kVp, other settings the same.

 

[Nickotym]

Again at 76 kVp, other settings same as above.

 

[UberPhLuBB]

If you can get an X-ray that shows the details inside the slide, I can combine all of those in Photoshop for a nice composite image showing all of the detail in those 3 different settings.

 

[Nickotym]

Thanx Uberphlubb, I will try next week with one at higher kVp that will show the insides of the slide. I'll PM you when I get it done.

 

[Gifted]

For non-destructive inspection, I'd say dissasemble the gun. I'd imagine you'd get better results, as you would not be trying to see through several parts at once, and you can choose the settings optimum for the particular material in that particular part.

 

[DelayedReaction]

I haven't done the calculations, but since this is a radiation problem I'm sure if you dumped enough power into it you could set off a primer with x-rays. The problem is that the amount of radiation needed would probably turn you into the Invisible Man LONG before it did anything to the primer.

 

[gearbox]

There's really no reason it would set off the primers. Ionization won't do anything to the chemicals. I've x-rayed rocket propellant (aluminum powder and ammonium perchlorate), which is a much more sensitive explosive (not that either explode: they deflagrate). I've energized propellant from 260 kV to 16 MEV. If a Minuteman section won't ignite at 8 MEV for 18 minutes, it just won't happen.
Ionization is only bad for living cells.

 

[bad LT]

Don't worry, nothing is going to happen. The ammount of energy transfered by the x-ray machine to the primer is so small as to be negligable. As long as you don't leave it there for long periods of time (days or weeks), it should be fine.

 

[P95Carry]

This is gettin interesting.

Just to experiment - threw those two together, the 56k and 76k .. they are not quite in register and more time needed to get densities tweaked but - sure would be good to see if the slide penetration can be managed, and add that detail.




A thought .. is it possible to develop the film a bit softer .. get the gamma down a bit? I know the film is usually high contrast and dev is (used to be) in the lith' category. Or underexpose a smidgeon and push dev slightly - anything to soften a bit.? It's too long sice I processed this stuff!

 

[Nickotym]

I think I will try one at 66 kVp to get good detail of the frame and 100 and 150 kVp for the slide. I guess I am giving up on trying to get detail for cracks etc by this method. I would need much higher power for this, but it makes for a neat picture. Wish I could get rid of the lines that are on the scan, maybe If I scan it a higher resolution?

 

[P95Carry]

Wish I could get rid of the lines that are on the scan, maybe If I scan it a higher resolution?

I have a feeling that maybe part of the scan lines is actually the scanning X-ray beam .... taking large slices? OTOH - I wonder what res you scanned at ...... 150 dpi should suffice - if you crank up to 200 or 300 the file will be huge! Maybe try different res scans to see how it shapes up and then compress fairly hard so long as definition not too compromized.

 

[Matt G]

Suddenly it's becoming clear why my copay is so dadgummed high when I visit the doctor's office!

 

[mack69]

RE:

The heck with the scary black guns.....enuff of this and the antis will be seeing glowing green guns......Stop it I say.....next thing you know they'll want a ban on xrays!!!!!mack

 

[riddleofsteel]

Hey, you guys ever hear of a photo timer?

You really need a moving bucky type grid to clean up the scatter from dense material like a steel slide.

You may not get the best exposure from a photo timer the first time but if you put the portion of the object with the median density over the photo chamber you will get a good middle ground to base latter manual exposures on. Just pay attention to the technique that comes up when you make the exposure.

Of course a medical X-ray machine is not designed to shoot radiographs on metal objects like a firearm. Most industrial radiographs of welds and critical metal parts are made using a gamma source. It has much greater potential to penetrate metal objects and is cheaper than hot rodding a X-ray tube that costs 10's of thousands of dollars.

 

[srv656s]

I've got nothing to add except that this is a pretty damn cool thread...

I'd really like to see a highly detailed Xray of a 1911... that'd be a great wallpaper...



Shawn

 

[Nickotym]

Send me a 1911 to take pics of and you're on. I might take a few months to get to it though. And the soot in the chamber wil be from ionization.