Introduction: The Uranium Rosary
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About: College graduate with a degree in religious studies, and an engineering major drop out.
This is a rosary I made out of uranium glass beads, and a cross with a UV LED flashlight built into it. When the LED is pointed at the uranium beads, they glow a bright green. I originally wanted to have a picture of Marie Curie in the center, instead of a virgin Mary medal, like those that traditional Catholic rosaries have. Instead I have a piece of hardware I found that looks like a cross between a cross and the warning symbol for radiation.
65 Comments
9 years ago on Introduction
So this is safe right? I am considering making a Catholic rosary for my grandma I would hate for it to have the potential to do harm from the uranium glass beads... one of my teachers said that because it isn't just uranium it shouldn't put off as much radiation. I also may make my own set because some of my family members (including me) are Catholic... Thanks in advance for any positive reply I receive...
12 years ago on Introduction
Oooooooooommmm...go to that happy place... nice art...
13 years ago on Introduction
Where did you get the vaseline glass beads?
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-CZECH-VASELINE-URANIUM-GLASS-BEADS-NECKLACE-21_W0QQitemZ330397779152QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Please read about the comment that I just entered (above). This is too dangerous to mess with. take care, ApostrapheEss
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
That rosary is freaking cool!!
I'm thinking about making a similar one as a birthday gift for a friend; where can I find the cross with the blacklight, or how can I mount some sort of LED blacklight onto the cross?
Thanks!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Is your spell-check "playing silly-buggers" with you? - Uranium oxide, not paraffin.
L
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Uranium Glass is also called Vaseline Glass:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uranium_glass
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I'd never heard of that, before now, thanks.
L
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Check United Nuclear for all your extreme science needs!
13 years ago on Introduction
This is a nice comment and I care about all of you; Do NOT mess with anything that "glows in the dark" or in any way contains uranium. . . which vaseline glass most certainly does. This item should be entirely removed from Instructables. I'm an artist, I get it and it is a cool concept, but simply not worth it in terms being dangerous to anyone's health. Don't believe me? Read "The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York" by Deborah Blum (I think). The chapter on radiation is fascinating, especially the part about Marie Curie dying from radiation poisoning after touring the U.S. to promote a radium drink that was touted to give energy, 'just like drinking sunshine'. The horrible illnesses and death suffered by 'the dial painters' (the girls who painted the glow in the dark numbers on clock faces) made a believer of me! PLEASE DON'T MESS WITH THIS STUFF, NO KIDDING!
13 years ago on Introduction
One day when Jesus was walking down desert he was suddenly bit by a radioactive roman turning him into: SUPER JESUS! He now has the ability to casually walk up walls, super Jesus strength, and can shoot radioactive rosaries from his belly button! With great super Jesus power, comes great super Jesus responsibility. Is it considered sacrilegious to write Jesus fan-fiction?
13 years ago on Introduction
What you have here is undoubtedly interesting... even fascinating!.. but it is NOT a rosary. By arbitrarily replacing the image of Mary with whatever it is you replaced it with, it can no longer be called a rosary. And whatever it is mounted on the cross??.., It is no longer a crucifix (which is a non-negotiable part of the Catholic rosary). You shouldn't mess with sacred tradition.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I dunno beezee, according to wikipedia it sounds like having clearly marked sets of 10 beads is the important part, since rosary beads are used for counting prayers.
Persona, you should go to a Catholic mass, and while taking communion take advantage of your proximity to the priest to switch on your LED and see what s/he thinks of it. I'm sure it would be a religious experience. I hear Catholics love it when newcomers take communion, especially in the case of someone who's made their own rosary like you have!
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I think I'll do an Instructable on "How to be Respectful"... It seems there are a good many people who might benefit.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I dont see where he's unrespectful.
Also i dont see a problem with this a rosary because by definition it is one.
But if you really want to find something to be upset about you will.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
You don't see the problem?... That's where the problem is...
BTW, the word is "Disrespectful"... there is no such word as "Unrespectful"
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
You know what else is disrespectful?
You hypocrisy is amazing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosary
God would think it better to be creative than critical.
Awesome Instructable but where do you get those beads and are they safe?
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
What hypocrisy? That he made a statement about his religious beliefs? In short anyone who disagrees with you is a hypocrite?
wikipedia is not the final word on the Rosary.
Do you believe in God?
The instructable was creative, what it wasn't is a Rosary.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Sorry to have started the War of The Rosary everyone! Maybe we should just agree to disagree peacefully... I think for Catholics perhaps there's a specific important definition of 'rosary' that even wikipedia doesn't know about, whereas for the rest of us a broader, more flexible definition is more practical. In fact, prayer beads used by other religions are sometimes referred to as rosaries.
Maybe to include everyone we should just go with the broader definition, respecting that Catholics are free to use a more limited definition with a religious significance to them, and in return they can acknowledge that it would be a little silly for them to impose that definition on the rest of the world?
Kind of like the word 'marriage'.