BBC News - 'Bomb detector' maker Jim McCormick arrested

And perhaps you saw the Newsnight expose last night?

Plus I would guess he bribed many overseas buyers to cough up $40k for each useless plastic box.

My test would be to get hold of the guy at his mansion in Somerset and tell him that troops have hidden a 500 lb bomb under the floor in his property and he has say 2 hours to find it or else it goes off. This might sharpen his conscience?

There was mention that the device worked just like the dowsers in fairly common use for all sorts of things - usually a couple of loosely held welding rods that seem to point to a water pipe in the ground. Oddly enough I was an engineer for some years laying new water mains. It was quite common for me or the contractor to use this technique to find other service pipes in the ground so we didn't dig them up. We had no idea where they were so there was no question about being influenced. But the technique did work. We had no real idea of how hey worked aside from a vague notion abut slight changes in a magnetic field or similar. I remember an embarrassing false reading once only to be told that I was standing exactly under an electric pylon. However finding an old pipe underground is helpful but I'd never trust the method to find explosives. I think I would take my Spaniel instead.

Anyone used this technique in engineering?

dl

 

I missed the story and can only say that he must be a pretty skilled con man. I don't understand exactly what he did with the devices yet.

I found also that I can divine with a couple of wires with a 90 degree bend in them. I can find water pipes and tanks as well as underground coax cables for my aerials. Impossible to give a reason for the way it works,but it is a bit alarming the first time you try it and it does the business. it can be amazingly accurate.

Les

 

David,

I've used this method of finding pipes many times and it is pretty accurate as well.
All to do with the electro magnetic field surrounding any metallic underground main or service. We used to use 2 brazing rods.

Obviously the system is not that much use any more as most services and mains are made from polyethylene.

Chip

 

Wouldnt alarm bells ring at this :

I have 30,000ltrs of Peckham Springs water if anyone is interested....

 

The ADE651/GT200/Alpha6/SniffexPlus, all a Danger to life

 

Reminds me of this: http://fliiby.com/file/181770/za37yhkglp.html



Seems if you baffle someone enough with pseudo science they'll believe anything

 

Good one

Les

 

I'm astounded this happened. Someone must have checked these things work before spending $85m.

Police arrest MD of dowsing-rod 'bomb detector' firm ? The Register is an interesting read (especially the comments).

Steve