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I have a collection of thin tungsten cylinders if anyone is in the market! Glassblowers use tungsten rods to pierce borosilicate glass. When you get tungsten a
by code_duck 5y ago
I have a collection of thin tungsten cylinders if anyone is in the market!
Glassblowers use tungsten rods to pierce borosilicate glass. When you get tungsten and a piece of glass hot, you can push the tungsten through the glass fairly easily. Tungsten doesn’t get “wet” and stick to glass at these temperatures (~2000F), unlike other metals we use such as steel or brass. We tend to buy these at the welding store (arc welders use them as electrodes or something).
- skykooler 5y agoNote that if you're buying welding tungsten as a plaything, avoid the oneswith the red paint on the end - they contain thorium to improve the electrical arc and as such are a bit radioactive, and shouldn't be directly handled for long periods.
- rusteh1 5y agoI'm a hobbyist tig welder. 1-2% thoriated electrodes emit alpha particles that won't penetrate skin. It's really only a risk if you breath in a lot of the dust created by grinding the tip of the electrode to a point. That said, ceriated, lanthanated and pure tungsten electrodes are widely available.
- code_duck 5y agoIndeed, the thorium ones definitely shouldn’t be put into a 5000 degree flame 2 feet in front of your head. All the other metals in glass work are bad enough.