My Tungsten Cube (2019) • Hacker News Board

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#251

Post by kadoban » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:38 AM UTC

brundolf wrote: post #144

zamadatix wrote: post #73

I got one as well, around the same time actually, as a gift. I also fell into a strange fascination with it and find it fun to hold in the exact same ways as the author. Folks tend to get me 1" element (or sometimes non elemental but interesting in another way) cubes as gifts now which works out as it gives a great range of price to choose from while maintaining surprise with the guarantee I'll enjoy it. I've had my…

> Of all of my desk toys/models/prints it's generated the most talk amongst friends and coworkers. I'm not joking when I say one of the things I miss most about office life is decorating my desk with objects and having people react to them. Even before Delta, when things were opening back up, my office was doing "hot desks" which meant you didn't really get to personalize your space. It's understandable, but a bummer…

Do you have some kind of work chat room(s)? Just share pics or videos there. No it's not really as satisfying, but it's still fun.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#252

Post by BurningFrog » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:39 AM UTC

moftz wrote: post #218

BurningFrog wrote: post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Metals also survive pretty much anything, including catastrophic fires.

Gold can easily melt in a house fire. A diamond ring can turn into a puddle of gold and no diamond because it burned off

That's my point. Gold changes shape in a fire, but it's not lost.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#253

Post by downrightmike » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:40 AM UTC

toiletaccount wrote: post #211

dvaun wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They have the mean tendecy to explode into super sharp pieces when you're not expecting it, so wear goggles. Well, I guess I need to buy a new wedding ring at some point.

i read something about a guy shattering his tungsten wedding band on his wedding night, after deciding that slapping his hands on concrete was how you're supposed to dance. professional advice: don't use an exotic metal for your wedding band. some fire departments can't cut it if your ring finger swells up.

Easy enough to cut the finger off and reattach later. Seriously that's what they do.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#254

Post by downrightmike » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:40 AM UTC

theIV wrote: post #212

dvaun wrote: post #161

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They have the mean tendecy to explode into super sharp pieces when you're not expecting it, so wear goggles. Well, I guess I need to buy a new wedding ring at some point.

I accidentally dropped my tungsten carbide wedding band on my kitchen tile floor. Now, I have 4 shattered pieces of tungsten carbide sitting in a box on my desk.

Sounds like the start to an epic quest.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#255

Post by karaterobot » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:41 AM UTC

Kids ask "ahh, gee, when will I ever need to use geometry?" and the answer is when you realize you got ripped off by paying the same price for a 1.5" diameter tungsten sphere as you would for a 1.5" tungsten cube.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#256

Post by kadoban » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:44 AM UTC

anonporridge wrote: post #241

moftz wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Gold can easily melt in a house fire. A diamond ring can turn into a puddle of gold and no diamond because it burned off

Melted gold is just as valuable as gold jewelry, since they melt it down anyway when you sell it. It might be worth marginally less than an intact piece of gold bullion that can be resold without processing. Diamonds don't have resale value anyway. They're literally a scam.

One thing I've wondered, exactly how easy would it be to find a gold puddle after a fire anyway? I mean it's not going to vaporize or walk off on its own, but is it just going to be a little solidified glob there to pick up or what?

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#257

Post by xyzzy_plugh » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:47 AM UTC

freetinker wrote: post #118

hellbannedguy wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My sister owns two shoe stores in LA. It wasen't till she raised her prices significantly things got going. Wealthy measure value by price. (I don't get it.)

Shoes (especially the ones people buy for fashion value – think Louboutin stilettos vs. something more functional like New Balance sneakers) are a Veblen good. Their perceived value increases with their price. Like art. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veblen_good

I'm getting crazy deja vu, I swear I've read this exact thread before.

edit: I have https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=27522826

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#258

Post by mml » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:52 AM UTC

I too have owned a tungsten rod for the same reasons. it's very nearly exactly the same density as gold, but cheaper.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#259

Post by liamwire » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 1:59 AM UTC

Somewhat-tangentially related: I’ve always found the concept of [Rods from God](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment) (kinetic bombardment of tungsten rods dropped from orbit) fascinating.

Re: My Tungsten Cube (2019)

#260

Post by batch12 » Fri, Aug 27, 2021, 2:05 AM UTC

BizarroLand wrote: post #128

ISL wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are in this situation, don't cut the ring, crack it. Pure tungsten, and some alloys like tungsten-carbide, is somewhat brittle. https://www.larsonjewelers.com/can-tungsten-rings-be-cutoff

I originally had a tungsten ring when I got married and managed to shatter both it and its replacement within a year. Terrible for rings, just go with silver if you want or need a cheap wedding ring.

Stainless steel works too