Make tungsten weights?

[Munkin]

3 hours ago, Rollincoal420 said:

They are tungsten electrodes used for welding.  Most are 3/32 diameter, roughly inch to inch and half length.  Just scrap pieces I been saving for some reason.  They would make good replacements for nail weights for a neko rig or something like that, but I got a bunch, and equipment that can heat and/ or melt it.   Just need more opportunities to tinker. 

Let me know if you want to trade any? I would like to try and make some resin jigheads with a tungsten keel. 

 

Allen 

[Bill Zollicoffer]

Tungsten rods for welding are usually thoriated. That means they contain radioactive thorium, which would not be a good choice for a fishing weight. You need to be sure. It to release thorium into the environment. 

[J Francho]

16 hours ago, Bill Zollicoffer said:

Tungsten rods for welding are usually thoriated. That means they contain radioactive thorium, which would not be a good choice for a fishing weight. You need to be sure. It to release thorium into the environment. 

Interesting tidbit: what can protect you from this radiation?  Turns out paper, or even your own skin is an effective barrier.  I'm not sure that the tungsten carbide weights for fishing even have any thorium, or how anyone could tell.

 

Really interesting first post.