Question 1

Why the item is so expensive given the market price of tungsten is less 30USD/kg?

Accepted Answer

There are multiple refining, purifying, manufacturing, and machining steps that occur between what is essentially a rock to a finished product with smooth surfaces and rounded edges. Tungsten is not refined by smelting or in a manner similar to many other metals due to the fact that it has the highest melting point of any metal. Tungsten is, therefore, extracted chemically from the crushed ore in a series of chemical reactions, titrations, washings, and filterings. The end result of the refining process is high purity tungsten powder. To consolidate tungsten powder it may be blended with a binder and very small amounts of other materials that will provide desired properties to the finished product. The most common method of consolidation is sintering. Tungsten powder is pressed into cakes or fragile bars which are heated in a furnace until the particles adhere to one another. The bar is then placed in a sintering bottle for further heating. Electric current is run through the bars until they become extremely hot, and the individual tungsten grains merge together and form a solid part. During this process the bar shrinks and becomes more dense. Alloys do not require millwork to enhance properties in the same way that pure tungsten does, but may be worked anyway to achieve desired shape. These heavy metal alloys are quite useful for many purposes and are machined much more easily than pure tungsten. Each of these steps adds cost to the final product. A broad range of prices for finished tungsten products would be from $25 to $2500 per kilo, with the majority of products in the $100 to $350 per kilo range.

Question 2

Deciding btw 1" & 1.5" tungsten cube. site says 1" weighs .66 lb and 1.5" weighs 2.2 lb. (1kg). is that right? i can't make the math work. help?

Accepted Answer

1" cube = 1"×1"×1" which is 1inch³. 1.5" cube = 1.5"×1.5"×1.5" which is 3.375inches³. Therefore it is 3.375 times the mass of the smaller cube.

Question 3

What is the chemical composition of the cube?  How much tungsten ie 90%, 95%, 100%?

Accepted Answer

The cube is 95% tungsten with nickel-iron for the remainder.

Question 4

Will this cube ever oxidize or corrode in any way?

Accepted Answer

my cube has stayed pristine for over a year.  I just wipe fingerprints off off it with lens cleaner cloth. My wife thinks i am an idiot for liking it - but that probably makes me like it even more.

Product Dimensions	3.81 x 3.81 x 0.1 cm; 1 kg
Manufacturer recommended age	6 years and up
Item model number	893
Educational Objective(s)	Understanding Density and Materials Science; Mathematics Concepts
Number of Puzzle Pieces	1
Batteries Required?	No
Batteries Included?	No
Material Type(s)	Tungsten
Color	Silver
ASIN	B00XZBIJLS

Midwest Tungsten Service1.5" Cube Weight One Kilo Block

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