Source for Tungsten square rod...

[Chris333]

I think the Berkshire slug is about 3/8" dia, but don't quote me. www.tungsten.com cut it to length for me along with the 0-8-0 nose weight.

On the welding rods I just score a line all the way around it. If it is thin I just snap it, but if not I grab it with pliers right at the score and slam it down on my basement floor to break it. The piece in the Z scale mikado was a hair too long so I took it out in the garage and hit it with the grinder. That is why one side is discolored.

I have also used tungsten powder mixed with epoxy. I kept adding powder till no more would stick. But now I know lead is heavier so I stopped using it.

And here is the small Pinewood discs



And their cubes


 

[sizemore]

I got the big ol' negativ-O that they do not have any tungsten in small square/flat rod format. Looks like I am stuck with those Pinewood Derby cubes/discs/plates. My idea is to open up the area under the blister and throw cubes in there, and maybe some tungsten plates on top of the clear light channel in the carbody.

Thanks Guys!
The S.

[mmagliaro]

I just received my sheet of "99% pure" lead from RotoMetals.  It is .034" thick, so it is nominally 1/32" as promised.

A 1" x 1" square is .034 cubic inches  = .557 cc, and it weighs 5.3g.

Unfortunately, that works out to about 9.5g/cc, nowhere near the 11.3g/cc of pure lead.
If the sheet were actually 1/32" (.031"), the density would be 10.4g/cc.   So the tolerance on the sheet thickness is quite critical.