• Sestren@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Assuming that’s about 5x5’, and going by the price of the first tungsten cube found on Google, this would be worth about 15 million dollars. Decent prize of you could move 150,000lb.

  • Sabata@ani.social
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    1 month ago

    2/10 Prize 8/10 Prize if delivery is included

    I can put it in the front yard, spray paint it gold, and start a neighborhood cult around The Cube.

    • Wogi@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      You ain’t putting it anywhere. It’s getting delivered and staying where they put it.

      A single 5 foot cube of tungsten would weigh about as much as an above average sized single family home.

        • Jiggle_Physics@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          I mean, I can only estimate it’s size from the person standing next to it. From there I can use that estimate to get the volume of the cube, then the weight, then look up the cost by weight right now and apply the average.

          So it would be somewhere around 1mm by weight.

      • Sabata@ani.social
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        1 month ago

        I’m betting I got it a few months before someone can gather the equipment to steal it. It would have outlived its novelty and likely be a burden at that point. If the cult works out The Cube should be self sufficient and could even become a profitable local attraction.

        • chaogomu@lemmy.world
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          1 month ago

          A tungsten cube that size would weigh a fuckload.

          To just deliver it would be an undertaking. There will be roads between you and the where ever this came from that are not rated for that weight.

          You may need a specialized truck just to move it, and a crane to get it on and off said truck…

  • stupidcasey@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    This could possibly be the worst possible prize. Raw tungsten isn’t actually that expensive. What’s expensive is working with it as it melts 3,410c (6,170f) isn’t very malleable and is heavy like really really heavy to move this block you will probably need larger equipment than standard industrial moving equipment, bigger trucks and loaders also you’ll need to get the city’s permission to haul it on the roads , that alone is probably going to cost more than the cube is worth you will then have to pay a monthly storage fee until someone wants to buy it. Shouldn’t be that long right? It’s a valuable metal… well good luck finding a company that works with tungsten outside of china, and you absolutely can not ship it. But let’s assume you find someone who wants it(at a considerable discount) well now you have to higher the specialized movers again.

    EDIT:

    Actually I just did the math and plugged in all the known values I could find and assuming you could sell it within the first year you could probably make $700,000, so it would still be well worth it. But a lot of trouble.

      • stupidcasey@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Then good news you can buy it! But you’ll have to commission it’s very specialized construction, and pay to have it shipped across seas… you know that thing I said you absolutely could not do, well with money all things are possible.

    • Captain Aggravated@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      I wonder if there’s a foundry in the world with a crucible that can hold, melt, and pour that much tungsten? To make a 5 foot solid cube.

      Then imagine trying to machine the damn thing square.

    • smokebuddy [he/him]@lemmy.today
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      1 month ago

      Don’t forget having to pay income tax on the original retail value of the cube (assuming this is USA where lottery and prizes are taxable gains)

    • jimbolauski@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      Rocket nozzles are commonly made of tungsten, there are more than a few manufacturers in the US. Drill bits can be made of tungsten carbide. Armor piercing weapons use tungsten too. All of these have industries in the US.

      • Wogi@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        Drill bits are coated in tungsten carbide. Sometimes. There are a variety of coatings.

        The drill bits you’re buying at the big box store are high speed still with some kind of coating to help them last a little longer. The specialty drill bits you’re buying for working on metal are also HSS with a different coating and probably different tip geometry.

        End mills are milling/lathe inserts can be HSS or carbide, also with some tungsten coating. Importantly, these are sintered, and made out of dust.

        Tungsten carbide is waaaay too brittle to work as a drill bit.

        • jimbolauski@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          The company I worked for made tungsten nozzles, they had to be welded using atomic hydrogen welding. One day a bottle of hydrogen shows up and receiving rejected it, we had the supplier label it protium and it went right through.

  • Zwiebel@feddit.org
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    1 month ago

    Assuming that’s a meter cubed it weighs 19 tons, or 65 tons for 1.5m³