• jimbolauski@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    7
    arrow-down
    1
    ·
    23 days 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.

      • jimbolauski@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        7
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        23 days 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.

    • Wogi@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      23 days 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.