Re: Tungsten gap erosion

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <Hollmike-at-aol-dot-com>

In a message dated 8/11/01 11:45:36 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes: 


>
> The pure and the 2% are by far the most popular.  Many welders are using 
> the pure these days even though it is a bit harder to weld with than the 
> thoriated types.  The added metals help the arc strike better and be more 
> stable.  Even though the radiactivity is "small", many people just don't 
> want to worry with it... 
>
> Cheers, 
>
>    Terry 
>


I detected no emissions from thoriated tungsten electrodes using a very 
sensitive Geiger counter(by comparison, the old thoriated lantern mantles 
would make this counter scream at the least sensitive setting).  Apparently 
the tungsten pretty much shields the alpa partices quite well.  I would take 
serious precautions if grinding these though.  The most serious hazard would 
certainly be in breathing in any of the dust from grinding thoriated rods.   
The large gain in surface area would allow more alpha particles to be 
released and the lungs are the last place in the world you want to collect 
any radioactive particles. 
Mike