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Summary
A short artisan project created by Grant Takara under the brand, Meijiro Design.
(Grant is also known as Gtscientific LLC).
Back by popular request, I've finally got my hands on more tungsten copper alloy and have turned them into dice!
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These dice are machined from billet tungsten copper alloy. They are very heavy and very dense, unlike the more vanilla titanium and zirconium alloys out there.Â
(Grant is also known as Gtscientific LLC).
Back by popular request, I've finally got my hands on more tungsten copper alloy and have turned them into dice!
These dice are machined from billet tungsten copper alloy. They are very heavy and very dense, unlike the more vanilla titanium and zirconium alloys out there.Â
After CNC machining on my 5 axis mill they are hand sanded, stone washed, blasted, acid burned, and lacquer sealed for a darkened variegated finish with a bit of a wet look. This batch will have a slightly darker finish than the previous project.
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What's so special about tungsten copper?
- It's dense (sometimes used as weights when lead is unsuitable)
- It's extreme corrosion resistance
- It's expensive price
Pure tungsten is also absolutely nasty to machine. To provide the same properties that a human can distinguish (vs a super high temperature application) a tungsten alloy is used. Otherwise this project would be infeasible.
Two Versions Offered
Darkside Tungsten Copper Dice (normal pip one side 1)
Darkside Tungsten Copper Shamrock Dice (shamrock engraved on pip side 1)
Darkside Tungsten Copper Shamrock Dice (shamrock engraved on pip side 1)
Durability
How durable are these? Tungsten copper is not as hard as tungsten (hardness being the ability to resist denting in laymans terms). If i had to guess, these feel like the same hardness as grade 5 titanium. That being said, things of the same hardness can dent each other. So can you play with these?
I threw a set in my tumbler for 45 minutes. I estimate the number of simulated rolls to be about 1500. Below is what they look like after 1500 rolls. These are blasted before the acid wash which means that under a microscope, the surface is very bumpy. The lacquer fills in those valleys on the surface and preserves the finish, but over time, the more you roll it, then more that surface will chip away. What I anticipate happening if you don't wash away the oil and grime that accumulates from handling them, the finish may turn a bit more of a brown (like tarnished copper). This could take years or decades.
How well does this resist chemicals? I was able to wipe these with rubbing alcohol without witnessing any change to the finish. That's the harshest chemical I'd try cleaning them with. Regular dish soap and water is probably a better alternative. Something like acetone or other similar cleaners will destroy the finish. Â
I threw a set in my tumbler for 45 minutes. I estimate the number of simulated rolls to be about 1500. Below is what they look like after 1500 rolls. These are blasted before the acid wash which means that under a microscope, the surface is very bumpy. The lacquer fills in those valleys on the surface and preserves the finish, but over time, the more you roll it, then more that surface will chip away. What I anticipate happening if you don't wash away the oil and grime that accumulates from handling them, the finish may turn a bit more of a brown (like tarnished copper). This could take years or decades.
How well does this resist chemicals? I was able to wipe these with rubbing alcohol without witnessing any change to the finish. That's the harshest chemical I'd try cleaning them with. Regular dish soap and water is probably a better alternative. Something like acetone or other similar cleaners will destroy the finish. Â
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Dimensions
These are the same size as your standard Monopoly set of dice (5/8" or 16mm).
But heavier.
Much heavier.Â
But heavier.
Much heavier.Â
Mass: 126g (or almost 4.5 oz!)
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Timeline
- 2017 - Start making dice, launch a bunch of Kickstarters
- December 2023: Wrap up fulfillment of previous tungsten copper dice project
- May 2024: Begin machining initial batch. Build project. Launch. I hope to have at least half already made by the time the project launches.
- June 2024: Finish fulfillment.Â
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