[kragen]

well i'm certainly no master machinist, heh

you seemed to be saying that this filament might be a better alternative to lead sometimes, but i couldn't tell when that might be. pure tungsten is clearly a better choice sometimes, for example because it shields better than lead, is harder, is denser, and is more refractory, but none of those seems to be true of this filament

from your other comment at https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=35206874 it looks like you're saying that, although this composite is inferior to lead in those ways, it's easier to print

[Prcmaker]

We have issues working with lead at work, mostly due to toxicity. Putting a hole in a sheet isn't as simple as getting out the drill, not mechanically, but due to all the swarf that needs to be cleaned up. 3D printing a bolt-on cover would be lower risk than drilling lead, a quicker turnaround than getting a die made and lead cast, and give a prototype that doesn't need to be handled with gloves.

For the right application, there are some good wins here.

[kragen]

i appreciate the useful feedback

what do you think about copper-filled or baryta-filled filaments as cheaper alternatives

maybe this is wrong but i feel like both tungsten and copper are in the 'if you have it embedded in your body you are going to need surgery to get it out before you get gangrene' while lead and baryta are not