about WC scale cubes

Scale cubes are used for scale and as a point of reference in photographs where the size of an object would not otherwise be known. They are most commonly used in geology related fields but this has now expanded in to many more areas. They can be used either 'in the field' where the faces can be aligned to match compass bearings or indoors for photographing various samples and objects. The different faces (Top, Bottom, North, South, East, West) can also be used as an indication as to which side of the object the viewer is seeing.

Tungsten Carbide (WC) is an alloy of Tungsten (W) and Carbon (C). It is generally considered one of the hardest metals on the planet and the most scratch resistant. In fact it is usually comparable to that of corundum (sapphire) and can usually only be finished using diamond machining and compounds. Tungsten is also one of the heaviest and densest metals giving these Tungsten  Carbide cubes an impressive and surprising weight when held.

This application of Tungsten Carbide is quite unique and took considerable research and development. The search for an engineering company who specialised in Tungsten to produce these cubes was conducted over more than a dozen countries with around 80 companies contacted. Incredibly, approximately 90% of the companies I approached to engineer these told me it either could not be done or they did not know how. The small remaining amount of companies said it would be very difficult. The greatest challenge in manufacturing these was the black plating. Most cubes have a very slight colouration along one of the edges where the electric current was passed through during manufacturing however this does not usually show in photographs.

The cubes available here should be more damage resistant than traditional anodised aluminium cubes of the past. These scale cubes are also the most precise made to date using some of the most modern production capabilities. They have been manufactured to dimensions of 10.0mm with a very small tolerance of no more than ±0.05mm but is actually less in most cases.

Caring for your WC scale cubes

There are a number of things you can do to enhance your cube's use and lifetime. Firstly, the best way to clean them is with a small amount of alcohol and a clean dry cloth or tissue. This will remove any dust or accumulated finger prints that may show up in photographs.

While these cubes are very hard and scratch resistant, it also means you should take a little care and avoid dropping them onto a hard surface. If the cube was to hit hard enough at the wrong angle, it is possible to chip a corner.

This hardness also means that you should take care where storing them. When out in the field we recommend to avoid keeping them loose in the same container with valuable items such as mobile phones, cameras, GPS units, watches, older aluminium scale cubes, etc, etc. Basically anything that you don't want scratched!

Tungsten Carbide Scale cube (left) and Aluminium cube (right) damaged after a few hours in the same container on the back of a quad bike.
Photo Credit: David Allepuz & José Vicente Casado (Spain)

Meteorite discovery in the central Saharan Desert (January 2010) and likely the first documented using a Tungsten Carbide Scale Cube.
Photo Credit: David Allepuz & José Vicente Casado (Spain)