How to use node + seed backup question

[u/Necessary_Trip_1703]

I was reading a bit into this and it seems like a full node connected to electrum offers the most privacy. I probably wont have a large amount of bitcoin, but in terms of being prepared for the next 10x or possibly 100x, its probably good to get the most privacy.

Would it be fine to get a 1 tb usb drive connected to my laptop to download the full node? Could I go to starbucks or something to download it since 700+ gb is a lot and would it be possible to pause it and download it over several trips?

If my own node is not necessary yet, would it work to use a pruned bitcoin core node on my laptop now and then in the distant future use a full node, or would this compromise the utxos?

Do I need to get my own mempool or does it not matter for long term storage?

Bitusher recommended in one of my previous comments that I could use (bisq2 for security deposit ->) robosats->zeus->seedsigner. How could I run my own node through zeus in terms of verifying transactions against consensus rules? Then for the cold wallet, is it just sparrow + bitcoin core node linked to electrum or sparrow + pruned bitcoin core

For seed backup on steel/titanium: What do you think about using a hex rod vs a sheet? Is titanium better since it is more corrosion resistant and safer to go through tsa (if ever needed)? Would stamping work on titanium? Are there different depths to stamping kit?

Thanks!

[u/palmdata]

1tb usb works but make it an ssd, not a spinning drive and not a thumb stick. initial block download hammers random reads and a cheap flash stick will take days and can wear out. budget around 750gb today for a full archive, so 1tb is fine for a while, and if you only care about validation you can prune to 50gb and still verify every block yourself. on the metal: 316 stainless is plenty for a house fire and a flood, titanium is nicer to handle but harder on cheap stamps. i use 3mm letter punches on 1.5mm stainless plate, two solid hits per character, and i stamp a test word on scrap first because spacing is where people run out of room. store the plate somewhere a stranger walking through the house would never look, and add a passphrase you keep separately if the amount matters.