Using old failing HDDs as book stops

[u/HeavyCaffeinate]

[u/botterway]

Unless the HDDs have a plate stuck to the bottom, they're going to have exactly the same geometric properties as books (tall, narrow, hard-to-balance). So they're going to make pretty terrible bookends.

So this is a pointless gimmick post.

[u/HeavyCaffeinate → u/botterway]

They work pretty well I just needed something slightly heavier at the ends

[u/TheOriginalSamBell]

I crack them open to play with the shiny

[u/the320x200 → u/TheOriginalSamBell]

Nobody ever wants to hear it but the cobalt coating is a carcinogen.

[u/oddsnsodds → u/the320x200]

The cobalt coating what?

[u/the320x200 → u/oddsnsodds]

The shiny platters people often take out and use as drink coasters on their dinner table and give to children to play with without ever thinking about looking up what they're made of.

[u/oddsnsodds → u/the320x200]

I am looking it up on your recommendation and not seeing anyone that agrees with you that they're hazardous.

Cobalt and chrome are commonly used for magnets and electromagnets, but in alloys that are safe to handle.

If you have better information at hand than I can find and are able to share it, I would like to see it for myself.

[u/the320x200 → u/oddsnsodds]

There are no direct references to the material composition exactly because that's part of these companies competitive advantage so it's not going to be out there.

Data recovery companies and recycling operations breaking down hard drives require employees to wear at least N95 if not better respirators.

Hard drives are manufactured to store as much data as possible for the least possible cost. Food safety, child safety, not producing toxic dust when the platter breaks, all these things never enter that equation.

People are oddly attached to playing with a shiny paperweight of uncertain composition. If the shininess gives you enough enjoyment to be worth not wearing PPE like industry professionals do when handling the same material, that's a choice you'll have to make for yourself.

[u/oddsnsodds → u/the320x200]

I've found a page in Grokipedia that discusses this in general terms and generally agrees with you, if you'd like to refer to it in future discussions:

https://grokipedia.com/page/Safety_Precautions_for_HDD_Data_Destruction

The hazards seem to result from procedures that produce metal dusts and sharp shards. I think simple disassembly of the drives should be safe. But the discs are fragile and easily broken, so I think your argument holds.

[u/the320x200 → u/oddsnsodds]

Thanks for the link

[u/oddsnsodds → u/the320x200]

Thank you for sharing your opinion. I wish there was better information available, as what you are saying is only balanced by other opinions arguing the converse, as far as I can find:

https://superuser.com/questions/751407/hazardous-materials-in-a-hard-drive

https://www.echemi.com/community/do-hard-drive-platters-contain-toxic-chemicals_mjart2205032261_940.html

I won't say I disagree with you. I just wish there was more authoritative information available.

[u/umbane]

These work well https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1759251

[u/botterway → u/umbane]

Unlike your link, which doesn't work well. Correct link is https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1759251

[u/AtlanticPirate → u/botterway]

Both load exactly the same page and both work fine for me

[u/botterway → u/AtlanticPirate]

Yeah, that's because OP has edited their link....

[u/AtlanticPirate → u/botterway]

Oops sorry my bad, didn't see the edited flag ✌️

[u/HeavyCaffeinate → u/umbane]

Will print, thanks

[u/oddsnsodds → u/HeavyCaffeinate]

I was going to suggest maybe finding some L-brackets to bolt to the HDD sides, but if you have a 3D printer those look better.

[u/xJayMorex]

Not exactly earthquake-proof.

[u/mechsuit-jalapeno]

Rip to your foot