Tungsten Wedding Bands for Men

Here is a selection of tungsten carbide wedding bands for men that you can buy immediately online. One customer who bought one of these rings said she had seen it in a store for five times the price.

I've looked around and here is a choice, in various price ranges. The MM refers simply to the width of the ring, as distinct from the size (to fit your finger). If you decide to buy, make sure when you get to the Amazon website that you select the right size (there's a drop-down menu for you to do this).

First, some bands with beautiful laser-engraved Celtic designs - symbolizing love knots (to see the ring enlarged, click on it, and then return to this page | to go to the online store, click on the name of the ring):

The 8MM Men's Tungsten Carbide Ring with Celtic Design is highly polished, and features a raised matte finish center.

The 8MM Tungsten Ring with Laser Etched Celtic Design is another beauty with a simple but elegant interlacing.

A third one is the 8MM Tungsten Ring Wedding Band with Laser Etched Celtic Design.

Finally, if you'd prefer something plainer, here are two simple and elegant rings: 

Tungsten Carbide Men's Plain Dome Wedding Band

Tungsten Carbide Men's Wedding Ring

You can't go wrong with a tungsten wedding band. It will look as good as new after a long time wearing it, and it looks good on men. What is more, you can wear it in the gym or when you're doing rough work.

Cheap Tungsten Wedding Bands for Men – A Brief Guide

You can buy a tungsten wedding band cheaply, but it won't look cheap. Here is a brief guide to help you decide if it will suit you, and advice on how to get it cheaply.

Scratch-free and long-lasting
If you want a ring that is scratch-proof and will keep its shine permanently, then a tungsten carbide band is the right choice.

Tungsten carbide is ranked second hardest after diamond on the Mohs scale. Diamond is ranked 10 and tungsten carbide 9.

Stylish and comfortable
A tungsten wedding band is contemporary and stylish, in an understated way, It is also light and very comfortable to wear.

Hypoallergenic
You can get a tungsten ring that is free of cobalt, so it won't turn your fingers green, and hypoallergenic – that means it is very unlikely to cause you any allergic reactions and provoke skin irritations.

That is why a tungsten wedding band is a good alternative to a traditional gold ring. Every year, a number of unfortunate newlyweds suffer unpleasant allergic reactions to gold rings. Although this is often called "gold allergy," in fact it is usually caused by reactions to alloys in the gold.

Because tungsten is so hard, it cannot be hand-engraved, so the engraving is done by laser.

Perfect for hard-working men
Men who use tungsten bands like them because they can do tough work with them and the ring, at least, won't end up scraped or scratched.

They are especially suitable for a man who is not much into jewelry, because they are lightly worn (once he's put it on, he'll quickly forget he's wearing it) and they are masculine-looking rings.

Great prices available online
You will probably find it hard to find cheap tungsten wedding bands for men in shops, but they are available online in a range of designs.

If you're buying online, it's best to know what size you need, or you may have to send a ring back and ask for one that fits. To avoid the delay, check your exact size first.

One customer who order a tungsten ring online said she'd seen similar tungsten rings in stores for over five times the price.

Charcoal BBQs versus Gas BBQ Grills - How to Choose

You want to buy a BBQ, but you're not sure if you should get a gas BBQ or a charcoal BBQ.

In this article, I'll try to help you decide by highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Gas BBQs -- the pros

Gas BBQs are quicker to get going. You just have to turn on the grill, there's your flame, and away you go. They are more 'ready to go.' Because they give instant heat at the turn of a switch, they suit people who are impatient to have their food -- say a few hamburgers -- ready to eat. They are also useful if people arrive late.

With the gas grill, you can control the heat easily and keep it constant.

A gas BBQ is easier to clean because it doesn't have ashes or charcoal stains that you have to clean up.

Charcoal BBQs -- the pros

Charcoal BBQs are generally easier to assemble, since they come in three to five large parts. Gas grills have a number of small parts and can be harder to put together.

Many people say that charcoal BBQs give your food a delicious smoky flavor that you can't get with a gas grill. It's said that you may not notice it so much with hamburgers and hot dogs, but you will with your chicken and steaks. On the other hand, it's claimed that taste tests show there's no noticeable difference in flavor.

A charcoal grill might be safer if you have limited space. With a gas grill, the flames can flare up, which is risky if the grill is beside anything that might catch fire. In contrast, the fire in a charcoal BBQ stays low and is focused around the charcoal.

What's the cost difference?

Charcoal BBQs are usually cheaper but you have to keep buying the charcoal.

Gas BBQs tend to cost more, although they usually look more attractive and often include extras such as a rotisserie or a side burner. You also have to buy the gas.

The verdict?

It probably all comes down to personal preferences and tastes. Some people swear by charcoal BBQs, while others would never switch from their gas grill and its controllability and convenience.

The preference probably comes down to two factors: what you're used to, and your personality.

If you're used to working with one kind of BBQ, you are familiar with how it works and reluctant to change.

As for personality, many charcoal grillers enjoy getting the fire going and tending to it, and take pride in their skill. They like the slowness of pace. Gas grillers, on the other hand, like the push-button rapidity of the process and the way they can control the heat precisely.

That's it, then. And whether you choose a gas BBQ or a charcoal BBQ, enjoy your summer feasts!

How to Check Out Your Irish Ancestors - for Free

Have you got Irish ancestors who were living in Ireland early in the last century? If so, here's what you can do to find out about them.

The complete Census of Ireland in 1901 has been put online, making more than 4.5 million records available to genealogists, historians, and anyone who want to look into their family history. Some countries charge for access to such records, but this is a non-commercial, government service, and is free to use.

The census was taken on the night of Sunday, 31 March, 1901, and some 850,000 households on the island were covered. The Irish Minister for Culture Mary Hanafin said the launch of the service was "an important and exciting day for people all over the world who want to trace their roots."

Your ancestor's signature

Among English-speaking census-taking countries, Ireland is unusual in having the original forms filled out and signed by the head of each household on census night. Most other countries have just the books of enumerators - the family details transcribed by the person charged with collecting the census information.

That means that you can view a scanned version of the original form that was filled out for an individual household - including the actual signature of your ancestor.

For each person in the household, the 1901 Census forms show: the first name; surname; relation to head of family; religious profession; education; age; sex; occupation; marriage status; where born; if the individual spoke English, Irish or both, and if the person had a disability.

You can see all the information on the return displayed at the click of a mouse. Click again, and you'll get a pdf of the actual census form. The returns also give details of houses, such as the number of windows, type of roof and number of rooms.

Extra information

The website also provides historical background, photographs and digitized documents from the period, plus links to scholarly and genealogical sites.

It cost almost $5 million to digitize the records. The painstaking work was carried out by Ireland's National Archives in partnership with Library and Archives Canada over the past five years.

The 1911 census records went online between 2007 and 2009 and have attracted more than 260 million hits. Even though the service has not been launched formally in the US, 7 million individual users have used it.

During the Civil War, later census records were lost in a fire at the Public Records Office in 1922. Because of a shortage of paper during the First World War, some later records were pulped.

To get access to the Census, just go to: census.nationalarchives.ie

A Microscope For Your Child - What You Should Know Before You Buy

A good microscope can open up a fascinating new world within the world around you, for yourself or your child. But don't buy until you know a little about what's suitable. Here is an overview to help you decide.

The Magic of Microscopes - Discover a New World

Now and again, you may have thought: I must get a microscope, so I can discover and explore the fantastic world around me.

Or you've thought that it would be a great gift for your children, or for someone who has just retired and needs a stimulating hobby.

If you need a nudge, here are some key tips to help you decide what kind of scope to buy.