Fly Floatant

(Conan The Librarian) wrote in
om:

wrote in message
. ..

No, but there IS guy whose family owns a silica mine...hydrophobic
(often treated with silicone oil - like copier oil) fumed silica
should have the properties of FF. The untreated variety should not
as it is hydrophilic. I can't remember where I heard it, but I do
remember hearing that FF is the treated stuff as is used in certain
toner formulations. FWIW, "Cab-O-Sil" isn't a specific product, it
is a line name, with various formulations in the line.

I am wondering if cab-o-sil is the same as "colloidal silica". The
reason I mention it is because you used to be able to get a sampler
pack from West System epoxy that included "colloidal silica" as a
filler. IIRC, you simply paid shipping costs for the pack. (Or
shipping costs plus a nominal fee.) I don't know if they still offer
that or not.

Anyhow, if this stuff is the same, I'd guess that you could order
some from them for a decent price.


Chuck Vance (who'll have to dig around in his shop to see where
he put that sampler pack)


FWIW I experienced the same result Larry L described earlier. I only mention it here
because I was testing West System 406 Colloidal Silica which Chuck mentions. I don't
know anything about Frog's Fanny but assume the Top Ride I use is the same sort of
thing. I added a teaspoon or so of the 406 to the Top Ride container and tried it out.
I am certain it is not the right stuff. Although it dried the fly well enough it
seemed to make it sink rather than float especially if I had applied paste floatant to
the fly earlier. In that case the silica clumped onto the fly and dragged it down
instantly. Perhaps there are different formulations of colloidal silica as RDean
suggested but based on my experience West 406 Colloidal is NOT the right kind.

Back to the fly shop to replace the Top (now Bottom!) Ride.

Jeff