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

From: Jeff Marso

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.

According to what I got from the Cabot website, I would say you want untreated
fumed silica. (Cab-O-Sil M-5, I think) This would be the stuff added to paint
and epoxy to help keep it from running down vertical surfaces. The treated
stuff used in toner is quite different.

The stuff I got from Aircraft Spruce may not be identical to FF, but it works
quite well for me.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

From: Jeff Marso

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.

According to what I got from the Cabot website, I would say you want untreated
fumed silica. (Cab-O-Sil M-5, I think) This would be the stuff added to paint
and epoxy to help keep it from running down vertical surfaces. The treated
stuff used in toner is quite different.

The stuff I got from Aircraft Spruce may not be identical to FF, but it works
quite well for me.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller