Alumilite white compatibility with styrofoam

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Anyone know if alumilite white eats styrofoam?

[Anglinarcher]

It does not eat the Alumifoams in any of their forms, ....... But.......... I was mixing some in thin very cheep styrofoam cups last year and after several minutes the bottom fell out of one right at the top line of the material I was mixing.  It did not seem to "eat" it but it seemed to melt the cups.  It probably was a case of both.

I check several of the cups I had already used and the Alumilite White was set up and the outside of the styrofoam cups were fine and the cups were intact, except for the line inside that looked melted.

Call Alumilite and ask.  

1800-447-9344

 

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Thanks again

will have to call

was wanting to add a foam core so I had more control over the point of floatation 

 

 

[Anglinarcher]

2 hours ago, Hillbilly voodoo said:

Thanks again

will have to call

was wanting to add a foam core so I had more control over the point of floatation 

I pour Alumilite White and then rotomold it by hand.  Then I pour Alumilite 610 foam into the open bait.  It gives more options so perhaps.....

[Hillbilly voodoo]

If I can pour alumilite whjte over the alumilite foam it opens possibility 

Roto mold won’t work do to design and intended placement of foam

The price of unconventional designs and thought lol

I seem to cause myself these problems often. Some experimenting and trail and error is in my future I see it now. The reject bin is going to get some new lures lol

[Anglinarcher]

3 hours ago, Hillbilly voodoo said:

The price of unconventional designs and thought lol

I seem to cause myself these problems often. Some experimenting and trail and error is in my future I see it now. The reject bin is going to get some new lures lol

So, was that you saying that, or my wife complaining about my hobby?  ROFLOL

[Hillbilly voodoo]

8 hours ago, Anglinarcher said:

So, was that you saying that, or my wife complaining about my hobby?  ROFLOL

 

Your wife sounds way more polite then mine lmao

[Chuck Young]

What you both have described is a chemical reaction with the styrofoam. Clearly it is not compatible. The manufacturer will have some alternatives. Also check out some of their videos on You tube. 

[Anglinarcher]

On 1/27/2018 at 2:49 PM, Hillbilly voodoo said:

Anyone know if alumilite white eats styrofoam?

Sometimes we go off the rails on TU with conjecture instead of facts.  I suggested you call and ask, but I decided I had time this morning so I tested it myself.

I cut a strip from a styrofoam cup I got from WalMart.  I made a piece, a rough piece, of Alumilite 610 foam.  Both were poured inside Alumilite white, at which time I tried to pull them.  If a chemical or physical reaction had happened, it should have been weak or soft, and they were NOT.  

I also poured some 610 foam into the bottom of the Styrofoam cup, then poured in Alumilite White, then more 610 foam.  It was hard to remove the undamaged but well adhered cup from the triple combo.  

Observations:

1. Alumilite white DOES NOT EAT styrofoam.  No chemical reaction, except for a complete bonding, was observed.
   1. Because the piece had a skinned edge, no penetration was observed.
2. Alumilite White DOES NOT EAT Alumilite 610 foam.  No chemical reaction, except for a complete bonding, was observed.
   1. The rough edges I used allowed Alumilite to penetrate until it set up.  Using a skinned edge would stop that.
3. The foams wanted to float in the uncured Alumilite White.  I had to hold them down until it cured.

I am attaching pictures of the process.  I considered a video to be pointless.  The pics did not load in order, but they are labeled.

I hope this clears up the conjecture, on my part and others.  I see no reason that Styrofoam would not work if held in place until the Alumilite White set up.

Good Luck Hillbilly, I hope this helps.

[Anglinarcher]

Sorry, the labels did not transfer, but I think you get the idea.

[Anglinarcher]

On 1/27/2018 at 4:08 PM, Anglinarcher said:

It does not eat the Alumifoams in any of their forms, ....... But.......... I was mixing some in thin very cheep styrofoam cups last year and after several minutes the bottom fell out of one right at the top line of the material I was mixing.  It did not seem to "eat" it but it seemed to melt the cups.  It probably was a case of both.

I check several of the cups I had already used and the Alumilite White was set up and the outside of the styrofoam cups were fine and the cups were intact, except for the line inside that looked melted.

Call Alumilite and ask.  

1800-447-9344

 

All I can think of is that I was mixing rather aggressively and doing some large pours that would have heated the Alumilite up.  I could not see any damage to the test strips of the 610 foam.

When I did the above test, I mixed the foam first in the styrofoam cup, but should have been more careful.  I mixed the Alumilite White on top, but I would suggest you mix it separately and pour it in.  I them mixed more foam on top of that, but would suggest you mix separately and pour over.

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Thank you for the research 

You have gone above and beyond what I would have ever experienced 

 

 

[Chuck Young]

I am sorry, but when I look at that cutaway view, I see of two bands melted styrofoam. That is a classic chemical reaction. It is changing from a foam to a dense liquid, and then to a denser solid.  Both the origional posters observed the same thing. Any melting at all is going to throw off balance, buoyancy, and consistency. Depending on the size of the lures, you may or may not be able to get away with it. Most lures are not the size of the cup used in the experiment. The smaller the lure, the more impact that weight distribution is going to have. I would seek an alternative. 

[Anglinarcher]

I'm sorry Chuck, but I was the original poster, and the one that did the research.

What you are seeing is bigger bubbles due the the fact I poured the foam on top of hot Alumilite White, and the fact I did not mix it in a separate container first so I did not get excellent mixing.

They say you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.  Well, I lead, but the horse just won't drink.  LOL

[Chuck Young]

Despite the rude reply, I would not mess with styrofoam based on what I see in those pictures. Many plastics feed on each other. Sometimes a temperature difference of 1 degree or a pressure difference of 1 millibar will change the results. So might a slight change in the styrofoam or molding process. Best to check with the manufacturer. The good folk at Alumalite have reportedly been very helpful. 

This is the last comment I am going to make on this matter. So if someone else absolutely has to have the last word, go for it. People on this site do not have to agree. The variety of viewpoints is what makes it work so well. There is no need to downgrade the view of others by calling their views conjecture and yours fact, or by calling those who disagree with you ignorant and stubborn.

[Anglinarcher]

And I respect your position on the matter.

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Well it’s cheap enough I will give it a try and see what happens 

worst case it ends up in the reject bin and I don’t do it again lol

[Anglinarcher]

5 minutes ago, Hillbilly voodoo said:

worst case it ends up in the reject bin and I don’t do it again lol

Got lots of those.  Just remember that when I did my test, the smoother the skin the better, and it wanted to float really high so it will be a real bear trying to keep it in place.

Good luck, and let us know how/if it works for you.

[Hillbilly voodoo]

Keeping foam in place will be simple with a through wire design 

 

kid made me sick so might be a bit before I get motivated to go to my shop

[Anglinarcher]

1 minute ago, Hillbilly voodoo said:

kid made me sick so might be a bit before I get motivated to go to my shop

Funny how much healthier I and my wife became after we were empty nesters.  ROFLOL

I hope you feel well soon.