Hi, I finally got the paraffin wax from a local supplier and mixed my own surface agent this afternoon. I just mixed the sa in 2 parts of styrene and 1 part of paraffin. Poured into a container and heated with boiling water. And hour later, the wax melted, I got the SA in liquid form. Until mid-night, I found the sa gelled. Sounds like I have putting too much wax into the styrene and actually how much wax should I add into the styrene? Or just heat the SA before using it? Thanks for your attention. Regards, Crabie
Your the first person, I have heard of making there own Surfacing Agent. Most Surfacing Agents will gel. If I do not have at least 60F it is gelled. If warm water does not melt your surfacing agent wax it is bad mix. For a few dollars it is worth buying the commerical surfacing agent. Bulk quanites are reasonably priced. Anthony http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/
Commercial surfacing agent has comes in 5% or 10% wax. Most people prefer the 5% wax version. You used to much wax. Jono
…2 parts per hundred,no more than 4 parts per.That’s 2% wax.Herb
I do have to respect this crabbie guy. Working from absolute scratch. Sometimes we just don’t appeciate how easy we have it.
The paraffin I’ve bought at the store comes 4 sticks per 1 pound box. I’ve found about 1/2 of one bar to a quart of styrene seems to do the trick. It should dissolve at room temperature with no heating required - it dissolves faster if you shave it into slivers. I still shake it up before I use it and when cold it gets chunky but so does the stuff I buy. If I do the math… 32 oz per quart… 2 oz (1/2 of 1/4 lb stick)… 1/16 = 6.25 % That’s right in there with what Jono says. I agree that 2:1 (50%) is way too much and may account for why it didn’t dissolve.
Hi all Swaylockers, My acts could be a stranger to all of you. But just imagine in somewhere no surfboard building material could be found or buy a set online cost you more than US$ 250.00. So you have to find those substitutes. Trust me it could be more fun~… Regards, Crabie
I had to look hard to find this… it shows a 5% solution. http://www.tapplastics.com/msds/pdf/MSDS_TAP_SCA.pdf
…5-10% is a factory mix and is hard to beat,but if you guys are making your own that’s way too much % wax.believe me when I say 2-4% is all you need.Herb
Howzit Crabie, I hear what you’re saying but if that was the case then where would you get the styrene. Seems that S.A. would be more readally available then styrene since it’s more wildly used. Aloha, Kokua