Argh...

General Composites Discussions Composites Talk
#1

Just a rant…we’re running these composites parts for an armored vehicle and the only bag we had was stretchlon 200, after I measured off the mould, it would require a 16 foot long bag 60" wide. I thought, this should be fun…

Needless to say the part sounded like a tea kettle when infusing, popping and hissing away. At last count 27 holes, best I could get was 25 merc on the gauge, if it rose above that, pop goes the bag again.

The holes seemed to stop so long as it stayed at 23 merc so I put a regulator on the line and left it at 23. Hoping that will keep till the morning, this was a painful infusion. We got the part to infuse all the way but it took a little extra resin so all I need now is enough vacuum to hold the part and pray for a quick gel time.

Anyone else with one of those days?

#2

No, I had a great day.

#3

Lol just kidding.

I mean my day was alright, but I’m siding with you on the Stretchlon 200. Its a PETA to work with unless you are using it to bag parts.

With infusion, unless you use a very thin flow media, it will penetrate on full vacuum. My experience with 200 breaking is when I’m infusing with the green Airtech. I want to try this with Enkafusion. However, I know that the bag also slows down resin because the bag pretty much folds around the flow media. Its a tough call. I don’t want to order what I feel I might be wasting my money on ha.

If anybody tries Stretchlon 200 with Enkafusion please post :D.

#4

Stretchlon is great for conforming to shapes but a pain in the ass for bagging and not tearing. I’ve had similar experiences, these days I stick with Wrightlon as much as I can.

I just thought of this but if you’re running an infusion why not put a layer plastic over the infusion mesh, this way the Stretchlon won’t collapse into the mesh blocking flow and/or tear.

#5

I’ve done that. I’d go to home depot and purchase some 2ml plastic sheeting. I’d cut that to the shape of the flow media and then I put the strechlon over that.

#6

Just use Stretchlon 800, instead and you will not have that problem.

#7

Yea, I ordered 2 full rolls this morning, the stretchlon 200 serves a purpose for some infusions, we just ran out of the 800 & I was stuck using this stuff…