Im looking to make a part for a customer but he wants the end product to be made out of Zytel? Can anyone shed any light on what its like to work with and if it will be compatable with Tooling Gel?
Umm…It’s nylon.
Does he want a Zytel fabric (which I’m not sure if it exists), or a GRP part? If the first: As long as it’s sized, it should be like any other plastic fabric.
If the latter, then you need an injection molding system, including extruder, and mold system. Not sure if you can use a tooling gel with extrusion…normally your mold is your surface tool!!!
Riff I think you too smart for me, ha ha ha that went way over my head. He is looking to make a hammer out of Zytel, I belive it is the same stuff they make a policemans night stick out of. but in the resin form. If i made a mold would I be able to pour this stuff in it or wet lay up in a sence?
So you want to cast it? In that case you will need to find a mould release that will demould Zytel. can the supplier help you?
Also, molten nylon goes up to 235-250 degrees C. Tough on polyesters and epoxies…
yeah, you can melt nylon…smells like burning hair though…metal molds only!!! (or composite with high-temp tooling resins)
However, once it hits the mold wall, it will start cooling, so you will have to have a heated/cooled mold to keep the mold walls hot enough for the pour.
If it pours.
Plus if he wants a hammer, I would think they would need a reinforced version, like 30% glass/carbon, and tht will not pour!!!
Zytel handle, head or face?
Must be something unusual for machined bar-stock to not be considered.