what is best reuseable vacuum film ?

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#1

I saw this on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Advanced-Composites-54-x22-Reusable-Vacuum-Bagging-Elastomer-LTE16-40B-/111007381506?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d88e3802&autorefresh=true

does vacuum bagging film really expire?

I have seen silicon spray on molds that are used as reuseable vacuum bags, but this is the first time i’ve seen film that is so thick it is considered reuseable. .08" thick is pretty substantial to me I’d almost worry if it was flexible to contour to the shape. Maybe it it only for gently curving or flat like applicaitons?

I just think it’s so wastefull to always throw away the film, seems like a reuseable film is the way to go both economically and environmentally.

#2

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks about the environment when it comes to vacuum bagging film. Every time I watch a video and see them tearing off the used film, it bugs me to think that it will end up in a land fill site.

#3

Shelf life expired 2/2006. 9 years past expiration date with 4 to 5 day outlife. Buy now! :slight_smile:

#4

Oh, don’t forget the refrigerated shipping or next day shipping.

#5

THAT’S WHAT I DONT’ UNDERSTAND! how can it be reuseable if it only has 4 to 5 days of outlife and what makes it need to be frozen in the first place? It’s just plastic right?

#6

Most Bagging films are between .002 and .003 thick , this is .085 thick. Probably a heat set fitted bag material. Apply vacuum then throw into oven to soften to conform to mold shape then cures to shape of mold. Soft or hard I don’t know , I’m just guessing :slight_smile:

#7

Here’s what I found googlimg: Advanced Composites Group debuted a new range of resin systems for RTM, VARTM, and related processes with transfer and cure temperatures as low as 95 and 150F, respectively, and new uncured silicone elastomers in calendared sheet form, LTE16-70T and LTE16-40B, for composite tooling and processing applications (M)

#8

That material is like a silikone resin film to make silikone bags with it under heat.
It is uncured an can be cut and overlayed. Once hardened its like a silicone sheet.
This material
is that old that I would bet it will not work and is already cured, even that mich precured that it will not react with a second layer.

#9

I googled it too and couldn’t find anything, thanks to those that helped me out. sounds like it is only good for vacuum bagging stuff that is already flat since it is so old it is obviously cured and can’t be used to make a custom shape

#10

A little off topic but we found a local plastic recycler that took our used bag off our hands for free to be melted back down. Better for the environment and cheaper as we didn’t fill our skip with bag.