Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon sources?
- TigerShark
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Jan 7th, 2014, 2:43 pm
- Location: Washington State
Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon sources?
I thought this stuff called Last-A-Foam would work but it is only sold in full sheets 4x18x100" and that is over $1300. R-3325 is good for 1200' water depth. I need 1000' working depth.
Any other options anyone knows about for small quantities?
Another option I am looking into is making my own. I can get micro balloons but would need macro balloons as well to keep the density reasonable.
Any other options anyone knows about for small quantities?
Another option I am looking into is making my own. I can get micro balloons but would need macro balloons as well to keep the density reasonable.
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
i used 3M microballons with epoxid to model my rov-housing. I've paid ~30$ for 5L microballons / glass bubbles (0,21mg/cm³) http://shop1.r-g.de/art/210125
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... ctic-foam/
what you mean with Macro-ballons?
http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/e ... ctic-foam/
what you mean with Macro-ballons?
- TigerShark
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Jan 7th, 2014, 2:43 pm
- Location: Washington State
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
That sounds like the cheapest option at this point. Also I could mold and cast it then to make several spares.
Macrospheres are larger glass spheres that help reduce the weight and come in various sizes.
Macrospheres are larger glass spheres that help reduce the weight and come in various sizes.
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
I found some macrospheres off ebay when I cast mine, but I haven't seen them since. The ESS SF-22 or SF-25 setups should work. finding them is the tricky part. http://www.esyntactic.com/products-solu ... ler-sf-22/
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
Oops, I'm a little late to the party... Oh well!
Anyways, although it isn't syntactic foam, it is apparently made by Last-a-Foam which is what you mentioned earlier.
When coated it apparently is good down to 600'. Now I just need to figure out how to coat it!
https://www.bluerobotics.com/store/buoy ... /float-r1/
Anyways, although it isn't syntactic foam, it is apparently made by Last-a-Foam which is what you mentioned earlier.
When coated it apparently is good down to 600'. Now I just need to figure out how to coat it!
https://www.bluerobotics.com/store/buoy ... /float-r1/
- KR2_Diving
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Aug 30th, 2012, 11:43 am
- Location: Currently: NW Suburbs of Chicago. Originally: NE Wisconsin
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
Astronaut,Astronaut wrote:Oops, I'm a little late to the party... Oh well!
Anyways, although it isn't syntactic foam, it is apparently made by Last-a-Foam which is what you mentioned earlier.
When coated it apparently is good down to 600'. Now I just need to figure out how to coat it!
https://www.bluerobotics.com/store/buoy ... /float-r1/
You beat my by minutes in posting the link to Blue Robotics!
- TigerShark
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Jan 7th, 2014, 2:43 pm
- Location: Washington State
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
I can't get to the page from here so I'll check it later. General Plastics is local to me. Their R-3315 would be perfect as it is good to 1400' coated.
https://www.generalplastics.com/r-3300.html
https://www.generalplastics.com/r-3300.html
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
Good Find... I didn't know Blue Robotics was carrying this... I was just in the process of trying Fiberglass coated blue home insulation but this is making me rethink that as the R-3312 would definitely work. The price is not to bad either.Astronaut wrote:Oops, I'm a little late to the party... Oh well!
Anyways, although it isn't syntactic foam, it is apparently made by Last-a-Foam which is what you mentioned earlier.
When coated it apparently is good down to 600'. Now I just need to figure out how to coat it!
https://www.bluerobotics.com/store/buoy ... /float-r1/
-Steve
- TigerShark
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Jan 7th, 2014, 2:43 pm
- Location: Washington State
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
My fiberglass covered foam insulation board didn't make it to 65 feet without crushing quite a bit. Lots of small bubbles when I brought it back up and it was a lot heavier!
Re: Affordable Syntactic Foam options or Macroballoon source
I was surprised to see polyurethane-based foam was sold as "subsea" buoyancy. I know this foam is used in motor-sports as an "airbag". At high speed impacts it behaves like a soft sponge to absorb the impact. So its not a solid material and collapse under pressure. This is why it need to be coated...