Stix foam

I'm looking for a durable, non-compressable, closed cell foam like the foam on the Stix arms and floatation belts. Does anyone know what this foam is called? Thanks in advance, Tim

I am sure Stix would love to tell you!

I'd be interested to know too.

Alex

Do a search for Divinyl Cell.

Ive mailed John to ask if anything has changed, but when I wrote my review the floats were made of closed cell polyethylene foam. Im not quite sure if there are different densities with different flotation properties.

I believe is a type of closed cell polyethylene foam which is available in various densities, weights and therefore, buoyancy.

Divinlycell appears to be the trademark of a Scandinavian polyethylene foam manufacturer. A quick 'google' didn't reveal a UK supplier.

Thanks, Tim

Tim, Alex - the material you are looking for is called Divinycell

A few of us here in california have special ordered it and used it.

Scott

This seems to be the right stuff!

http://www.diabgroup.com/europe/products/e...nycell_hcp.html

Thanks Cor, thanks Scott

http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Ca..._materials.html

Good thread guys. I found a place where you can buy in the US. Will cut to size.

So which one would you order for the US dealer. 1 1/4 inch?

So which one would you order for the US dealer. 1 1/4 inch?

Not sure they will cut larger sizes to order. Worth a call to them. I ordered the 1/2 inch -- I am going to put some in the Ikelite tray and then rig additional as needed, below the tray.

I plan to call the fiberglasssupply folks, probably to order this:

L18-1094 Quarter Sheet 1/2” H-80 Divinycell Plain, 42.8” x 24”

but also to ask if the 1" and 1.5" can be ordered in quarter sheets. If not, then it would be good to know if some adhesive can be used to build up thickness. Despite the waste of material, it wouldn't cost a whole lot to build up blocks large enough to "clamshell" strobes. Does anyone happen to know of a marine-durable adhesive for this stuff?

Seems very sensible to go DIY on this, not only because of the cost, but because of the trial-and-error nature of balancing a rig.

It just occurred to me that with an arm-diameter half-round router bit (and a router table), it would probably be very easy to produce sheet-length pieces ready to cut to arm-lengths, then clamshell the two halves.

This topic pops up here every couple years since 2002 so a search might offer more answers. The quick answer is any material suitable for use as a boat hull coring material (which Divinycell is) and any adhesive similarly suitable. Epoxy and fiberglass resin work.

I could see making my own float if it were something Stix didn't offer. In what way will DIY foam arm floats be better than Stix ones? Inon is now offering some monster float arms as well.

I could see making my own float if it were something Stix didn't offer. In what way will DIY foam arm floats be better than Stix ones? Inon is now offering some monster float arms as well.

Why make floats? In my case:

1) being cheap is a point of pride

2) I want the flexibility to make ones that are optimal for my setup(s), determined by trial and error, with options to put on arms, strobes, housing, tray, mask... okay, just kidding on that last one.

3) genetic predisposition to make stuff, esp. to make stuff the way I want it. I'm building speakers now with Altec 15" drivers, backloaded horn cab (30 cu ft volume) and round wood 500hz. tractrix horns with compression drivers and my own crossover. It's just BETTER than anything I can buy. My wife asks what's wrong with the Tannoy DMT 15 studio monitors we already have -- but I want something better. My wife asks why build a single-ended directly-heated triode amp using 845's and a power supply the size of a wheelbarrow when this other expensive tube amp we have sounds so good. Answer: I want something better, and I can build it myself.

I think I'll be happier in the long run if I can make a bunch and stick them where they work, and not worry about making a bunch I don't use.

. Does anyone happen to know of a marine-durable adhesive for this stuff?

I've used industrial poly urathane construction glue in a tube $US 4.00

Been in use 3 years and still intact.

After constructing my arm floats, I coated them with 2 part fiber glass gel to make a hard outer coating to protect the edges from chipping away.

I think any theoretical benefit to build flotation optimal for your rig will be negated when you reconfigure your lenses and ports. You can "split the difference" with existing products. If you simply enjoy the DIY aspect then I understand but I don't think you'll outperform off-the-shelf solutions. If you do, I'd like to see the results.

When I made mine, it was a port collar and there were no foam arm floats on the market. I also helped a friend build their arms floats. Now there are not only several options but configurable port collars as well. Considering how much I paid for a sheet of divinylcell at the time, a Stix collar at $40 is a bargain.

Craig, can you recall which density of Divinycell you used? Looking at their datasheet ( http://www.diabgroup.com/americas/u_litera...df/HCP_DS_U.pdf ) it would seem as though the least dense HCP 30 has sufficient compressive strength ( 5% reduction in volume at 30-39 bar ).

It was a long time ago so I am not sure. I called Amphibico and they told me the product and the weight they used. I believe it was 70. I agree that the lighter ones should be suitable but I was worried about impact damage. I subsequently glassed mine so that turned out to be moot.

Tim

Did you find a UK supplier for this? I have had a look and come up with nothing.

Daniel

Tim

 

Did you find a UK supplier for this? I have had a look and come up with nothing.

 

Daniel

Hi Daniel

Click here ( http://www.diabgroup.com/europe/purchase/e_purc_1.html# ) and follow the link. Divinycell HCP30 is the more expensive varient of H200 ( http://www.diabgroup.com/europe/literature...pdf/H_DS_EU.pdf ). Essentially, HCP grade have full QA certification. The H grades do not. However, even H200 is £230.00 plus VAT for a 620 x 800 x 50 mm sheet...

Hope this helps, Tim

I just ordered several square feet of 1/2" H-80 from fiberglasssupply to play with. I'm planning on expirimenting with heat-forming it to collar strobes, and also possibly some other scoring techniques to get the shapes I desire. I'll let you know how it goes and post pics if I get satisfactory results.