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Floatant

Started by troutphisher, December 06, 2006, 20:41:27 PM

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pmike

#15
The product is called, "Fumed Silica" and is available from several companies if you search online. The best I could come up with is a company called Progressive Polymers, Inc in Pittsfield, NH. Their phone and email are as follows, (603) 435-7199, info@epoxyproducts.com, and website is www.epoxyproducts.com .

The bag I bought claims to be 2 quarts, but is somewhat compressed and looks more like a quart or perhaps a bit more, in volume. I believe I paid about $3.25 per "quart" or so and shipping. If this link works it will take you to the page with the products and you can order online, just scroll down to the product called, "Fumed silica".

http://www.king-cart.com/cgi-bin/cart.cgi?store=epoxy&product=..Thickeners/fillers/additives&cart_id=9442886.35854&user-id=&password=&exchange=&exact_match=exact

One word of caution, they say this stuff, ("Frog's Fanny" included as it is the same chemical), is deadly if inhaled. I place my bottle I want to refill into one of the bags and work the product into the bottle then carefully remove it and dust it off. I also have considered using one of those red ketchup bottle with the narrow spout that you can buy and fill or refill. You could easily put some of the silica into one of those and use it to carefully squirt the silica into a smaller bottle like the frog's fanny bottle. 

Mike

PS: I also have use a bit of it to add to the drying agent in my dry shake as it starts to losse some of the pellets in it.

troutphisher

Mike:
Excellent find! I was wondering why the ingredients were not listed on the Frogs fanny product.
I just ordered 4 quarts, that should last some time, and save lots of money!

Thanks!

TP
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

pmike

#17
This is an excerpt from an EPA fact sheet about fumed silica.

"The major toxicological hazard of crystalline silica is
through the inhalation route of exposure. Silicosis and/or cancer can
result from long-term inhalation of the crystalline form (such as
crystalline quartz). However, exposure to amorphous forms of silica is
not associated with silicosis or cancer. In fact, IARC (International
Agency for Research on Cancer) has classified crystalline forms of
silica when inhaled from occupational exposures as Group I,
carcinogenic to humans. The IARC has classified amorphous forms of
silica as Group 3, not classifiable as to its carcinogenicity to
humans. Silica, amorphous, fumed (crystalline free) is a manufactured
product. Chemically and physically it is similar to diatomateous earth."

This appears to be addressing long term exposure and inhalation. If I am reading it correctly it is suggestion there is a possibility that it might be carcinogenic. One other factor would be if it was inhaled in significant or large quantities and over time, might it coat your lungs and have the same effct on them as it does when used to flies water resistant?

Better safe than sorry :)

Mike

PS: This doesn't seem nearly as hazardeous as some of the warnings I've heard by word of mouth, but seems that it never hurts to be cautious.

After posting the above, I found this sheet that clarifies and seems to lessen concerns regarding this product.

http://www.freemansupply.com/MSDS/scanned/Other/Cabosil.pdf

Trout Maharishi

I'm sure i've snorted worse :o
"We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn't. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
― Charles Bukowski

troutphisher

Wait a minute....doesn't lead collect in the brain tissue?
We'll now that explains a lot!
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

pmike

Hey guys, my last post was meant to clarify that perhasp this stuff isn't as dangerous as I had been told and led to believe. My warning was based upon some statements by the guys who researched and found that fumed silica is the substance these other flotants were/are supposedly made from.

They issued a strong warning and being they did the research and seemed credible, I took their suggestion.

However after further research on my own, it does appear that their warnings were a bit exagerated. I have to admit I was wondering at first how good this stufff would be for the fish and the streams if it was as deadly as some had propsed :).

Mike

PS: Sorry for any confusion, I do believe you will find the fumed silica much cheaper and just as good as the other stuff.