Flox ??

[southwind32]

I'm getting ready to tackle my first bout of Hysol. My understanding is, you mix it, 1 part to 1 part by weight. That I think I can handle. My instructions indicate to bond with Flox. What the heck is Flox?
How long does mixed hysol reamin workable?
How much should I mix to do the verticle stabilizer ribs into place?

Any suggestions, comments, advice, applications tricks etc in using this bonding material would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

Brian

[rv9ralph]

I can't tell you the ratios. But, I can tell you what flox is. It is the cut fibers of fiberglass cloth. It is used in composite construction to provide fillets and fill voids with some structural strength.

There is some reference to this in these forums in the last 12 months. I just can't remember the thread, but a search should reveal some results.

Ralph

[DesertFox4]

Flox is ground up cotton. It is added to the hysol mix to thicken the mixture so as not to run or slump away from your bonding parts. The warmer the temps are when working the more flox will be needed. You should have gotten some with the kit or you can order some from Aircraft Spruce.
Hysol when properly mixed ahould easily give you a workimg time of 30 minutes maybe more. Folks usually mix up too much at first and end up wasting mixture.
Common but you will adjust and just mix smaller batches and mix a little more often so as not to waste as much.
Not at all hard to work with.
Others will have good
useful tips for you.

[efwd]

Your flox would be in a small white plastic jar exactly like the glass micro beads if Kitfox is sending it in the same type containers. If you can't find yours let me know. Before I knew I wasn't going to need much, I bought some more just because I was standing in the Aircraft Spruce store and it was right there. It takes very little to do the job.
Eddie

[colospace]

Brian, I don't know how old your kit is, but my flox came from Kitfox in a ziplock bag inside a small brown paper sack which had the usual white label on the outside. (Just so you don't narrow your search too much.)

[southwind32]

Thanks again, for the info, so, if I understand right, you mix the hysol and then thicken it with the flox? I take it, that how thick to mix it, is up to the individual?
I bought this project partially completed, and I believe everything at that time was bonded, I didn't get any hysol, which I have since purchased, and I don't see any flox.
I have to replace one front spar and I had to replace the vertical Stab ribs, so having to bond the front spar to the ribs in one wing and the Vert Stab ribs, any idea how much Flox I should order? Spruce sells 1lb bags and 5 lb bags.
Thanks
Brian

[jrevens]

1 lb. of flox would be way, way more than enough. You'll probably have enough left over to stuff a small pillow.

[southwind32]

1 lb. of flox would be way, way more than enough. You'll probably have enough left over to stuff a small pillow.

Thanks, I was hoping I'd have enough left over to do that LOL.

[southwind32]

Do you have to add flox? is the hysol to thin if you don't? Again, I'm attaching ribs.

[jrevens]

Do you have to add flox? is the hysol to thin if you don't? Again, I'm attaching ribs.

It is helpful, Brian. Sometimes it depends on the working conditions. The mixed epoxy will be more "runny" when the ambient temperature is hotter, and as it starts to cure it heats up and initially thins a little more, and then it stiffens up of course. With flox you can get just the right consistency so it stays where you put it. I have noticed that different batches have seemed to be thicker than others. The original containers I got from Kitfox, which were older, produced a thicker mixture (before flox added) than newer, fresher stuff that I purchased later.

[southwind32]

Ok, I'll wait till I get some Flox, since I'm in CA and our temps have been the 90's

[bumsteer]

Brian

You may also want to try mixing a small test batch so that you can see how much flox you should add. In the case of flox and microballoons, a little does go a long way. Start with less than what you probably think you should add and go up from there until you get the consistency you want. Good luck.

Rick

[Tom Waid]

Another source of Flox (cotton fibers). This is what I used.

Go Here! (https://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-system---403-microfibers-adhesive-filler-6-oz--382853?recordNum=75)

[Guy Buchanan]

As already mentioned, mix up as little as you can. The enemy of epoxy is a contained mass. Any significant blob of epoxy can generate enough heat for an accelerated cure. (Actually it can generate a lot more heat than that, enough to catch fire.) For large batches of Hysol we used to spread them on aluminum sheet after mixing to preclude exotherm. All you want to do is only mix what you can get on in the next 10 minutes, max. (Including flox mixing.) It doesn't hurt to mix multiple small batches if you use a gram scale to do the mixing. If you're using flox, do a quick 1 minute mix of the two parts then get the flox in and mix a couple more minutes. What you don't want to do is shorten pot life by mixing epoxy well, then mixing flox well, then goof around with the consistency while slowly adding flox, then start working on the part, all while the Hysol sits in a blob. If you want to be fastidious, add your flox by weight the first time. When you're happy with the consistency you can then mix future batches quickly.

[efwd]

Brian, I'll send you some. This is not what it looks like. it is Flox, more than you'll need. send your address to my email I'll mail it tomorrow Maybe even today if I get your address soon enough. I will get a cup of coffee off you when I am in the neighborhood flying through enroute to Washington when my SS7 is finished.
eddie.forward@yahoo.com

[southwind32]

Brian, I'll send you some. This is not what it looks like. it is Flox, more than you'll need. send your address to my email I'll mail it tomorrow Maybe even today if I get your address soon enough. I will get a cup of coffee off you when I am in the neighborhood flying through enroute to Washington when my SS7 is finished.
eddie.forward@yahoo.com

Thank You very much for your offer, but I've got some on it's way. Thanks again.
Brian

[Cherrybark]

When adding flox, think of the consistency of thick peanut butter to have a target in mind.

For some areas, it is useful to scoop the mixed Hysol into a small Zip-loc type bag, snip off a corner, and use it like a cake decorator to control the application. To make it easy to load the bag, drape it inside out over the top of a cup - red Solo of course!

Once the Hysol starts to cure, you can smooth and shape with a gloved finger, wet with alcohol. Some use butter knives or wooden tongue depressors - butter knives being cleanable.

[southwind32]

Brian, I'll send you some. This is not what it looks like. it is Flox, more than you'll need. send your address to my email I'll mail it tomorrow Maybe even today if I get your address soon enough. I will get a cup of coffee off you when I am in the neighborhood flying through enroute to Washington when my SS7 is finished.
eddie.forward@yahoo.com

Forgot to mention, I'll still buy that cup of coffee for you if you stop by Modesto airport or Oakdale Airport in central CA. Thanks again.

[efwd]

LOL. We will meet up with you some day. If this isn't done by next summer I will be sad. "we" meaning I and one of my boys who said they were going help build but don't. They assure me they will fly with me though. ;)
Eddie