Easy way to determine if plastic is already flamed?

[pmg]

Hi,

got some ABS tipspacer material. The seller couldn't tell me if it was flamed already. Is there an easy way to determine if it already was, e.g. looking at the shape a drop of water has on it?

Cheers
Philipp

[MontuckyMadman]

Yeah thats one way. You could buy a dyne pen or you could just re flame. It fakes 1 min before layup. The flame treatment doesnt last. It can rubbed off or just iver time it dsapates. You are talking molecular level here its not very durable.

[pmg]

Ok,

so if I clean the pastic after flame treatment I might "undo" the flame treatment? So clean everything, flame and then put epoxy on...

The base material I buy is already flamed. I never had any adhesion issues though I do not re-flame the material and sometimes buy it 2 month before layup.

[MontuckyMadman]

Solvents will kill the flame treatment. Read more post less.

[victim of abuse/bullying]

I always re-flame base, wall and spacer. Why chance oil and dirt from hands/compressors/presses and environment/room contaminates. Fish eye characteristics of the epoxy are a clear indicator, if you've ever done hot coatings you'll know how much oils and dirt are in the immediate area. Denatured alcohol is the only cleaner I use; I allow it to fully evap and then I flame pre-layup. Let the base regain it's form and then proceed. Some guys just use a micro fiber towel and then flame. Some guys don't even flame. Depends on how clean the roll is, how well it was packed & sealed during transit, how recent it was factory-flamed, how clean the processing rooms are...and how clean you are.

[mammuth]

From another thread which i did read recently the best bonding should be with:

grind w. 80
clean with isoprohylalcohol
flame

Was from some testing results

Flaming can get destroyed even by rubbing on the same material (rolled material)


Like montucky said, flaming is a quick job, so i do it everytime now.