Recently one of my clients brought me a few rods for repair. One needed a simple tip top replaced so he called St Croix before hand and they sent him the tip along with tip top glue.

What they sent him was a container of Piccolastic hydrocarbon #D125. So I used it. Since then I have looked everywhere as to where to buy it and it appears that it come in sacks the size
of a bag of concrete!! Not sure if this is new to the industry but it like very fine granulated sugar in appearance and weight. You just fill the tube with the powder and heat it. It melts very easily and can be re heated if you don't get the tip just right the first time.

So is St Croix the only one using this or does anyone know a source. i'd be curious of the price and how well it does in the long term. One thing for sure it is much easier to use than the stick of glue and far less messy. If it come out the top of the guide it just breaks off easily.

[www.rodbuilding.org]

Wow! good news, we'll get it soon. Some of our sources will jump on it.

If anyone wants to know what it is used for in the manufacturing sector ST Croix could use it as an additive to their resin for blanks as it is a lamination process to make a blank from cloth fiber, or possibly as an extender in their gluing processes.


Piccolastic™ hydrocarbon resins are homopolymers of purified styrene. They are low in color and are available in softening points ranging from 5-125°C. Piccolastic™ A5 hydrocarbon resin is unusual as it is a true low molecular weight liquid resin that will perform as a functional plasticizer. Piccolastic™ A75 and D125 are used in hot melt adhesives, especially in polychloroprene-based solvent adhesives for light-colored leather and plastics. Since Piccolastic™ hydrocarbon resins are pure styrene they generally do not impart tack at room temperature but will function as tackifiers in hot melt adhesives when molten. In styrenic block copolymers Piccolastic™ resins will associate only with the end-blocks and will modify the melt properties of the polymer but will not contribute to tack properties.
Physical Properties Comparison: Pure Monomer Resins Property Comparison
Chemical Type: Aromatic pure styrene hydrocarbon resins
Applications: Hot melt adhesives, investment castings, xerographic toners, shoe construction, epoxy extenders, plasticizers, breakaway glass
Benefits: Low initial color, wide softening point range, non-tacky until melted
Typical Markets: Bookbinding, coatings, footwear and leather assembly, graphic arts, hot melt adhesives, laminating

The best day to be alive is always tomorrow !!
Think out side the box when all else fails !!!
Wi.

Gee Matthew that was a great explanation of what it is and if I understand you correctly Piccolastic D125 should be a good product in tip top adhesive. it sure is nice to work with and hopefully it will hit the rod builders market in affordable proportions soon.

I found it on this site www.fxsupply.com for 21.99 a pound the site is for special effects breakaway glass making . on the site it says 1lb is = to 16 1/2 fluid oz when melted

I found it on this site www.fxsupply.com for 21.99 a pound the site is for special effects breakaway glass making . on the site it says 1lb is = to 16 1/2 fluid oz when melted