[NHCOLL-L:3353] Re: Ethafoam

[Janet Waddington]

Hi Chris,
We have used Cell-Aire, at first unknowingly (when our purchaser just
ordered whatever rolled polyethylene foam product was available), and
then on purpose after I contacted Sealed Air and got more product
information.  I prefer it because it actually has a slightly less
abrasive surface than Ethafoam and for our purposes was more readily
available locally and slightly cheaper.  My only caveat would be that
the MSDS lists an unspecified hydrocarbon as the blowing agent, but that
equates to less than 2% of the final product by weight in manufacture
and only trace amounts remain in the final product (so they say). This
is only an issue when fabricating items by cutting the foam in large
quantities, thus releasing the gas.
I could not find anything on the Ethafoam MSDS that refers to the
blowing agent, although it does mention <2% isobutane, so it may not be
any better on that front.
www.sealedair.com 

Janet


Janet Waddington
Assistant Curator and Collection Manager
Department of Natural History - Palaeobiology
Royal Ontario Museum
100 Queen's Park
Toronto, ON
Canada M5S 2C6
Phone  (416) 586-5593  Fax  (416) 586-5553
Email  janetw at rom.on.ca

>>> "T. Rose Holdcraft" <tholdcr at fas.harvard.edu> 3/9/2007 2:11 PM >>>
Hello Chris!
Trucking expenses to NYC will likely prohibit use of any New England
area 
vendors, but if you are in very urgent need, a DowChemical ethafoam 
supplier located 40 miles northwest of Boston is  United Foam Plastics
(UFP 
Technologies) in Georgetown MA  01833 (phone 978 352-2200 ext 7330
sales 
dept.   Our rep is Barbara, and her direct extension is 978 234-0939 )

T. Rose

At 10:56 AM 3/9/2007, Christopher A. Norris wrote:
>Can anyone suggest a dependable supplier for rolls of 1/4" and 1/8"
Dow
>Ethafoam? Our regular suppliers in the New York area have had it on
>back-order for several months and our need for it is now urgent.
>
>Also, I'd be interested if anyone has had experience using a packing
foam
>called Cell-Aire, produced by Sealed Air.
>
>Many thanks, Chris
>
>--
>Dr Christopher A. Norris
>Director of Collections & Archives
>Division of Paleontology
>212-769-5710