On 11 Apr 2004 21:43:28 -0700, (Ryan Young) wrote:



Cured Vinyl Esters are no more flame retardant than normal polyesters.
Flame retardant resins have various things (antimony, silica) added
to them to make them so, which usually degrade strength properties.

Vinyl Esters MAY be a better choice for this SE Asia/Direct from the
source application for no other reason than there are not as many
choices to make!

Vinyl Esters need to be promoted to cure, and once they are promoted,
the shelf life is short, about 2 months. Do it yourself promoting is
not a good idea, toxic, reactive stuff ( cobalt naphthenate) is
involved.

The lack of resin smells may have been due to vacuum bagging, which
keeps the styrene fumes in the part! Open molding vinyl ester is just
as smelly as Polyester or Epoxy.

Vinyl Esters have mechanical properties midway between polyesters and
epoxies.

thanks.
Stealth Pilot