I work in a machine shop, and occasionally, we need to temporarily fill a cavity (or cavities). My boss said that years ago, we had some green plastic-y stuff that could be melted into the cavity, then melted out when done working on the part(s). My Google-fu is weak and I can't find this stuff.
If this forum can find horse blood, surely you guys can find meltable plastic.
Green plastic? Lead is much more appealing!
I'm just wondering if it is a Devcon derivative. Just uses a solvent to soften after use making removal possible.
if it didn't need to withstand much heat (while you were using it for temporary filling purposes), could you use something like paraffin wax ?
(I'm not sure if that would leave a residue or not, it's been a long time since I messed around with it).
Not the same as plastic of course, but just tossing out the idea if no better solution was found. It might be completely wrong for what you need it to do :)
You may be looking for Babbitt putty; see the bottom of this page:
http://www.mcmaster.com/#metal-casting-alloys/=jrxr6k
rotard
Dork
10/18/12 11:39 a.m.
There are a variety of plastics that would meet your needs. It really depends on the temperatures involved.
If something was available years ago and was good, it probably isn't allowed now.
Mad Scientist Matt may be on to something. Thanks!
Friendly Plastic is a thermoset plastic that becomes very rigid when cool, and has almost 0 net shrink. It can be re-heated to re-soften as many times as you like.
The first products in the mcmaster link are what you're looking for...
Low Melting Temperature Casting Alloys
Most melt under the boiling point of water,,,and that's how you remove them.
Also I think it was called woods metal.
-James