Phenolic LE versus CE

[jeff]

Does anyone know for sure if ALL phenolic LE is tan in color and ALL phenolic CE is the brown stuff?

We have a repeat job and always order Phenolic LE.Darn near every time we get the material in, it's a mixture of tan and brown. 

Even though the specs of both LE and CE are extremely similar, they are quite a bit different in appearance. I'm convinced that they are so similar that the suppliers are just giving us whatever they had in stock that day.

We've ordered from McMaster-Carr, Thysen-Krupp, etc.. same results from no matter who we order from. And I'd like to be able to just get the tan stuff, which is a lot easier to deal with. 

[So not a Guru]

I haven't worked with it in 30 years, but I seem to remember that LE used linen as the fiber and CE used cotton as the fiber. I believe the color of the resin is a matter of the manufactures specific formula.

[jeff]

3 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

I haven't worked with it in 30 years, but I seem to remember that LE used linen as the fiber and CE used cotton as the fiber. I believe the color of the resin is a matter of the manufactures specific formula.

That's a good possibility!

But if you were to machine the 2 different pcs that we got, you can easily tell they are not the same. 

The tan pcs are more...dense  (for lack of a better term) and the brown ones are more... fibrous after machining.

Maybe I'm totally wrong, but I'm convinced the suppliers just grab from both piles when you place an order. 

[So not a Guru]

18 minutes ago, jeff said:

That's a good possibility!

But if you were to machine the 2 different pcs that we got, you can easily tell they are not the same. 

The tan pcs are more...dense  (for lack of a better term) and the brown ones are more... fibrous after machining.

Maybe I'm totally wrong, but I'm convinced the suppliers just grab from both piles when you place an order. 

Now that I've thought about it awhile, I think the CE was canvas, not cotton. And I'd be willing to bet your supplier is giving you a mixed batch of the LE & CE, not the LE you are requesting. Are they providing certifications?

[jeff]

7 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

. Are they providing certifications?

I'll have to check.

[jeff]

Here is what I'm talking about. 

[crazy^millman]

Yes that is 2 different ones. I always machined the one to the right for medical device handles and in lays, but that was over 20 years ago.

[So not a Guru]

That one on the right is no way linen!

[jeff]

18 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

That one on the right is no way linen!

That's what I keep saying.

But no matter the supplier, that's what we get.

Thyssen Krupp, McMaster-Carr, etc...

[So not a Guru]

I wonder if these guys have competitive pricing.

http://www.professionalplastics.com/PHENOLICLINENGRADELE

[jeff]

6 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

I wonder if these guys have competitive pricing.

http://www.professionalplastics.com/PHENOLICLINENGRADELE

I checked their site. They are about $10 per piece higher.

We actually got a good price from Thyssen Krupp 200 pcs of .312 x 9 x 20 for $17 each.  And they didn't send us a mixed batch like McMaster-Carr does, just all darker brown Phenolic LE. (the kind I hate)

[So not a Guru]

42 minutes ago, jeff said:

I checked their site. They are about $10 per piece higher.

We actually got a good price from Thyssen Krupp 200 pcs of .312 x 9 x 20 for $17 each.  And they didn't send us a mixed batch like McMaster-Carr does, just all darker brown Phenolic LE. (the kind I hate)

That's odd, maybe on on the wrong site, but according to this: http://www.tkmna.com/tkmna/Products/Plastics/HighPressureLaminates/index.html

the only phenolics they carry are XX, XXX ( different paper grades of phenolic), C and CE. No L or LE. that's probably why you've got all the same type.

[jeff]

29 minutes ago, So not a Guru said:

That's odd, maybe on on the wrong site, but according to this: http://www.tkmna.com/tkmna/Products/Plastics/HighPressureLaminates/index.html

the only phenolics they carry are XX, XXX ( different paper grades of phenolic), C and CE. No L or LE. that's probably why you've got all the same type.

Interesting! The shipper says LE though.Now I'm really scratching my head.

 

EDIT: Looks like I didn't read close enough

 

 

Quote

AIN Plastics is your full line distributor of industrial plastic shapes specializing in Industrial Laminates like CE, Extren®, FR4, GPO, LE,and X grades, for the fabrictor and OEM communities.

 

[So not a Guru]

Yeah, I see that now, but I still can't find the actual product. Like I said, this could just be the wrong site.

[AMCNitro]

Do you have to provide the cerst to the customer?  Back when I was self employed I did a fair bit of phenolics and being aerospace I always had to have the certs, I don't know where you're located but I only ever bought from Plastifab in Cali.  http://www.plastifabonline.com/index.html  Great customer service, ask for karen

[jeff]

On 3/26/2017 at 1:21 PM, AMCNitro said:

Do you have to provide the cerst to the customer?  Back when I was self employed I did a fair bit of phenolics and being aerospace I always had to have the certs, I don't know where you're located but I only ever bought from Plastifab in Cali.  http://www.plastifabonline.com/index.html  Great customer service, ask for karen

Pretty sure we don't have to provide certs. But I've been wrong once before.