MetalCarnage
Stainless
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2011
- Location
- Nebraska
I became a grandfather a couple of months ago when my oldest daughter gave birth to twin girls. One of the first thing that comes to my mind is that now I have grandkids to make stuff for. I've got a couple of simple designs in mind that would be appropriate for their ages in a couple of months (so I have time to figure this out as well as get it done).
Where I run in to a problem is figuring out just what materials will be safe to make them out of considering that they will spend a good deal of time being sucked/gummed, etc.
After doing a LOT of reading about what not to use, I finally come across references that PBT or Polybutylene Terephthalate is what gets used mostly in modern kid's toys. Great now I just look for a source for raw materials. None of the PBT I found listed it for being used as baby toys ( go figure ) and many had different additives for different chemical or physical properties.
I ended up ordering a 2-1/5" x 12" rod (refered to as Hydex 4101 from PBT Plastic Rods, .250 to 10.0 inch diameter, Polybutylene terephthalate as this material was listed as "FDA/NSF/3A Compliant" and was also relatively expensive.
Sorry for the long intro to the question but, does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Have I made a decent choice or will it only be fit hanging up in the shop? I haven't dealt with the fragile little carpet slugs for well over twenty years and I am trying to be extra careful because they aren't my kids but my new grand daughters.
Thanks for any input.
-Ron
Where I run in to a problem is figuring out just what materials will be safe to make them out of considering that they will spend a good deal of time being sucked/gummed, etc.
After doing a LOT of reading about what not to use, I finally come across references that PBT or Polybutylene Terephthalate is what gets used mostly in modern kid's toys. Great now I just look for a source for raw materials. None of the PBT I found listed it for being used as baby toys ( go figure ) and many had different additives for different chemical or physical properties.
I ended up ordering a 2-1/5" x 12" rod (refered to as Hydex 4101 from PBT Plastic Rods, .250 to 10.0 inch diameter, Polybutylene terephthalate as this material was listed as "FDA/NSF/3A Compliant" and was also relatively expensive.
Sorry for the long intro to the question but, does anyone have experience with this sort of thing? Have I made a decent choice or will it only be fit hanging up in the shop? I haven't dealt with the fragile little carpet slugs for well over twenty years and I am trying to be extra careful because they aren't my kids but my new grand daughters.
Thanks for any input.
-Ron