"Bob Engelhardt" wrote in message
...
Ed Huntress wrote:
[re cabosil] ...
Yes, fumed silicon dioxide. ...

More than you want to know about it:
http://www.eagerplastics.com/cab.htm

$12/gal (1/2lb), $18/2-gal (1 lb). It looks like shipping is the actual
UPS charge.

Any feeling for how much you'd use in a gallon of lye?

Bob


Sorry, I haven't mixed any for a while. The complete formula, used by some
antique house restorers, includes diatomaceous earth (pool filtering
material). You make a strong batch of lye, toss in diatomaceous earth until
it starts to get pretty muddy, and then add Cab-O-Sil (that's the trademark
name; there are others) until it's smooth and seems to hang on vertical
surfaces. The DE greatly reduces the amount of Cab-O-Sil you need for the
job, and it's a lot cheaper.

I got the formula from one of two places, neither of which is handy. If I
come across them I'll post it.

Ed Huntress