Method of preparing a mixture for making extruded resin articles

In a method of making an extruded resin article, which method includes preparing a mixture including a first resin in particulate form with a non-resinous filler material in finer particulate form dispersed throughout said resin, air-conveying said mixture to the point at which the article is to be made from a remote location and making said article from said mixture by means of extrusion, the improvement comprising:

• a. providing a second resin in particulate form, said second resin being such that
• i. it has a melting point below that of said first-mentioned resin,
• ii. when initially heated to its melting point, said second resin will adhere to adjacent particles of said first-mentioned resin and filler material but will not be immediately absorbed by said adjacent particles, and
• iii. said second resin promotes fusion of said first resin during said extrusion;
• b. substantially uniformly mixing said particles of second resin throughout said particles of first resin prior to combining said filler material with said first resin to provide a substantially homogeneous mixture of the two;
• c. during said mixing step, heating said resins to the point at which said second resin initially melts such that the particles of second resin adhere to particles of the first resin;
• d. after said second resin has reached said melting point and before it has a chance to be completely absorbed by said first resin, dispersing said filler material substantially throughout said first and second resins such that the particles of filler material adhere to said second resin particles;
• and
• e. preventing said melted particles of second resin from being completely absorbed by said first resin particles or particles of filler material.