Who has made a light weight floor?

[One Oldman]

It's not needed to fill edges as far as intrusion is concerned. However, I have been filling them anywhere they are bonded to anything hoping to improve the bond. I don't know if it's needed but it makes me feel better. I'm using laminated Carbon-core panels. Same thing as Nida-core.

[tunnels]

Here's a panel I made on Saturday for part of the floor on my Valero that is up under the bow.First time I've ever used Nida-core. I used 16mm Nida-core. On one side I laminated 1808 +-90 and 1708 +-45 on the other. I finished the top side with .75 oz csm. Here's my observation: it was easy to work with, its very light, and it appears to be very strong. The piece did distort a little, but I think it was the heat here on Saturday and it got a little hot while curing. In the future, I'll roll resin onto both sides of the piece, let it cure till almost hard, then do both sides of cloth at the same time. I think this would prevent distortion. Not to hijack this thread, but is it necessary to finish the edges? I'm going to bed the piece to the hull with thickened resin then use a 6" strip of biax on top where it meets the hull, so it the unfinished edge shouldn't be exposed anywhere?
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which side you have facing upwards and what glass will it have ? Are the 90 degree fibres of the 1808 running across on the outer surface of the fabric you laid ?? its a way of gaining a little more rigidity if the 90 is on the surface ! This makes no difference with the 1708 !!

[JBMac]

The 90 is on the bottom of the panel, the 45 is on top. I also put a piece of csm over the top. I put the panel between two cinderblocks and jumped up and down on it as an experiment, its pretty damn strong for as light as it is!

[tunnels]

The 90 is on the bottom of the panel, the 45 is on top. I also put a piece of csm over the top. I put the panel between two cinderblocks and jumped up and down on it as an experiment, its pretty damn strong for as light as it is!

I am glad some one is listening !In this day and age the quest for strength and lightness isnever ending and companies are dedicated to this task to the point of whatseems ridicules ! http://www.textreme.com/what-we-do/spread-tow-products/This company has taken things to extremes andare making ultra thin layers of fibers and spread them out and laid them asflat as is possible and made every filament within each tow work for them !
Like I try to point out to guys using just everyday fiberglasswanting lightness and strength to orientation of fibers in the differentfabrics available off the shelf and there placement within the laminate stackis critical to gain maximum rigidity and ultimate strength plus durability sowhatever your making wont just snap and break easily in use !! . What I try toshow is simple common sense and doesn’t take rocket science technology to makeit work better for you !.
These principles were taught and shown to me many many yearsago by one of the brightest composite persons I’ve ever known ! , a Mr Richard Honey of Gurit fame , thefounding member person and his name is known world wide ! Companies I haveworked I have been able to implement gradual ,changes within their laminatesthey had been using as in forever ,this speedup there production , saved many kilograms of weight ,in some cases and made theirproducts stronger. Once shown how andwhy the guys shook their heads in disbelief and wonderment as to why hadn’t theybeen using these products and methods before ?.

[JBMac]

Yeah- there's a guy on here always going on rants about what fabric to use and which way to lay it. I try to pay attention!

[XstreamVking]

He can also get you dehumidifiers wholesale....

[JBMac]

I definitely need a dehumidifier! We've had almost 7" of rain in the last 18 hours in North Florida. The storm last night blew the tarp off the Valero and some rain blew into the pole barn, dampening my newly laid balsa. I've got the squirrel-cage blowing on it to dry it out.

[tunnels]

I definitely need a dehumidifier! We've had almost 7" of rain in the last 18 hours in North Florida. The storm last night blew the tarp off the Valero and some rain blew into the pole barn, dampening my newly laid balsa. I've got the squirrel-cage blowing on it to dry it out.

Air by its self is a waste if time ! Will appear to dry the surface maybe the top 2 mm that's all !! A heater is also another waste of time again dries just the surface ! A dehumidifier will totally dry the lot ! Just cover it over with a plastic sheet and seal all round and have the unit run 24 hours a day for a 3 or 4 of days !Don't forget to empty the water out of the unit regularly !!
When its not collecting water in the unit its 100% dry .
Don't forget the balsa you used is end grain so the water will have penetrated straight down all way to the adhesive at the bottom!! so it will get sucked out real easy and dry like nothing had ever happened !!! PLUS it will also dry the rest of the area 100% as well !

Have dried block Parquet wooden floors that have been completely covered with water and the wood had swollen and peaked around all 4 sides !! but with 2 dehumidifier units running 24/ 7 for 2 weeks it all completely dried and went down like it had never happened and was only if you got on your knees up close you could see the poly had cracked !!!! was sucking the moisture through the cracked poly and from round the perimeter of the room under the skirting's etc and the air gaps between each of the blocks . Done slowly and gradually with no heat involved at any time the acrylic two part rubber glue used never let go and not one single block came loose !
The house was a show home and the owner was very particular about everything and the place was immaculate !