Description
Swell Composites promote the use of Entropy Resin exclusively and have found Hexcel Glass Fiber as the most compatible glass fabric to help create your project.
The versatility of glass as a fiber makes it a unique industrial textile material. Woven glass fibers offer an excellent combination of properties from high strength to fire resistance at the more affordable costs supported by industry tests.
Dimensional Stability - maximum elongation for “E” glass at break is 4.8% with a 100% elastic recovery when stressed close to its point of rupture.
Moisture Resistance - glass fibers do not absorb moisture, and do not change physically or chemically when exposed to water.
High Strength - the high strength-to-weight ratio of glass fiber makes it a superior material in applications where high strength and minimum weight are required.
Fire Resistance - glass fiber is an inorganic material and will not burn or support combustion. It retains approximately 25% of its initial strength at 1000°F (540°C).
Chemical Resistance - most chemicals have little or no effect on glass fiber. The inorganic glass textile fibers will not mildew, rot or deteriorate
Electrical Properties - glass fiber is an excellent material for electrical insulation. The combination of properties such as low moisture absorption, high strength, heat resistance and low dielectric constant makes fiber glass fabrics ideal as a reinforcement for printed circuit boards and insulating varnishes.
Thermal Conductivity - a low coefficient of thermal expansion combined with high thermal conductivity properties makes glass fabric a dimensionally stable material that rapidly dissipates heat as compared to asbestos and organic fibers.
Surfboard Construction
4 oz. fiberglass cloth is the most common cloth used to glass a surfboard. E-glass is easy to wet out with polyester or epoxy resin and laps around the rails easily. If you want the lightest weight surfboard the common layup is 2 layers 4 oz. E cloth on the deck and 1 layer 4 oz. E cloth on the bottom. Surfboards made with all 4 oz. fiberglass cloth is light but not the strongest...
6 oz. fiberglass cloth is typically used in Longboards, eggs, and fish type surfboards. 6 oz. fiberglass cloth is stronger than 4 oz. cloth but of course heavier... It is common to glass a surfboard with a combination of 4 oz and 6 oz. fiberglass. A good, strong glassing schedule is 6/4 deck and a 6 oz. bottom for fish and eggs. Longboards are usually laminated entirely with 6 oz. fiberglass cloth.
6 oz. Volan fiberglass Volan cloth is most often used to get that classic, vintage longboard color along with a bit of added strength.