Composite construction. Anyone using basalt?

[Shaggy]

I have been noodling around a lightweight shell type camper, and one of the new things I'm considering is using basalt mesh/weave/fibres. It's been around a while, but is now starting to become more available. It is not as strong or light as carbon or kevlar, but stronger and lighter than glass, but the big thing is it doesn't take up water. So cracks in the gel won't result in breakdown. Because of that it is also generating a lot of interest as concrete reinforcement. We sell a canoe made with a mix of carbon and basalt, "tuffstuff" There are videos out there showing some "testing" some of which we did. One test involved dropping it off a 15 foot balcony. I think the manufacturer did a drop from the third floor. My friend got to buy the resultant wreck from our tests. The hull looks like s#*t, but still floats and holds out the water.

Anyone have any experience or thoughts of this?

[KCStudly]

Yeah, don't drop a perfectly good canoe off of a balcony! (bah-dum-bump)

But seriously, I've not heard of this basalt stuff. I'll have to look it up some day and find out about it.

[JaggedEdges]

Heh, I thought you was yanking my chain at first, and was talking about using stone slabs for siding or something.

However, I doubt you will save any weight, and thus require it's strength, unless you have something akin to a vacuum bagging rig as is used with carbon fibre to pull out excess resin. It's like pallete knife painting your christmas cards with oils, and agonising if 125g card stock will cost you more to mail than 120g.... well yeah it's heavier, but the paint is larded on 3 times as thick as the card...