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HAve any of y'all heard of "Ekoa"

musicman

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HAve any of y'all heard of "Ekoa"
« on: July 12, 2018, 03:33:36 AM »
It is a new composite material just invented/patented about three years ago.  Instead of using fiber glass or carbon graphite strands as it's main component, it uses.... flax.  Flax is a plant that can be grown just about anywhere, thereby, it is really cheap.  I guess it is like micarta, but in a very thin
 product.  So, flax fibers/strands are put into a mold of whatever shape, with the proper resin.  I assume pressure is applied, and viola, you have a composite material that is almost as sturdy as the other modern composites, and it looks like wood when it is finished, if a clear resin is used.  The process is a bit more complicated than that, but that is it in a nutshell.  It was developed by a Mom and Pop custom guitar company, wanting something as strong as modern composites, but more "organic" so to speak.  I am surprised George Washington Carver did not invent this a hundred and fifty years ago.  If they further develop this, and use some type of organic based resin, perhaps made out of soybeans or some other plant, it would be totally organic.  And extremely strong.  Do any of y'all remember "tweed" stuff back in the fifties.  Suitcases, guitar amp coverings, and such were covered in tweed, and some companies would "lacquer" it, and it made it one heck of a durable covering.  Ekoa reminds me of that, but it is MUCH stronger and shape-able.  The first thing that comes to my mind, would be a canoe made out of it.  But a lot of outdoors type products could also be made out of it.  Axe handles, gunstocks, various containers.  I am sure it is expensive now, but so was aluminum when it first came out.  (The little pyramid cap on the tip top of the Washington Monument was made of the most expensive metal at the time, aluminum.  Now it is worth a dollar or two).  I will keep my eyes open for other stuff coming out made of this stuff in the next few years.  MM

Re: HAve any of y'all heard of "Ekoa"
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2018, 06:06:04 AM »
they burn lots of Flax straw after they harvest the seed as it doesn't rot down very well and plugs cultivators and drills when trying to put the next crop in. They have tried using it in Strand board but the plants seem to be under capitalized and fail.
I can't tame wild women
But I can make tame women wild

badsection

Re: HAve any of y'all heard of "Ekoa"
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2018, 03:19:57 PM »
I do have a knife with acrylic coated corn husks.  :)

zonie

Re: HAve any of y'all heard of "Ekoa"
« Reply #3 on: July 13, 2018, 09:53:11 AM »
Nice now we just need a gunstock  made of corn stock  ;D,   all kidding aside sounds like something some of these plant products might be pretty good.