New board material may be well suited for Ship/Boat Building applications

[tonyafc]

magnesiacore comes as thin as 3mm. It can be laminated together and built up to any thickness using fiberglass resins.

[StianM]

I see you say that, but who would like a hull laminated togheter until it's 3m thick?

If you don't know the strenght per weight unit it's useless.

How mutch dos it flex under diferent loads and how mutch tension can it take befout it brake? What about shear forces?

I would soak it in water with diferent temperatures from artic to tropical and let the sunn shine on it for at least 1 year and then find out the strenght off it in a proper laberatory and then I mean x,y and z axes + compresion strenght.

[Milan]

Originally Posted by StianM

None larg ships have ben made out off concrete as far as I know, I think it's only ben made a few smaler ones, but it really newer tok off.

Thousands of tons of ocean going merchant ships and smaller coastal vessels and barges were built in concrete by US and GB, during the first and second world wars. Brits even built at least one experimental submarine out of it.

The main reason to use concrete for ship building was shortage of steel.

Milan

[tonyafc]

Magnesiacore is very good versatile material. I believe the properties are worth investigating for ship building uses.

[SamSam]

What does 'bump to top' mean? Since this is a core product, it should be compared to other core products. Bondibility, sounds important. What compression, tensile, shear strengths does it have compared to others? As far as moisture absorbtion, 26% seems like a lot, but how much will other foams or balsa absorb when the raw material is put under water? Whether it transmits water inside itself and/or the laminate would be more important, I would think. Sam

[ted655]

How do its propertys CHANGE, after it gets wet? Will it crumble or "melt" into cottage cheese? I was told there was a way to get limited samples on the web site but I didn't find it. Heck, I'd pay UPS over ground to get some decent pcs. to test.

[tonyafc]

For samples just send email an with your address and we will send sample to you by ups at no cost.

The material is not effected by water or salt water. It absorbs moisture slowly and dries out without ill efects.

It is also not effected by chemicals like chlorine or ammonia.

[ted655]

Well I just finished MY tests. I exposed it to the everyday weather and I submerged it in a bucket of water for 6 months. I laid heavy weight on unsupported sections.
Mixed results. It faired well in damp and rainy conditiobs "as long as it could dry out once ib a while". It did not come apart or dissolve while submerged, BUT, it did not retain it's strength when even a slight pressure was applied in an attempt to bend it by hand.
I would say that it would be suitable for interior marine uses or exterior above water, IF it was not loas bearing.
It is a brittlematerial and "snaps" instead of giving. Not light weight. It is made much like drywall (gypsum board), but MUCH stronger. The thinner panels would be suitable for wall paneling. Much better than cheap wood paneling or drywall. Bathroom enviroments woul also be a place this could be used.
Cuts & works well with good precision. I did no fastener tests (mechanical or adhesive).
As a wall panel I would give it a 8 on the 10 scale. Anywhere else I would give it a 3 or 4.

[tonyafc]

Thanks Ted, great to see the feedback from your testing of the samples.

You’ve got what I generally had in mind for shipbuilding. Magnesiacore is used for building construction especially in showers, washrooms, kitchens and other areas subject to humidity and also as an upgrade to gypsum board for stronger longer lasting walls that can take more abuse. It’s interior and exterior plasterboard generally.

I don't think marine vessels can use drywall at all since it turns to mush if it gets wet. Magnesiacore could be the wallboard suitable for marine vessels that installs like drywall and makes doing ship interiors more like building construction, for marine applications, because of the salt and water resistance.

I have samples soaking in 100% saturated salt water, full strength chlorine bleach, and also in ammonia for around a year without any effect. I also had it in a pot at full boil for several hours in 100% saturated salt water without degrading it. It dries back to as good as new.

These properties led me to thinking about ship building uses for the interior and exterior paneling and partitioning, above water certainly.

When dry it is lighter than water and a piece will float till it gets waterlogged before sinking. If the material is made waterproof or covered in a resin on all sides it will not effect buoyancy and will float.

Your comments on being less flexible than plywood is noted and that it will snap with enough pressure rather than bend... but most other things one can use as a paneling will have similar problems other than aluminium and steel. Marine Plywood costs an arm and a leg and plastic has other problems and not everyone's cup of tea.

Thanks again for the input

[ted655]

I forgot to say, these "tests were NOT scirntific (or maybe even fair), but rather just a guy who works on boats, seeing what the stuff did in a real life situation'
If anyone ever starts handling it locally, I would buy & use it. In fact, I could use a sheet for a glass protector on a boat now. Will use treated plywood instead.