Inexpensive, Lightweight Core for Interior Uses?

What would you use as a core material or building material to build an interior out of if you wanted...

*lightest weight
*economical
*will last as long as the boat


The material would be for non-structural items like settees, cabinetry, cabin sole, tables, counters, etc...

 

Why use a core under those requirements?

 

I guess your talking about sheet produces for interior furniture. None is particularly cheap. The production boatbuilder JBoats use Goldcorelight

http://www.kerfkore.com/

http://nida-core.com/english/nidaprod_lamin_veneers.htm

http://www.pantimusa.com/feather_ply.html


http://www.goldcorelight.com/specifications.htm

 

Yes, why indeed?

How would you build the lightest interior?

Thanks for the links, Michael.

 

And go crazy saving weight on interior components. It makes a huge difference. The boat Im sailing now is one hudred percent cored panel interior. You might be wise to checkout a furniture building website blog like fine woodworking or something for tips and tricks when working with light panels...hinges, backing plates , mollies....and veneer tricks. If possible visit a lightweight modern boat like a Wally with your camera and record details.

 

Catbuilder; if you want lightweight and economical then light weight plywood is your best choice. Locally I can get a 12mm, 10.5kg sheet of balsa ply for $60. This is made from 3 thick veneers of long grain balsa with thin hardwood faces. This is definitely for non structural work, there are also other plywoods 13 - 15kg a sheet that are good for light structural work.
Talk to your local mobile home manufacturers to see how they make their interiors and where to source the plywood from.

Next on the economical scale I found is plastic honeycomb core from Plascore, http://www.plascore.com/ The last price I had is ~18 months ago $45 a sheet for 10 & 12mm. You can face this with 1.5 - 2.0mm 3 ply or glass them.

Andrew

 

I use these roosters:

http://www.eastcoastinteriorsinc.com/

 

Cat, I dont know about inexpensive but I will be using all 5/8 foam same as the hull, I bought case price so I just added in interior. When I added up shipping with plywood prices I decided I would break about even going with foam on my bulkheads and furniture. If there is no structural intent in the design of the furniture ect. a cheep foam with no shear strength may do, I think fiberglass supply stocks one. rick

 

kraft paper honeycomb such as verticel sandwiched between doorskin ply makes nice lightweight stiff sheetgoods for a reasonable price. The interior is a good place to save weight.
Steve

 

I've been asking questions about foam cores after I read about Jorma Ponkala.

http://shalom.ponkala.net/pages/shalom-boat--in-english.php

http://www.solarnavigator.net/solar_boat.htm

http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...ox-a&hs=V0J&rlz=1R1GGGL_en___GB351&prmd=ivnso

Here is the product specification.

http://www.finnfoam.lt/client/frontpage//english.pdf

It's not available in the UK, but here is the text of an email from Finnfoam.

Finnfoam is xps (extruded polystyrene).
Xps boards are sold in England at least with trade marks:
Styrofoam by Dow Chemicals
Polyfoam by Knaufinsulation
Styrodur by Basf and sold by FOAMtech Ltd

Mr Ponkala has during past 20 years made many kind of constructions using Finnfoam and glassfibre. Shalom is his second boat.

Best regards

Seppo Paasi

Thus.

http://www.knaufinsulation.co.uk/pr...oam_floor_insulation/polyfoam_floorboard.aspx

Price in UK.

http://www.building-supplies-online.co.uk/knauf-polyfoam-floorboard-insulation-standard-3243-p.asp

AFAIK, 20% of the cost of Diab foam cores.

Cat Builder, search your locale and try a sheet for yourself.

regards,

P

 

http://www.tricelcorp.com/apps_home.html

 

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I'll look into them.

 

Shear strength of Finnfoam is 300 kPa, about 43.5 Pound Per Square Inch

1 Kpa (Kilopascal) = 0.145037738 Psi (Pound Per Square Inch)

Shear strength of Divinycell H is 400 kPa or 58 Pound Per Square Inch

http://www.diabgroup.com/europe/literature/e_pdf_files/ds_pdf/H_DS_EU.pdf

 

Also you could do a couple of phone calls, see if you can find a batch of "B-grade" foam. Usually nothing is wrong with it, just odd sizes, thicknesses, or a corner that broke off.

I also once bought 5 or 6 containers full of thin sheets Core-Cell, in full, half and quarter sheets. That was something. Many structures in Holland were built using these sheets.

 

There are always bargains to be had. I saved money on plywood by haggling over damaged corners.