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Using hemp fabric instead of fiberglass

free_radical
Explorer
Explorer
Have you ever heard of using Hemp fabric instead of fiberglass in laminating?
alegedly hemp fabric is stronger and easier to work with,not itchy on skin like fglass..

https://youtu.be/Kgg0zpckGRU


https://youtu.be/L6lgsPNBtqQ
17 REPLIES 17

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
free radical wrote:
Gjac wrote:
What are the mechanical properties of the fiber and how does or compare with graphite, Kevlar, or FG? The fibers by them selves have no strength except in tension. Resin stabilizes fibers to give them strength, for most repair applications one would do on a FG RV just about any fiber will work. I have used old bed sheets and epoxy resin for repairs. Repairs usually fail in the bond line not in the fiber matix. Where would you commerially buy woven hemp?

Bit of googling got this

https://envirotextile.com/hemp-fabrics/wholesale-hemp-fabric/
. I could not find any mechcanical properties for the fiber. What I did find is a lot of pro marijuana sites saying it is 10 times stronger that steel. The use of cellulose and other renewable fibers have been looked at for years and are light and impact resistant but never had the strength of FG epoxy or graphite epoxy for structural use.

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
"hemp does not contain intoxicating chemicals"

Free, hemp "contains" whatever the grower sprayed on it OR put in the soil while growing it. Me thinks you are too hemped up to discuss this.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

free_radical
Explorer
Explorer
Gjac wrote:
What are the mechanical properties of the fiber and how does or compare with graphite, Kevlar, or FG? The fibers by them selves have no strength except in tension. Resin stabilizes fibers to give them strength, for most repair applications one would do on a FG RV just about any fiber will work. I have used old bed sheets and epoxy resin for repairs. Repairs usually fail in the bond line not in the fiber matix. Where would you commerially buy woven hemp?

Bit of googling got this

https://envirotextile.com/hemp-fabrics/wholesale-hemp-fabric/

rexlion
Explorer
Explorer
agesilaus wrote:
From the engineering standpoint you would need to satisfy yourself that Hemp cloth is not only as good but much better than fiberglass cloth. That is because fiberglass+epoxy has many decades of proven performance behind it. It lasts for many years when used properly. It is UV and weather resistant.....the list goes on and on.

What does hemp cloth have going for it? Just that it satisfies someone's sense of political correctness. Will it rot in 3 years? Who knows.

A minor correction: fiberglass is not very UV resistant. So they apply a UV resistant gelcoat overtop it. Gelcoat would be advised no matter the cloth type.
Mike G.
Liberty is meaningless where the right to utter one's thoughts and opinions has ceased to exist. That, of all rights, is the dread of tyrants. --Frederick Douglass
photo: Yosemite Valley view from Taft Point

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
What are the mechanical properties of the fiber and how does or compare with graphite, Kevlar, or FG? The fibers by them selves have no strength except in tension. Resin stabilizes fibers to give them strength, for most repair applications one would do on a FG RV just about any fiber will work. I have used old bed sheets and epoxy resin for repairs. Repairs usually fail in the bond line not in the fiber matix. Where would you commerially buy woven hemp?

Steve_83406
Explorer
Explorer
I would want to use vinylester resin or epoxy resin rather than polyester resin as the the first two are more water resistant than the last. As others have said, using an organic is a bit riskier in terms of failure due to water intrusion or UV damage. However, people have been building cold-molded sailboats for years using wood strips laminated with epoxy resin. You do buy resin with or add a UV protectant to the resin or paint it/varnish it to ensure it lasts. Lots of old wood sailboats boats used canvas, stretched over a deck and held with staples or tacks, then painted with oil-base paints to create a non-slip, waterproof deck. So why not give hemp a try?

Ralph_Cramden
Explorer II
Explorer II
free radical wrote:
darsben1 wrote:
I wonder what the drug sniffing dogs would do?

Probably nothing,,hemp does not contain intoxicating chemicals like marijuana,,
hemp was used to make rope and fabric many years ago..

Its similar in name only to canabis aka canabis cativa..two different plants,,one a drug the other hemp a type of weed..
smoking hemp wouldnt get you high..



How do you know? Have ya ever twisted up a fat hemp Scooby snack and taken a few good tokes? Personally I'd be willing to give it a try. Cheech and Chong once built an ice cream truck out of it so why not a 5th wheel lol.
Too many geezers, self appointed moderators, experts, and disappearing posts for me. Enjoy. How many times can the same thing be rehashed over and over?

aguablanco
Explorer
Explorer
It's already been done by Cheech & Chong in Up In Smoke.
RichH
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Bmach
Explorer II
Explorer II
You must have just watched Jay Leno's garage. Right?

free_radical
Explorer
Explorer
darsben1 wrote:
I wonder what the drug sniffing dogs would do?

Probably nothing,,hemp does not contain intoxicating chemicals like marijuana,,
hemp was used to make rope and fabric many years ago..

Its similar in name only to canabis aka canabis cativa..two different plants,,one a drug the other hemp a type of weed..
smoking hemp wouldnt get you high..

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
First you said..."alegedly hemp fabric is stronger"

Now you say..."as its lighter,stronger"

What changed your opinion from that of 5:34 pm to the 7:35 pm post? Fuzzy thinking doesn't convince me.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

free_radical
Explorer
Explorer
agesilaus wrote:
From the engineering standpoint you would need to satisfy yourself that Hemp cloth is not only as good but much better than fiberglass cloth. That is because fiberglass+epoxy has many decades of proven performance behind it. It lasts for many years when used properly. It is UV and weather resistant.....the list goes on and on.

What does hemp cloth have going for it? Just that it satisfies someone's sense of political correctness. Will it rot in 3 years? Who knows.

Thats what Im trying to find out,,
So far I havent heard anything negative,on the contrary,people use hemp to even build houses from and car panels as its lighter,stronger..

https://youtu.be/xCoVFOc1iVM

https://youtu.be/srgE6Tzi3Lg

agesilaus
Explorer III
Explorer III
From the engineering standpoint you would need to satisfy yourself that Hemp cloth is not only as good but much better than fiberglass cloth. That is because fiberglass+epoxy has many decades of proven performance behind it. It lasts for many years when used properly. It is UV and weather resistant.....the list goes on and on.

What does hemp cloth have going for it? Just that it satisfies someone's sense of political correctness. Will it rot in 3 years? Who knows.
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Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
Gordon, so they can rub up against their RV....for heaven's sake!
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad