Alternative fabrics

I have been messing with some alternative fabrics and found one I want to try. It's trade name is Zylon, and it's most notable use was by the now defunct company Second Chance Body Armor in it's ballistic vests...which seemed to not work after a period of time. Not good!

Anyway, I'm not needing a bullet proof board. Soller Composites has it in a 4oz weight.

This is what the fabric looks like up close:

That same company has a relative strength and stiffness bar chart comparing a number of fabrics used in composite structures. The Zylon is stronger than other fabrics, including aerospace grade Carbon and is stiffer than most fabrics, except for the aerospace grade Carbon...it was interesting to see the difference between the Zylon and Commercial grade Carbon.

I did find a picture of someone attempting to laminate the stuff by hand. Note the fabric on the uncut side not draping It's stiff like PVC foam.

Maybe a good material for a deck patch.

Yeah - the guy in the last picture did just that, carbon on the rails, Zylon on the deck. I want to use it under a PVC skin, the exterior will still be e or s-glass.

I ordered two yards

Anyone know how to get a few of these maybe they work maybe they don't bullet proof vests? I'm sure we could come up with a fun hunting game with them maybe like that Ice-T movie Surviving the Game.

What a great name for the company by the way!

Did you really just suggest that?! You wild man. The Zylon based vests I think are all gone, I do believe. Remind me never to accept an invitation to go hunting with you!!!!

Richard Davis, the original owner of the company has an interesting life story. Former marine, owned a pizzeria and also delivered his pizzas. One delivery he gets robbed and shot, and he also shot the three attackers. 'Ya have to love a little street justice.

Anyway, after that he developed the first kevlar vests which became the Second Chance Body Armor company. He used to make sales calls to police departments...he would suit up and ask to borrow a sidearm from one of the folks and then shoot himself (in the vest). Is that an effective sales presentation, or what?

I think I will stick with S glass

S-glass is good choice, about 15% stringer/stiffer than e-glass probably also that much more expensive.

I ordered some Kevlar that arrived today. Kevlar comes in different flavors Kevlar, Kevlar 29 and Kevlar 49 and different weights.

This is 1.74 oz Kevlar. It has a claimed stiffness of 2 to 3 times eglass. I intend to use it as the sandwich layer in lieu of the 2 oz eglass. It is recommended as a replacement for a single layer of 3 to 4 oz eglass.

Kevlar has a few issues. One is you can't cut it It takes a special pair of shears that are serated razors. Another is that UV light breaks it down and lasty it doesn't sand, it fuzzes instead.

I plan to build a d-cell compsand with carbon "stringers", 1.74 oz Kevlar sandwich layer and 4oz either s-glass or Zylon external lamination.

ooooh exotic

well Jeff, at least if you get shot at while riding you have something to protect yourselves with. you never know in cali these days

Ever so true Mark and Smed! If you've ever been "in the lineup" to get off the lake it can get stupid.

Now we'll just pull out the board! Maybe even taunt them - go ahead and shoot! This is 2 plies of 1.74 oz Kevlar Which MIGHT stop a BB from close range.

I got the chance to work with the 1.7 oz Kevlar. It's a very stiff fabric. Having worked with 2 oz e-glass as a sandwich laminate, the Kevlar is a dream in comparison. It cuts easily with the special shears. The 1.7 oz fabric was a challenge to wet out, I had to let it soak in and work the resin through the fabric with some force. I can imagine that a heavier weight Kevlar would be difficult to fully wet out.