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Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
By:Matt Jakubek
Date: 8/2/2013, 7:06 am
In Response To: Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy? (ancient kayaker)

Plywood is a reasonably green material as it doesn't need fiberglass or any other fiber for cross-grain strength and the laminations are bonded under high pressure so relatively little polyester resin is needed internally, compared with, say, cold-molding.

Not many people in the US and Canada seem to be aware of the fact that plywood contains quite a bit of formaldehyde (in the glue). my carpenter neighbour at the workshop uses russian ply all the time and doesn't have a dust extraction – only a fan blowing the dust around the workshop and out of the window. Not a good idea, I keep thinking.

I don't want to be rude but I think discussing eco-friendliness of polyester, epoxy or even glass fibers is a little misleading. Let's face it: They are all pretty harmful to the environment at some point in their life cycle. Probably just as harmful as smearing a boat hull with tar like it used to be done 100 years ago…
This doesn't mean I don't care about our environment but I think there are many better ways to reduce one's carbon footprint: bicycling instead of driving, flying less, paddling within proximity of your home, etc.

btw, Ecopoxy or any other "green" epoxy are just as harmful and dangerous as ordinary epoxies and must be handled with the same respect.

Messages In This Thread

Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Kris Horrocks -- 8/1/2013, 6:23 pm
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Bill Hamm -- 8/1/2013, 8:10 pm
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Matt Jakubek -- 8/1/2013, 10:05 pm
Birch bark canoe
Jay Babina -- 8/3/2013, 8:23 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Charlie -- 8/1/2013, 11:14 pm
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
ancient kayaker -- 8/2/2013, 12:05 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Matt Jakubek -- 8/2/2013, 7:06 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
ancient kayaker -- 8/2/2013, 10:09 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 8/2/2013, 10:15 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Dan Caouette (CSCWC) -- 8/2/2013, 10:54 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Matt Jakubek -- 8/3/2013, 8:57 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Rick Crook -- 8/2/2013, 1:08 am
Re: Material: Natural Fiber & Epoxy?
Kris Horrocks -- 9/27/2013, 11:55 am