OK All - I wanna talk seriously about the alternatives to using the foam material in surfboard manufacturing. I have to admit I only know a little about the process but not nothing at all (being from Santa Cruz Cali you kinda get the knowledge by osmosis)
My company can very quite possibly assist greatly in finding/providing an alternative which TOTALLY eliminates most if not all the very reasons why Clark closed it’s plant. Im looking for you guys to guide me here. This is a very real issue that has a very real solution. I’m looking to determine if its viable.
I am interested in hearing from you what kinds of alternative materials you know of that have been tried and point me in the direction of people I should talk to. I’m not trying to re-invent the wheel here!!
The real deal is that I am the Director of Business Development working with Industrial Hemp. My Company is US HEMP CO LLC. out of Santa Cruz, CA. We’re brandnew so you wont find us on the web until Feb of '06.
I’ve been looking to start talks about this for a few months now and have already made initial contact with Jeff over here at NHS regarding using alternatives in their wheel manufacturing and skateboard making. Although the applications for the before mentioned would be different in blank manufacturing.
I’m curious about the R&D progress of using what is called “blown hemp” or Hemp fiber composits. It is currently being used and has been for years in molded car door panels and dashboards. It is also being used as an alternative to petrolium based products like plastics. Environmentally nothing can touch it from the growth to the processing of the plant. This is a HUGE industry and a very real solution. My team is on board to make this happen, although we are not chemists and I need to feel out all aspects of this being viable, so thats where I’d like to hear from all of you.
The people to talk to are here on this board. There are many an innovator and free thinker here who daily use materials far beyond the realm of pu/pe. From what I’ve gathered in the many hours and days spent reading the archives, hemp has been used mainly as a material to glass with. Check out the archives, just search “hemp” and see what pops up and what there is there. Also, if there are people who have info regarding this, they will soon post as to their experiences. Good luck. I can’t wait for the day that I can ride a hemp board, a truly green surfing experience.
Howzit Amy, If it hadn't been for Dow and Hearst, hemp production would have never stopped and the world would be a cleaner place. I'm sure you are aware that a lot of all wars in days of yore were over who owned the hemp fields. aloha,Kokua
Just did a little archive searching, and it looks like Greg Loehr has done some work with hemp. PM him, or, it is likely he will read this and reply anyway.
Thanks, Amy. Those car products, are they solid or hollow? Do you envision a blown product where - hollow or not - the core & skin are the same thing? Or are you seeing an alternative to a foam core, which would still be glassed with resin & cloth (hemp cloth & veg.oil-based resin included) ?
Excuse all the questions, all I know about hemp was how I used it in high school.
I do know, as a plant, hemp has the highest ratio of CO2 in & O2 out of any plant, right? That can’t be a bad thing…
Yes Hemp actually also has the most balanced blend of nutriants and all the Omega’s. As I dive deeper into the possibilities it floors me that we havent done this 10 years ago. I understand the many road blocks and political fuel this has - but its the most commonsenseual plant in existance.
I’m not 100 % sold as to where exactly we can use this composit material and now im thinking about all the other possibilities as well, the accessories, fins, cord, etc… I think it requires some more information and investigation. It looks like this will be something our team will pick-up and look into further. Sorry for the short reply but i must be home by 420 =) by the way Hemp has approximatly .03% THC where Marijuana has like 45 - 65% yea not quite the same its like comparing a pitbull to a weinerdog - yea they’re both dogs but… come on!!!
keep the comments comming! Its only a matter of time before we’re riding the green wave!
It’s a crying shame that hemp has been put to shame by the govt. Such a useful , resilient, fast growing plant that has marked so many important points in history. A good primer book for all the applications of hemp is Jack Herer’s “The Emperor Wears No Clothes”. Pretty crazy all the applications that this single plant has. PEACE.
