Growing a blank

General Discussion
1

I came across an very interesting company while surfin’ the web today.  They are making a substitute for EPS that is %100 bio.  Basically they grow fungus roots into hard plant material.  Right now its around 6lbs. density. Here is their website: www.ecovativedesign.com

It looked like interesting stuff and being the surf nerd that I am, i shot them an email asking how it could relate to surfboard construction.

Here is my question:

I’m
wondering if you are planning lighter densities similar to EPS.  I make
surfboards and we are always striving for lighter better performing
equipment. However we are also trying to reduce the environmental
impacts of our sport.  Will you be developing densities around 1.5
lbs.?  Are your materials able to be cut with a hotwire?  How does the
flexibility compare to EPS?

Here is their respones (and a quick response too, like ten minutes later) :

Yes! A big R&D push for us is to make these materials lighter and
higher performance. We’ve always wanted to make surfboards out of it!
Our materials cannot be cut with a hotwire, but can be worked with
standard woodworking tools. However, we can also just grow to custom
shapes, so you could literally grow a surfboard without additional
shaping. Please keep your eye on our website for future materials that
might be well suited for surf boards.

 

**Whoa- “****just grow to custom
shapes”  Crazy!  And if you’re stuck in the middle of the ocean you could probably just eat the stuff too.
**

2

Cool!

In the video section they say that they have partnered with Patagonia to make a surfboard.

My blank has grown about a foot so far this spring.

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3

So they're innoculating wood with spalting fungus - pretty clever.  I know from experience that spalted wood is certainly much lighter than what it came from, however, it is nothing like foam as far as shaping/tooling goes.  The fungus will occupy and weaken the spaces with most nutrients first, then move on to the harder stuff.  Many spalted woods can be peeled apart at the rays, while others can be crumbled into amorphous sections . . .Ah whatever - I'm not going to be that naysayer.  It's an awesome idea and I hope they succeed in what they're doing. 

In the mean time, my blanks have grown a bit this spring too . . .

4

paulownia?

5

Thanks for sharing hang20! Awesome concept to grow a blank. I’ll definitely stay tuned for more updates.

6

Some bright biologist/botanist should come up with a fungus that will bind puffed rice or puffed corn without consuming it. That would be lighter than buckwheat hulls.

Wish I had room to grow some paulownia. My neighbor had one as a yard tree, a week of hard morning frost killed it. I asked him to save the trunk for me after he cut it down. But when he showed it to me it was all pith. Nothing usable. Bummer.

7

This stuff looks promising, but what’s the cost? 

I just got my paulownia this winter and it sprouted 3 leaves, but hasn’t grown at all. I must be doing something wrong.