I got some new materials for a couple of board projects I finally feel capable of taking on. Someone showed me Texaluminum (silver shiny glass) and said it can look cool IF done right! I have no idea how it will look untinted or tinted. I will play around with a few bits on old foam but if anyone has any tips, comments, or ideally photos of boards with this glass on, I would love to see em for a visual idea of the effect. Thanks
Ive experimented with the stuff here and there in the past few years. I dont think it has any value other than looks. It is just a little stiffer than traditional E glass. You will need a vac bag to properly lam it to boards. Ive used it in fin panels(epoxy layups) in the past and did not feel any difference.
This is not to discourage you from using it. Just saying there are much better materials to build boards with if you consider the extra effort and time spent.
Here are some fins. I’ve ridden these fins everywhere in the world the past few years. I’ve also foiled the similar template and layup without texalumninum on a dozen other set of fins without feeling any difference in the flex pattern.
I think you’ve got some nice looking foils there, although the weave didn’t do you any favors.
Ah yes that must be it. The guy at the shop wrote it down for me as “Texaluminum”. Glad I asked, I wondered why there were so few threads about it! Will have a dig through
Thanks Tony. Hmm, sort of wish I hadn’t bought it now, might have a play with it but failing that I will keep it for fins or something else in the future. I am planning a pink/red/white (Rasberry ripple) board for my wife and thought the colours might look cool over texalium with the sheeny effect shining through. I may even try it, but not so sure now! Thanks for your input
I think it is used as the outside layer for molded parts.
My brother had the silver and blue texallium and we made a couple boards. It is too stiff to wrap around rails, so you need to vac bag it. It also would get really hot here in the Hawaiian sun, and melt wax.
You may be able to use a spray glue to hold it along the rails, some of the guys doing carbon hand lams would do that. Otherwise if you have an extra set of hands, you can wrap and thin plastic sheeting around the lam, then pull the sheeting tight around the board. Look up Jimmy Lewis surfboards, he did a couple of videos showing how he did that as an alternative to vac bagging.
I prefer my stuff look dirty and old. All about function for me. i get less questions on the beach that way : )
You could just use it as a deck or bottom inlay. Use some tint in the lamination you put over it and you might get a nice little effect.
Raspberry Ripple…search for user drzoidberg and his #4 board. Fruity/swirly lam job in the dark reds with white accents.
Texalium feels like sheet metal to me compared to regular surf cloths.
PS The last colored one you showed here a couple days ago was nice too.
Thanks JR, very much. I looked through all results for #4 and posts by drzoidberg but can’t see any pics, most have disappeared (probably when photo bucket bent everyone over for payments!). I will keep looking around Sway though because I really want to do this one justice, its for the misses, and she gives the nod to spending money on new builds 
The Texalium I have here doesn’t feel very stiff, no stiffer than 6oz (its 5.5oz apparently) but thats when its dry so maybe it will feel different with resin. Not going to risk it until I have played with it, could be cool with Raspberry Ripple over it! (Maybe even better with Raspberry *ipple :D)
Great tips sharkie thanks
Yep thats the current thinking, will do some dry runs first, I have a habit of finding new and mysterious ways to feck things up !
Hi Helter-
When you use the search function, there is a sidebar that allows search by author
start the search “drzoidberg swirl” then filter for author “drzoidberg”
12 results, 3rd one down:
https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/fourth-board-build-thread-now-video-board-use
some pics missing but has some good banter all the way through to page 3:
https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/fourth-board-build-thread-now-video-board-use?page=2
cool thanks. yes i did find the “by author” option. will have a look now, thanks again
worse possible shape to do in texalium even with Charlie’s help it was the wrong shape to do in silver and blue texalium. The blue is stiffer than the silver
I got it from here
https://compositeenvisions.com/composite-reinforcement-fabrics-2/aluminized-fiberglass-102/
I don’t remember that build specifically but bring another and we will do it better this time Bernie. I love those Geminis and especially the ones I widened for my weight and surfing skills. Also I find that the texaluminum brand cloth is strong and durable on the decks and bottom. Only friends and family can be trusted with the potential for overheating in direct sunlight for too long though.
Thanks. I notice you called it “Texaluminum” - so that’s a brand name is it? That may explain why that’s what the guy called it when he sold it to me.
Thanks for the pictures too, I am not sure whether to use it now, or whether I even like the effect. I might try it as a deck tail patch just for aesthetics and see what I think before trying a full deck lam. I didn’t really understand why you had tape on your pictures (pic 2 for example) - were you vac bagging or taping it round the rails due to stiffness?