So, I've been tossing back and forth how much I wanted to start up a conversation on Spectra, because for a while it was looking like I would never even find a supplier of the material. I figured, why discuss a theoretical material thats near impossible to get ahold of... Well, i am hoping to soon get my hands on some Spectra, and my mind has been racing regarding what to do with it

Just for some background, Spectra is an incredible material made up of elongated strands of a high density Polyethylene. The stuff is regarded as well over ten times the strength of steel, with a strength to weight ratio ~40% better than aramids...?! Sounds good to me The problem using it in a run of the mill garage built application (besides whatever the cost comes to), is that not many resins want to stick to Spectra (because it is polyethylene), so our favorite epoxies are out of the picture...

Well, I got to thinking about West Systems G Flex epoxy. The stuff does bond well to HDPE, and has shown excellent properties in that application... So, if I wanted to use Spectra, lets say as my final Hull layer in a lamination schedule, I could wet it out with G Flex inside of the regular stuff- This could produce a number of positive results... But again, at the moment, its more or less theoretical.

Well, I have a small sample of Spectra heading my way (roughly 48" x 5"), and I am hoping to produce some test panels and see how this stuff truly responds. My primary concerns with wet out have to do with the fact that this stuff is so light that it will float in water, let alone an epoxy... My idea, is that I could roll on a very thin application of G Flex, and then press the spectra down into that. If anyone knows of a good peel ply to toss on top of that, a few heavy books should be decent clamping pressure for this use. Then I can fill the weave with more G Flex-

Any thoughts...?? Even if you just think I am crazy

~Johnathan