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[Jesus]

Has anyone used the Baltek Mat as a skin material found on fiber glass supply's website,feedback would be appreciated if anyone has used it,thanks.

[mark venn]

Baltek make their sheets from end grain balsa blocks, not really suitable for surfboard skins.

[Kapuna]

This product is not really a good choice for a skin of a surfboard.  It been used for adding bulk to the laminate in boat building though.

One of the epoxy makers was into promoting a mat similar to this Baltek product for a skin at one point.  Check the archives at Sways.

Edit; this mat you question is different than the end grain blasa Mark is referring to, Baltek makes both.

[soulvoid]

Baltek mat is glassfiber and microbaloons afaik. I think greg Loehr suggested using it with the first version of the WMD blank. I've been thinking about using it as a layer under the wood on the deck if you make a veneer deck. Just use that mat instead of woven glass cloth and you get more thickness (and hopefully compression strength) with relatively little added weight. As a sandwich skin I think  it wouldn't be all that visually appealing(if you care about that...). 

[mark venn]

Sorry guys, Baltek make balsa sheets too.  Baltek mat is generically known as coremat.  Used in low tec composites as a laminate thickener (core),  soaks resin up like a sponge and if you use it too dry it has really poor adhesion.  I personally wouldn't spoil a good surfboard by using coremat anywhere near it!

[Jesus]

Thanks for the replies....saved me a few dollars for sure.

[Kiterider]

 Hey Jesus...
If you want to have the best product sandwiched between eps and glass laminates...
You should look for 3mm. Core-cell ...
 Pound for pound the best hard foam skin, suitable for our needs.............

I use 6mm, A400 for my bottom skins which allow me to sand away core-cell foam to meet my concave requirements............... I add a bamboo layer for added strength............

 I use A500 x 3mm. ,, on the deck,,  with 1/40" bamboo outer layers to suit....

[Jesus]

I'm having trouble finding a place that sells core-cell.....any help?

[Kiterider]

I'm having trouble finding a place that sells core-cell.....any help?

Hey Jesus.
I'm not sure if this helps as it's in Toronto Canada but.....

Try here:   http://www.noahsboatbuilding.com/noahmain/index.asp?url=IND

We buy the cheaper 2' x 4'  plain or perforated off-cuts and glue them together with Gorilla glue,,   it's the cheapest,   although I buy full sheets of 1/8"..

Try Google,,, maybe there's a supplier near you..

Cheers Kiterider...