Has anyone seen the brand new woven tube material (similar to the matrix tube grips) called Texalium? I understand that they are now available and in 4 cool colors

Mike (Southgate, MI)
If I don't want to, I don't have to and nobody can make me (except my wife) cuz I'm RETIRED!!

Mike -
My oh my.... If you're interested in texalium ... you'll really be intrigued by this site : [www.hexcel.com]
and their section on prepeg (stuff fishing rod blanks are made from) but these folks "kick it up a notch" in prepeg!

Hockey and tennis equipment have made use of it for a few years now. Looks cool. Expect to see several companies making handle tubes out of if for fishing rods this year. Two dealers have told me that they could get it. Supposed to be some in Charlotte.

You can also buy it from "robot supply" stores. No kidding. It's being used by the college kids that design and build robots!! It's not expensive when bought that way. You can get tubes, sheets, angles and squares. Whatever you want. My next door neighbor's kid fools with it. Let me see if I can get the name of his supplier.

It's a woven reinforcement material. Kilwell rods out of New Zealand has been using it as an outer wrap on the butts of their rods. Bicycle companies are starting to use it too. I don't think the modulus is as high as some other graphites and it is supplied in a weave but it does look nice. I had a bicycle friend give me some tubes of it. They're a little large to do much with as rod handles but I'll think of something to do with it eventually.

I'd like to hear about the robot supply shop. Since there is no taper involved in a handle tube, I wonder if a guy could buy a sheet, wrap it around a steel mandrel, cook it in an old oven and make his own handle tubes. Might be fun.

Tom, how about an article on how to do this? If the robot building dudes can do it then surely rod builders can.

Lamiglass already has it on the market and the pic I saw really looks cool!!!!

Yes, you can make your own tubes, but I really don't think it's going to be cost effective compared to commercially available tubing. Too much trial and error before you get the process down to the point where you have a structurally sound tube in a size and weight that would be suitable for rod building uses. I'm not trying to discourage you, just saying that if what you want is the end product, you'd probably be better off just buying tubing from commercial sources.


............

Ken - Thanks for this reference. Went to: HEXCEL.com // Products // PrePreg Technology. Downloaded *.PDF. Skimmed thru its 34 pages. Very interesting. Thx, -CMH+++



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/2006 10:17PM by Cliff Hall.

Yes Ken,
Thanks! That .pdf file is a bit over my head but I saved it for later reference.
Very cool info.

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

Why not fish with a piece of the space shuttle?? Cool ! LOL

Raymond Adams
Eventually, all things merge, and a river runs through it..

The Texalium rods put out by Kilwell in New Zealand look great and cost a big penny or two. I have seen a couple. They look mighty nice and are supposed to be as strong as..........sorry can't think of anything. They have been advertised in Australia for at least the last 2 or 3 years. I can see plenty of scope for sections made up from this material. By the way, I have only seen the silver look.

Well, nothing from Bill Stevens,Emory Harry, Todd Vivian...

I'm sure Todd Vivian will jump in eventually it's available from Lamiglas.

Jim,
I saw photos elsewhere of these tubes - beautiful silver, blue, green, red. I also asked Todd if they're thinking about butt caps, giimbels and hosels from this material. Besides tubes this stuff apparently casts/molds well.

"Butt caps, gimbals and hosels from this material"...?...
[www.HEXCEL.com // Products // PrePreg Technology // *.PDF]

I'm guessing such small shapes-parts have too many small-radius right-angles and small diameter conformities / curvature for such a material. That pre-preg cloth is designed to cover large areas, not to be bent into something the size of a shot glass, IMO. (And it would probably cost ~$15 for a gimbal. Who's gonna pay that much? ... With all due respect, I'm not holding my breath, ...) ... IMO, ... -Cliff Hall+++

Where's Mark Gibson when you need him?
Mark Gibson is a Polymer Chemist + Material Scientist-Engineer
- this stuff is right up his alley, ...

I saw some of the Texalium at a tech conference last spring and it was neat looking stuff. The "alium" stems from the aluminum coated fibers they're using.

Danny is right about the modulus though and the materials they showed last year were all built on woven glass. So it would be hard for that to compete with carbon fiber as far as stiffness to weight goes. They have a number of Rec applications, skis and snowboards, and a some Auto applications as well. The main purpose of this material is for its aesthetic appeal. The optical properties make the bling factor very high. Texalium has a holographic or prismatic nature that pictures really don't do justice.

mark

Hey Guys,
This is a pretty interesting material. I'm not totally sure yet of all the uses from our end. When I was first exposed to it I immediately thought handle tubing. I have been experimenting with quite a few different applications though.
We have finally gotten a pre-pregger that can supply it to us at a price that makes it affordable to use. We have just completed our first 1000 feet of material and are beginning on another this week. These tubes are currently available in four colors and in the original aluminum / silver color. The cost should be similar to the 2x2 twill handle tubes currently available. They are available in a 0.874" ID X 0.940" OD and 0.980" ID X 1.05" OD.
This tubing is on order from several distributors and is being shipped this week so delivery should be quick.

We will definitely have large quantities of this material available for show and sale at Charlotte. I'll be experimenting with several other colors so that may be the first place to get them.
I'll also add a few for door prizes.

There should be some pictures posted here shortly.

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

For those of you interested in obtaining the new Texalium Tubing, just contact us. We have all the colors ordered in both diameters of the tubing. We will be selling it in full 60" tubes or in 10", 12" and 14" lengths. You can contact us directly by phone at 931-684-6164 or you can shoot us an e-mail message to -- customtackle@united.net for ordering. Our shipment from Lamiglas will be arriving in about a week and I suspect it is going to be a very hot selling addition to the custom market.

Bob McKamey -- Custom Tackle Supply

I have posted photo's of this new tubing in the photo area under handles. To be honest though the photo's don't do them justice.

Todd

Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com

Thanks ('Git 'er on') Todd!

I don't think you guys will ever let me live that one down......

I'm going to be a good boy this year.



Regards,
Todd Vivian
Mud Hole Custom Tackle

todd@mudhole.com