Paper table saw?

[Mr__Bill]

Saw this today and can't help but think that someone will soon come out with some mostly wood based woodworking tools.
new superpaper is stronger than cast iron

Bill, on the Sunny Oregon Coast

[Uncle Cracker]

I wonder if strength is the only concern... The article doesn't mention anything about flexibility (or the associated rigidity or ability to retain or return to original shape), resistance to moisture, temperature or flammability. All of these factors would be important if one were to consider this a viable alternative to cast iron, or any other material, for that matter. And I'd sure hate to lose a table saw to termites...

[poolhound]

I love it - I can just imagine getting your new paper table saw wet and watching it turn to mush

[cabinetman]

About 20 years ago a factory rep dropped in to show me a product available to the trades. It was supposedly already being used in aircraft and marine bulkheads. It was an all paper product that was configured into dimensional sheets in different thicknesses. It was made similarly to cardboard, with a wafered center. It was entirely coated with some type of resin, but extremely light. A 4 x 8 sheet in a 3/4" thickness could be picked up with one hand, and weighed about what 1/4" plywood weighed in a 2' x 2' size.

He had a 2' x 4' section of 3/4" about 4' long that he straddled over two supports and stood in the middle. I didn't notice any deflection. I can't remember what the name was, but it was VERY expensive.
.

[dbhost]

A fellow that used to attend my old church years ago was an airplane enthusiast. He bought up a manufacturer of some sort of kit airplanes. I remember visiting him in his shop off of NASA Road 1 in Houston once. The material that was described before that was like cardboard but was actually some sort of resin, is / was actually a Kevlar based waferboard that is ultra light, incredibly stiff, and incredibly strong. As I recall it was rather expensive, and extremely difficult to work with. But the planes they built out of this stuff were amazing! Very fast, very nimble, and very small. Kind of like driving a Corvette...

[cgallery]

He had a 2' x 4' section of 3/4" about 4' long that he straddled over two supports and stood in the middle. I didn't notice any deflection. I can't remember what the name was, but it was VERY expensive.
.

Unobtanium?

Too bad you can't remember the name, the material sounds pretty neat. Especially if it didn't warp/twist. If a 2x2 piece of it isn't too outrageous, for example, it may make an idea router table.