dear swaylockers,
it’s time to build my first longboard. about myself: I’ve posted a few times, I’ve built about 15 boards so far, I am a hack and hobbyist … there will be a lot of firsts during this project. first time gluing up a blank out of 3.5 foot (1m) long EPS blocks. first time three stringers. first time hotwiring, first time mexican blanket, first time US Box install, maybe even first time single fin tinkerings… There will be a lot of questions on the way, so I hope to get some answers from the contributers to this site.
After nobody wanted to order blanks together with me from France (see older thread) and I had the itch to start a project I needed to do something. I am based in southern Germany and there are no blanks available here domestically. shipping blanks from France is about 120 Euros. That’s too much for one board. Lucky coincidence: I found a few blocks of EPS at a construction site. Well, they were offcuts!
[img_assist|nid=1074885|title=eps Blocks|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=640|height=480]
So I designed on outline with the online program at atuacores.com. The program gives exact numbers for the outline so I transferred those onto a piece of chipboard and connected the dots. For the rocker I had no real numbers. Just tail and nose rocker and middle thicknes and some vague points that I tried to guesstimate off my computer screen. I transferred those onto some 4mm ply that should become the stringer. I then started work in the workshop. I was lucky enough to use my friend’s workshop and tools. he’s a cabinet maker. He’s also around most of the time so I can ask silly questions. I’m learning a lot…
[img_assist|nid=1074887|title=hotwire cutting|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=640|height=480]
first hotwire cut.
[img_assist|nid=1074886|title=cutting|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
here you see that I am using the inner side of my template as a cutting edge. The blocks are 50cm (19 inch) wide, so I planned to cut them into three parts as I wanted to have a three stringered blank.
Regarding the rocker templates: After connecting the dots with a flexible piece of ply i cut them out roughly and fixed the three stringers together with short screws. then I cleaned their curve up all at once. The challenge is to get a consant curve top and bottom without any flats. I used different types of hand planes first but ended up using a table belt sander. long strokes/passes gave the best results. In the picture the curve of the nose is still a bit steep. I got rid of that kick later on…
[img_assist|nid=1074888|title=Rockers and glue up|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
you also see the first glue up. I need three EPS blocks in a row in order to get a 9 foot blank.
this is the glue i am using:
[img_assist|nid=1074889|title=pu glue|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
it foams up. I am not using too much (about 4 dots per cubic inch) as i am assuming that when i fill some gaps and seal the blank pre lam with Epoxy filled with qcell this will give the needed strength - am i right? I don’t want it to fall apart!!
By the way the EPS is rather light and porous…
[img_assist|nid=1074890|title=gluing again|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
i never thought that this would be so time-consuming…
[img_assist|nid=1074891|title=sawing|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
my hotwiring skills left a lot to be desired. I burned about 5 guitar strings and other wires I used… they got too hot when i used a car battery, and I also used a car battery charger which was recommended on some diy hotwiring forum online, but i wasn’t successful… so i switched to japanese saw…
[img_assist|nid=1074892|title=final glue up|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
after the final glue up i started to hack away with the japanese saw again… not pretty but does the job…
[img_assist|nid=1074893|title=blank|desc=|link=none|align=none|width=480|height=640]
that’s where I am at the moment. I plan to bring thickness down to the stringers with a planer and sanding blocks. Then I will cut out the outline and start shaping…
Dimensions:
length: 9’
width: 22.5" a bit foreward of center
Nose 12" up: 18"
Tail 12" up: 15"
thickness: 2.75"
Nose rocker: 4.5"
Tail rocker: 3.7"
Single Fin!
Well, the rocker and foil is pretty much set, but the outline is still not cut. are these numbers OK? I want a board that performs in small waves up to head high, an allrounder for the french summer - think beach breaks and the occasional reef.
It will be for me (intermediate/advanced surfer on fishes and eggs, recreational surfing for 15years, but no longboarding experience) and for my girlfriend as well (beginner).
I am 182cm/ 6foot and weigh 80kg/ 176lbs.
she’s as tall as me but weighs less…
It’s cool to see you a project like that going down. Level out the blank, trace your template out and just give it a look. If it has the outline you’re looking for then yeah those dims work. Rockers are pretty neutral for an “all around” board and it’s EPS so it’ll float you! Post the shaped pics too!
hello fiberglasshi,
thank you for your comments! I will take pics of the outline and post them over the next days… it would be nice if you could comment on my glassing schedule, too… as I said, the EPS is pretty lightweight. My plan is:
-
seal the blank with epoxy/eps “dust”/ white pigment after shaping and try to get that slurry into remaining groovesbetween EPS blocks
-
sand down, exposing stringers again
-
glass bottom with 1 x 6
-
glass deck with 2 x 6
will i need reinforcement or a heavier glass schedule?
if so, I thought about laying 3 inch wide stripes of glass over the areas where the blocks are glued together… maybe additionally one long stripe of glass along the center stringer on the bottom to increase overall tensile strength? deckpatches?
cheers and greetings!!!
With eps and epoxy I would think 66 bottom and 66 top would stil be pretty light. If your longboard is too light it can actually be hard to catch waves, especially in any wind. A bit of weight is fine in a longboard, it helps with trim and glide, which are important in a longboard. Cool project, can’t wait to see it!!
I’m no expert at all, but I would round them. My longboard has belly from centre through the tail and I like the way it rolls from rail to rail. Very smooth.
Beerfan, thanks for your thoughts, I am considering glassing heavier… but i am not that far yet. At the moment I am shaping the bottom contours. There’s a concave under the nose that is followed by a flat bottom that leads into a mild vee in the second half of the board. The vee is increasing towards the tail.
(pics soon, question first:)
I added 2 - 3 inches wide bevels at the rails, starting at 2 feet from tail. Now I wonder if I should leave a visible edge where the bevels meet the bottom or if I should round that edge - how would that affect performance?
Thank you Karl......I'm so spoiled.....Picking up a 7'7" US Blank after work tomorrow...more eggs on the way....Ray
I planned leaving a hard edge at the bottom of the last foot, I like the way that feels on my egg…
does your board have a roll all the way to the tail, with soft rails?
Could anybody else chime in here concerning my question? I saw these kind of bevels on a friend’s longboard- how do they affect performance?
and how do you shape down multiple stringers without taking away too much foam? I have seen stunning work here on this site. HOW DO THEY DO THAT?
Hans,
I thought that this would be the answer. Or electric planer. I have both here in the shop (I just scored a used blue Bosch planer which is a hell of a machine for 30 Euros).
So I tried my best to shape the rails evenly at the stringers with those tools. It does need a lot of practice to get good at it I guess…
Ray, only after I had begun glueing up did I realize what I had gotten myself into. So glad that the blank is finished! kepp us updates with your eggs, always great to see your boards!!!
