Although I am just about ready to start shaping my 1st couple surfboards. I had my patch break out again on my #1 skimmer. Kinda forcing me to jump into my skimboard shaping first.
I ride a larger board than most and can only get 3 {my sized}boards out of a 4x8 sheet of H-80 if I trace the complete outline. But, If I cut the 4x8 sheet into 4 equal strips and use a stringer I can get 4 boards out of a sheet.
So, what would be the best glue and way to add a stringer? If I would go balsa would I need to add rocker at this point or could I still add it durning the V.Bagging process? Would the stringer be a weak point in the board? If yes, what other material would be best?
If you add rocker during the vaccum bagging process, that is vaccum bagging a lamination onto it while it’s in a curved mold, the stringer is definitely gonna get in your way. If you go and bend the foam to approximately the curve you’ll want and gluing it up with a stringer in there…naaah, way too much work
I’d just rip the sheet into those 4 equal strips and glue the halves together. Contact cement would probably be best, though ( try a little on a piece of scrap first) you might try some pigment in PVC pipe-type glue for a nice glue-line stringer effect - see http://www.surfresearch.com.au/00000071.html for what a glue line board looks like. See if that glue gives you any bending problems by gluing up a small test section of scrap and vaccum bagging it dry in your mold - no resin or cloth, just to see if the glued seam distorts as it bends to fit the mold.
if you’re putting hi dense foam top and bottom and slightly wrapping the rail from the deck side, you don’t really need to fool with a stringer, just make a rocker jig and put rocker in while you’ve got a vacuum on it. put it in when you do the bottom, because once it’s in, it’s hard to change (not that it won’t if you’re not careful doing the deck).
anyway, 15"+/- long vertical sections of hi dense routed into your core foam where your feet will be go along way towards overall deck crush strength.
Doc, thanks for the advise. Do you think the glue line will be a weak point in the board? I’m not a V.Bagger. I have to ship these boards to a buddy, so personal expermention is out. kinda wondered if anyone around here has done anything like this with PVC foam.
I’m just looking for the most out of my $158. 4x8 sheet of foam. I fell funny bring up skimboarding on this site, but the trueth is: people who know about making skimboards are NOT willing to give any info on what has been tried, tested, or “how to” anything relating to building your own boards.
If I wished to have Victoria, Slotstick or Exile copy my board it would cost me like $325 - $400. Buying the foam, shaping {85 degree fred, sand paper, and any good template} shipping, glassing, and shipping again. Hell that is 3 epoxy boards under $500
Thanks for swaylocks and still looking if anyone else has other insite.