adding rocker to eps #2

General Discussion
1

I can get !2" wide 3" thick 8’ long eps. My question is: Can I add rocker simply by buying a stringer with the rocker templated in it (aka Greenlight) and just glue it up? Will the rails go from straight to the same rocker as the stringer?

(I have read all the adding rocker to eps/xtr and dont see this exact issue answered)

2

Actually the issue is well covered and you have many options.

If you are going with a stringer, cut the sheets glue in the stringer then lay it on a "rockered bed. Another option is to buy the required extra sheets and cut out the rocker, more waste(?) but unstressed foam.

3

thanks, i saw that one on the rocker bed. Guess i am being lazy (just got done 3 hrs of work on another board). I dont have a hot wire and not sure i will like the eps thing so i dont want to make a hot wire yet and get a large block of foam. I can get these 2 2’x3"x8’ pieces for $20 and figured I would get a rocker stringer and just glue it up (i have the clamps)

4

chilly, do you have a warm enough place to glass? something to think about with the weather unless you plan on glassing near summertime

5

no! funny you mention that. My “shaping room” is now 58, there are 8" inches on fresh snow on the ground-12"more predicted for Sunday. I have one board awaiting a gloss, one partial lam. So i figure i will spend the winter shaping 4 more and start glassing again in May. Any recommendations on my “lazy mans” way of getting rocker into EPS?

6

draw out your rocker profile by using Aku Shaper, etc. or free hand. Whatever works for you. Using the wood or alternate material of your choice cut out the rocker profile. I’ve used lattice cedar from Lowes and balsa. Glue it up to the length and height needed. Lay out you paper rocker profile and trace. Cut out the shape. Slice your blank. Glue it in. Done this for standard single stringer and perimeter stringer.

7
Quote:

I can get !2" wide 3" thick 8’ long eps.

The other option is to come up with a template that fits with the blank you have.

My portable travel board was cut from a 3.15" thick 8’ long blank. Deck is flat but the

bottom has some rocker. Looks weird but the board works really well :

8

Chilly,

You may run into a problem trying to bend the 2# EPS to the exact rocker you want particulary in the nose and getting it to stay put during shaping due to the “spring back” that takes place as more of the stringer gets removed. We find we can only get a certain percentage of bend till we have to cut a new blank entirely on most our our 2# foam. (Poly blanks will due the same thing by the way.)

SS