I would like to shape my first board and make it an epoxy. After browsing the archives, I wasn’t able to find exactly what I was looking for. Aside from a different blank and resin of course, are there any major differences in the shaping process for an epoxy in comparison to a standard poly? Should I be able to follow the JC video on shaping and apply the same tools and technique to a blank for an epoxy? If anyone could point me in the right direction to some foundation info on making an epoxy I’d be appreciative.
I think if you are going to work with epoxy foam you are going to have to modify your planer. Talk to the person who sold you the foam, because maybe they can put you on to the drum you are going to have to install in place of your planer blades. You are also going to have to sand between laminating and hotcoating.
You can shape EPS with regular planer blades, just have to go a bit slower. regards, Håvard
If you’d like an xps(closed cell) blank, I have them for sale for $75.00. You can shape that like a clark/walker blank. Epoxy for sale @ $50.00 per gallon. http://www.hdxsurfboards.com
hey jeff, what size blank is that and does it have a stringer?
Regular planers work fine. I usually use sandpaper with a bit more grit than with Clark foam. Usually fine sand with 50 and finish with 80. Jeff, What resin do you have available. I’m interested in showing you some new resins you may like. Contact me at
Greg, is that as fine as you go? 50 and 80? I have been doing way to much work. 80 grit spackle paste sand and glass? What grit after the spackle?
100 screen after the spackle. I’ve done finer but the glass can move if you get too fine, like 220.
Do you think the need for spackle would be less if you sanded it further with finer grit. Say 150 to 180? Maybe it wouldn’t soak up resin as much? I’m embarassed to say I have a board on the rack now that I have virtually polished with 180 and I’m thinking I’ll go backwards by putting spackle on it.
The spackle is so light that I never saw a need to fine sand the blank past that point. With the scales I was using I couldn’t even measure the weight when the spackle had dried.