Avice Requested: Glassing on wood D- Fin...to wood board....

Thanks to Paul Jensen, I’m building my first surfboard. A 12 foot hollow Malibu.

I’ve never shaped or glassed an ENTIRE board before. My board repair is good and I understand the technical aspects of applying glass and resin.

But, here’s the questions…Do I glass the board first… then place the bare wood fin and lap glass and resin over it in place…or do I glass the fin separately then place it and rope and glass the base of the fin into place …or do I fit the fin into the board (like a fin box) before any glassing then glass the entire board, with the fin integrated into the board all at once?

Also, I have a fear of glassing on the fin slightly off center and it humming.

Does the fact that the fin is a 1/2 inch thick (at it’s meatiest( and has a 12"

run (from nose to tail) reduce the chance of humming versus a thin fiberglass fin?

Pertinent advice is appreciated greatly.

SS

Make the fin first, including a couple layers of glass each side & sand smooth. Do the same with your board.

Glass on the fin with fin rope, two oval-shaped pieces of cloth up the fin, down over the rope, and onto the deck, and (optional) either 2 more, bigger pieces of glass up & down fin & deck or a round patch with a cut out for the fin, glassed to the deck overlapping the 2 ovals. 4 oz is plenty for the ovals & patches. Again, sand everything smooth with 80 or 150 grit.

edit: you can attach the laminated fin to the laminated board with hot-melt glue to make sure you get it straight & plumb before you mix any resin. That will hold it up just fine for glassing & curing…

Hotcoat both together. Sand, gloss, polish if you want.

So the laminating steps are done separately; the attachment is a separate, laminating-type step; and the hotcoating is done together.

Of course, there are other ways, but this is pretty foolproof (it works for fools like me). Take your time.

This is probably THE definitive thread on this very topic. This should answer all your questions.

http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=161630;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25;

thanks a bunch.

SS