Best type of joint for an Alaia

In the process of planning a build for an Alaia. But what is the best/strongest type of joint that builders have been using? Just edge to edge, dowel or buiscuit, tong and groove? I know Tom Wegener metioned on his site that he uses tong and groove. But talking to some career woodworkers they feel that it is not the best type of joinery for the application. Most recommended biscuit or dowel. So what is everyone doing?

Also are you keeping the joint/seam down the middle, or maybe put two joints to each edge?

And for the glue up, is it ok to use epoxy and wood flour?

try a test piece with your epoxy and fine wood flour first - my best results w my particular materials have been using a ribbed coin or scribe tool to score a line on one edge - just a scratch no need to get carried away. before mixing in the filler I prep only one edge with a thin layer then mix and apply to the scored edge. Light clamp pressure, Light, lighter than I would have supposed.

Hope this helps, post your results.

Double groove with a spline…Semi tight fit, but not too…Epoxy…

I’ve done several boards with just a flat, edge to edge join using Purebond glue. Even in a 3/4 inch board I’ve never had one break at a join. The other joins are obviously stronger, but maybe a bit of overkill.

degree of overkill?

1 edge to edge

  1. score

  2. double score

  3. dowels biscuits

  4. spline

you are now a fifth degree white belt and it is time for me to leave grasshopper

Ha ha !!! Whitebelt…I like it!

But seriously, I’ve got 12 Alaia’s from 4ft to 8ft, some tongue and groove, some edge to edge. From 13 to 19 inches wide, from 2 inches to 3/8ths thick, and I’ve never seen a single board come apart at the join. I’ve taken off-cuts and broken them deliberately and they always break in areas where the type of grain changes, never on the glued joint. But hey, I guess maybe we should put triple stringers in all foam boards, since that would make them stronger too!

Yeah I couldn’t bust number two at the join. I switched to wood after my avatar snap of that foamie, That swim was nasty - Haleiwa harbour was trying to send me to kauai.

Far out, that doesn’t sound like fun!

Got any pics of your wooden boards?

Im a camera dodger usually, not into self promotion either, might put some pics up around christmas though, in the middle of a move and should have the gear and tools unpacked before the new year im hopin. Just in time for some egg nog or somethin.

The best type of joint for building an Alaia is the one you roll yourself! Then you get some wood and make a board!

And what you roll… is grown near the tree… cut down to make the board… that needs the joint…

Where does this end?

I guess…in the surf… off your face!!!

Woah Man…thats deep!

I’m freakin out !!!

I might go have a box of oreos.

West Marine Epoxy for the glue joint works well on the wooden boards I’ve built.

Questions:

Would Curly Koa work OK?

Is is alright if the board is beautiful as well as it rides?

There are Koa Trees that fall from storms that could provide material for one.

Also how about old growth Redwood recyled beams from NAPA?

Or do they have to be made with a particular wood?

How about weight?

Is Balsa too light or just right?

I’ve never made a Alaia board so this will be my first.

Just have to select the wood before I start!

Balsa soaks up water like big thirsty thing. You’d need to glass it. Not sure about the others, Koa would be good I think.

a layer of 4 oz goes a long long way to satisfy the delam paranoia.

Ive got a couple I have been putting off using til I glass em,

the sacrifice of feel good wood surface is the primary

’ I don wanna ’ about glassing.

Once you have used the epoxy finish ,instesd of

turpanlinseed on the natch and a commitment to

life time maintainence, a layer of glass is a small leap

from the magic epoxy

heck two oz would do.

the general acceptance of a fiberglass coating

over the last half century is mostly about maintainence .

the practice if sand ing and re painting brightwork

to protect natural wood has kept sailors

and fishermen busy for hundreds upon hundreds of years

the replacement of planks in boats is a painful brutal job

often boats are left derilict rather than redo ing them.

revisiting the wood board ethic is a fine romance

best endured by some who are happy to refresh the finish.

the risk of delam?

delam would increase when the surface finish breakdown

allowed moisture to compromise any joint

butt,lap.t&g,dowel,spline, biscut,finger … ad infinitum.

the arcane precept basic to the wood board

is that they were renewable

that is when they were dinged they were often reshaped

when they were spent they were replaced.

wood boards that became collectabiles were often

not ridden.

Was that because they were not good boards?

somtimes that was true other times it was because

they were cherished and someone’s festidious care

kept them in top shape.

That is they were maintained as much

or more time than they were used.

the question is : are you the guy

that sweeps the floorboards in your truck

and waxes and repaints.

or are you lacksidazicaly inclined?

I am gonna glass them boards one of these days.

…ambrose…

you have to use a mixture to get the best result

i usually go with half tobacco and half skunk, unless i want to chill more, than i use hashies, preferrably moroccan.

let us know the ride report and whether it all held up…

Why would I not glass a Balsawood Alaia?

I’m sure the ancient Hawaiian would have loved to use fiberglass?

I’ve only made one alaia so far but I’ve been working wood for 30 years and can say with all certainty a properly done edge to edge joint is plenty strong enough. Epoxy makes it easy. The glued joint will be stronger then the surrounding wood. Biscuits provide very little strength but really help with alignment. Dowels do provide some added strength but are harder to do just right and not worth the trouble for this application. T and G and/or splines increase glue area but again are overkill for this.

My 2¢

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Looks like I’ll take the edge to edge method.

takin the east way out huh?

naw just jokin, good luck and show us a pic.