just finished 2nd attempt at carbon fibre rails!!. thought i would share my process for ideas, education or just curiousity.
This was for a 6’ x 19 2/5 x 2 1/2
After reading some new articles and what ive learnt from my last attempt should hopefully get a better finish (i ran into some trouble with last board, wrong resin ratio duuhhhh)
[img_assist|nid=1058223|title=The Canvas|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
The blank baby ( real excited with this shape, largely based upon the margo nugget by dhd)
[img_assist|nid=1058225|title=painted rails|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
I started by just masking off the rails. the tape is 6.5cm wide so i made a 65mm strip and marked where the tape would lay.
from here i drew in some approx line and taped with glad/cling wrap. now just paint dem rails black!
this was an idea ive heard because sometimes you can see white dots inbewteen the weave. i didnt a basic job just to darken them a bit
[img_assist|nid=1058226|title=laying the tape|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
Now the layed cloth, i rested a weight on cloth at nose and ran it round the rails trying to keep about 1mm lower than my tape line, some ideas ive heard are to use adhesive spray to hold in place?
i tried this a bit but found it kinda holds itself in place, also since i have a rounded tail i just used one big peice nice
[img_assist|nid=1058227|title=tail relief cuts|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
Now ive gonr the perimeter of the board i rest my weight on both ends at the nose and cut.
making sure that the cloth isnt sagging or too tight, it may try and sag a bit.
the tail is a tigh angle so ive cut 3 relief cuts to allow for it, ill do this on other side when i flip the board.
[img_assist|nid=1058228|title=Saturation|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
excitement builds! saturating the cloth, i used a normal shitty brush to wet the tape as it saturates it sticks to the board, i mixed up about 250ml of resin but probably could of gotten away with less than half that.
i used generously and had heaps left over. carbon cloth is harder to wet than fiberglass, glass just absorbs it the carbon you kinda need to work into it.
once i was happy with the top i flipped the board, the wet suction kept it in place. wrape the bottom the same way
[img_assist|nid=1058229|title=cling wrap|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
Now also a fun part, the rails probs have a little too much resin in them and need to be pinned to the board.
i haerd all this talk about cling wrap… wtf is cling wrap! i googled it to realize its glad, plastic wrap by aussie terms…maybe i just need to get out more
i had my most-of-the-time useless brother help me here. pull out a length and carefuly place it against the rail.
[img_assist|nid=1058232|title=glad wrap rails|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
nice and shiny yes, the good thing about this is the finished surface with be a replica of this surface so just pul out all the wrinkles and your good.
my little adition to this stage was spray the wrap with rp7 the creates a frictionless surface you can put the rail inbetween your thumb and finger webbing and push out resin towards the ends
this can be a trickier part but im comfident it will get better results. after doing my best to get right i left it to cure, now pray
[img_assist|nid=1058233|title=unwrapping|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=425]
returning about 1.5-2h later i ran a knife down my tape line and peeled away the wrap and tape.
i am now left with my rails with a precision layer of cling wrap, you cant even notice it.
parts of mine popped up, generally around tail and nose, tail was the trickiest. but i just used masking tape around the rails to hold these bits down.
remember about our little layer of clingwrap keeping us safe. you can see my extened black line but i dont really mind, ill fix it later im sure
i waited 12 more hours
[img_assist|nid=1058234|title=Set to go|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=425|height=640]
After some light sanding knocking off those wrinkles i missed and tail was a little bloated with resin.
i was stoked with the mid rails they came out as close to a can see perfect. not even gonna touch them with the sandy
i have a few bits where cloth is kinda floating/ not attached but was prepared to have a few, ill either try and touch them up or cut them out
not sure yet oppinions welcome.
now as always my delay as i figure the artwork out grr need to give this stick a hack! such antisipation to see how it rides
oh if anyone was curious like me to see its wieght its about 1.05-1.1kg and this is the stage a shaped ply stringer would be weighed
so is that heavier or lighter for a 6’x19 2/5x2 1/2??
it kinda feels about the same.
hopes this helps anyone looking to do a carbon railed board, was worried about stiffness but does seemed to flex quite easily.
Cheers Guys!!!
Tom