Sold at FH in Capitola for $4/can +/-, the 12-can pricing on the link is $3.64 ea., and I found them at OSH over the weekend for $3.39 ea. I’ve used it on 4 boards now. Hard, clear, strong, glossy. Buffs out with car compounds…
Follow up on Bay Foam. Picked up my 10 pc (5 boards worth, or 4 10’‘ers) today. Should have pressed harder for longer lengths. They originally said the longest they stock was 8’ and anything over (up to 24’ available! Can you say paddleboard???) was a special order. But it turns out that they have lots of scraps around the warehouse & I could have had at least a couple 10’ blanks.
Anyway, 4-5 boards, plus tax: $150.08. Pretty happy with that. Its the “c” bead foam that is almost totally non-absorbent and doesn’t require venting. Bay Foam also supplies Rasche & Stretch. They can cut to cnc/APS specs no problem. Just email a file…sounds almost too easy.
Greg, do you still seal/spackle, even with 2# “c” EPS?
or are you just bulking up before the petro costs start flowing down the line…
Funny though we must be on the same wave length…
been thinking of paying lowes a visit again for some more $15.00 1lb 2" EPS slabs.
<span style="font-weight:bold"><a href="http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=15357-10477-15357&lpage=none" class="bb-url">Insulfoam 2" x 4' x 8' R-Tech Expanded Polystyrene R-7.8</a></span> <span style="font-weight:bold"></span> Item # 15357
Model # 15357 $14.30
Geez the price went up a dollar already… Still cheap though
thinking of gluing up some 2’x8’x4" bamboo core blanks this time to teach the neighbor “hoods” how to make their own 8’x22.5"x3.25" thick mini-mal beginner boards…
You’re still coming out ahead at $30/board for c-bead 2lb.
Personally as a weekend warrior with no shop I believe Jim’s pre-shaped Jeff Johnson 7’6" 1.4lb and 1.8lb molded EPS blanks for $40 are the way to go… 2to1 Bottom, rocker and outline already there just add wood glass and epoxy and you’re pau or tailor the blank to your liking as long as it’s 7’6" or less… A definite time and mess saver… Wood sandwich epoxy board in a box. The $10-$25 difference in time and materials needed to get a decent starting shape is well worth it.
Molded or preshaped blanks by computerized hotwire or CNC routers are the future of EPS. Design on your APS3000 email it and pickup your preshaped blank at a nominal cost. Keep the micro ballon mess and high pitch whine of the soinning blades where it belongs, in a highly controlled sealed facility. No offcuts though…
Charlie’s already doing this to a degree. Amazing how far ahead he is of the pack…
Oneula, nope, not going pro. Cleaned out the garage and found space to stock up just a bit. I actually might try to pass along some of the foam. My wife saw the stack & flipped.
I agree, the ‘email a file, pick up a blank’ is almost too easy. Turn the rails & set up the bag - that’s it. I can’t go there yet, it would feel like cheating.
Glued up pieces to make another 10’0". Trying to get my 10’0" rocker & rails dialed in before I go up or down much in size (except for a few wild sidetracks). Got a trip to San O coming, end of Sept., and I’ve got a design in mind. No skin, just a wide, wide balsa stringer & maybe balsa perimeter rails. That plus 2x6oz top & bottom should be plenty for 2# EPS. Its really a heck of a lot stiffer…feels like a Clark blank, but lighter.
hey benny thanks for the info. I was wondering where you get your balsa ?
also, re: the acrylic paint. i sent my son to get some “acrylic lacquer” at a reputable auto paint supply and they gave him “lacquer”. is it the same stuff ? they told him it was …
Dower, the balsa is from macBeath hardwood in Berkeley on Ashby. $5.71 / bf. They have 4" square x 6’ sticks, and 8/4 x rdm (min 12/4) x 3’ that are very clear. I like the longer ones better, even though they are a little spalted & can sometimes be nicked up. I resaw them myself on my bandsaw.
I don’t really know all that much about paint. I think not all acrylic is lacquer and not all lacquer is acrylic, but there is such a thing as ‘acrylic lacquer’ so you might be ok. All I do know about that paint is that I saw it in Fiberglass Hawaii on 17th in Santa Cruz & bought a can because they told me it would work on either poly or epoxy.
I used it, it didn’t do anything bad, it buffed out nice, and then I found it cheaper. But I couldn’t tell you anything about any specific brand besides that one in the link…
Anyone in Norcal want to try a 2# EPS blank? I think I have too many. 2 pc. 8’x1’x4" cost me $30 + the diesel ($3.24 gallon!!!) to go get them.
I already cut 2 down to 6’ to make the 10’ blank I’m using first…so I’d be happy to sell a 6’ blank for $30, an 8’ for $35, or I’ll glue you up a 10’ for $40…
