Death to my FCS plugs!!!

That’s right, I’m going to convert my old FCS installed board over to good ol’ old fashioned glass on fins. The board was an old favorite that I out grew. After a 9 month diet and 23 pounds shed I am now down to the size I was when I surfed on this board regularly. Since I got rid of all of my FCS fins I figure I’d just glass on some.

Here’s the question…Should I fill the fin slots with q cell, sand down ,patch with glass then glass the fins on or should I rout out the fin plugs, fill with pour foam, sand down, layer with Q cell, patch then glass on? Or does anyone have a better way?

I’d route out the plugs, fill the holes with pieces of left over foam cut to the exact dimensions (much better than blowing insulation foam IMHO) glue them in place using q-cell (less visible than plain resin), sand around, glass fins as usual.

…before you play “ben the butcher” …

( If those plugs are still fine ?) I just happen to "have an fcs fin or two lying around "…

So, do you WANT some F.C.S. fins , Ben ?

cheers mate !

ben

Quote:

I’d route out the plugs, fill the holes with pieces of left over foam cut to the exact dimensions (much better than blowing insulation foam IMHO) glue them in place using q-cell (less visible than plain resin), sand around, glass fins as usual.

I’d do the same.

Glass over the holes first also.

To create pieces of foam, I’d use the Aspro500 container/tube.

Well, in France at least they are perfect cylenders, just the FCS plug’s diameter.

On the top of it, they cut foam perfectly clean.

Why not just buy some FCS fins. There not that expensive and you’ll still have more options in trying different fins. Much less hassle than filling/sanding and glassing on fins. and you can be in the water in 5 minutes.

for F.C.S. plugs …

…take your pick , Ben ! [if you don’t like any of these , send me a template , and I’ll make you whatever…]

cheers

ben

you make all them bad boys yourself???

those are some gnarly looking fins :slight_smile:

First I’d have to offer “if they is not broken, don’t fix 'em”, given a bit of time, say a surf or two, you’ll have to fix them by necessity.

Second, I’d simply venture to suggest that you ‘quite simply’ take out the screws, grind down the whole area to take glass ons. Fill the crevices in the plugs and go from there. I really would think that would be your easiest and most solid approach and a hell of a lot less work and aggravation.

\r

um, that’s a fin or two? hm, I think that means I’ve shaped 0.3974 boards. You’re much better at math then my dad me thinks.

"if it ain’t broken , don’t fix it " , for SURE !!

Much easier to just put fcs fins into perfectly good plugs . Unless you are in the habit of running your boards up onto the reef on every wave Ben , I see no reason why the plugs and fcs fins would give you trouble ?? [running ANY fin [sysem] up onto the reef will tend to do damage ]

Anyway , it’s a [pretty] free world , I guess …'do what you wanna do , be what you wanna be yeah yeah yeah " *

“fins eh ?”

from a few years back…

a few from today …

(… there’s also a box out at Hicksy’s shed with some more fins in it , from memory , too. )

cheers !

  ben  
  • [words to a ?60s / 70s? song]


Ben, Thanks for your offer but I am set on this mission. It’s not to fix something that ain’t broke it’s to get some good practice in on setting, glassing and sanding fins. The board is one of 7 short board thrusters I have laying around so I think no harm is done.

I would love some keels for a fish I plan on making here shortly…and would be honored to have some that Chipfish61 made.

congrats on the weight loss, wankster. i’m working mine off too. how bout those “geppy fins” on the swaylox home page ?

dont do it bro

i was into glassons in a big way

but after repairing them

its such a drama

and the damage your boards gets is awful

just get some H2s and away you go

Hello Sir ,

Balsa and Lob have it!!!

Cut out the plugs and fill the holes with foam.

The best way to learn how to glass on a fin is to glass on a fin !!! There’s lots of info in the archives…

I like the way they do it in “Glassing 101”.

I also like what I’ve read in the book “The ding repair Scriptures”

Ray

Dear Chip ,

How do i mould the fin ? My friend bought a pair of FCS twin fins , size base 8" x H 5" FOR US$70.00 . Trying to get some d.i.y goin … Thx …

I was lazy and just filled the plugs with q cell and resin. Color matched and tacked on the fins today.

Slapped some glass and finrope on them today.

Quote:

Dear Chip ,

How do i mould the fin ? My friend bought a pair of FCS twin fins , size base 8" x H 5" FOR US$70.00 . Trying to get some d.i.y goin … Thx …

hi Andi !

sorry mate , but I don’t know how to mould fins .

I just lay up 30 or so layers of 6oz cloth by hand when I make my fibreglass ones …( I lay them up on a sheet of glass , masking taped off , 5 layers at a time …

cheers

ben

great stuff sir wal! i’m a glass on fan also!

Thanks Josh! Sanded and hotcoated them today. I’ll sand the hotcoat tomorrow post pics and then we can through this thread in the vault.