I read a lot of threads that contain the word epoxy in the title, great I think because I’m pretty interested in what a lot of you guys are custom building with the help of epoxy resin, be it with a shaped blank of foam (eps,xps clark etc) or even hollow (wood or foam) . However usually I’m disappointed because the thread is usually about a Surftech board or some other molded/mass produced product that may well contain epoxy resin, but I really don’t think that epoxy is the best way to describe them. Why don’t we call these by their Brand name ie Surftech, Boardworks, Bic etc or else something like molded, production boards or (heaven help) pop outs so that we all know what the other guy is talking about, and to lessen the confusion level.
Just a thought, what do you guys think?
PS I have nothing against any of these brands, I just want to know which threads to skip.
I guess you could look at the process rather than the material. The “popouts” would be close molded, the hand-laid tyes would be an open (molded) process. For example, Surftech epoxy boards are close molded and Patagonia’s epoxy boards are open molded. Most of us on this site build using the open process. There are also boards from overseas that are hand-laid epoxy so a blanket statement that they are all molded is not accurate. I notice a lot of new/used board buyers are asking advice on “Epoxies” but it is hard to give advice since the assumption is based on the popular notions for a particular brand name and this is not always fair…
To me epoxy means resin research resins and an EPS core material…surftechs and all the other crap along those lines fall into the POPOUT category to me IMO…peace and waves…
Before today, I would have put BICs in the close molded category and Surftechs somewhere between Patagonia and BIC.
To my surprise I find that even BIC (according to their website) has a product line (CTS) that include some hand shaped models. The inner shell is hand laminated over the shaped blank, then bonded to the plastic outer shell. The ACS line is fully molded and foam injected - a true popout in my book. Not that BIC popouts are bad. I’ve seen many in rental shops that have obviously been beaten up but are still ridable long after a conventional board would be buried in the landfill.
Surftechs have an extensive lineup in three different construction methods. I believe the blanks are computer shaped - not molded. The bulk of the reinforcement material (high density foam and glass fiber) is laminated by hand but supplemented with vacuum process and heat. Tuf Lite Surftechs look like close molded because they paint them for UV protection. Soft Tops have EVA foam over the epoxy shell on the deck. The wood veneer boards are coated with polyester gel coat and gloss.
Patagonia (Point Blanks) are hand shaped and laminated with epoxy resin and glass fiber in a standard hand lay up process. They still do customs.
John nailed it. Surftechs are not compression molded or popped out as some uninformed people keep implying. They do handcraft alot of them because people like them enough to buy alot of them. People aren’t being forced to buy them. I have 8 in my quiver. They are hand- lammed vacuum bagged. Just because they are popular doesn’t mean they are evil. I quit using polyester on my own shapes in 1980 when I was in the tenth grade. Epoxy has some neat qualities. Finding your magic shape is the real trick. Everyone should support a Thai citizen now and then. Their national food is spectacular. Our national food of fame in the U.S. is ketchup and marshmellows and packaged “low” fat fried things. I love any board with a good shape, par larm, and ketchup. Call Resin Research and order up! Love, Delbert Pumpernickel
Everyone should support a Thai citizen now and then. Their national food is spectacular. Our national food of fame in the U.S. is ketchup and marshmellows and packaged "low" fat fried things.
Are you trying to tell me that marshmallows aren’t spectacular? Come on now!