Hi guys; i bought some new foams from kingsurf last week… they seem to have some bubbles inside… the color is great… do you guys know if all the new foam brands available have bubble too?.. how big?, how often?..
All i know is there is a lot of bad new foam around .I have had the same problem. I am unimpressed with the local stuff and euro imports .Its hard to put your faith in new companies that have only had formulas for a short time.Does any one know how these new foams are going to be in 6 months i dont think so .I have decided to only run with companies that have been established for years .The new ones are a risk and would you put your future and your name at risk ???I dont need 50 boards at a time coming back at me in a year and killing my customer base. I will order smarter from one of the oz companies they seem to be doing it right.
Bubbles are not an easy problem to get rid of. It can be caused by almost anything you do wrong at any time of the process of a blank. Your mix-up, the iso., how long you mix, or not, the temp, how air-tight you are. Just one little thing you do wrong… That’s it. Why do you think the ones that have it down are getting the cash. It’s a sience. One that you have to learn with no help. The funny thing about it, is that when you make that first blank that is bubble free and pure. Your place turns into Area 51! Try not to be too hard on the guys with bubbles. At least they try to help the industry, and some day they will get it, and refine it.
Which new foam are you talking about!
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Well… does anyone of them has bubbles?.. anyone… speaking of PU foam… do they all have… or none have…???
You know, bubbles are not a problem to me at all, i can fill them up with some resin, considering they are pretty small, im more concern about weight and cell structure… just want to know if this is normal in the new formulas or brands…
I also know that companies are working hard to have a 100% perfect blank… Do the people (shapers, surfers) really care about small bubbles in the finish surfboards or they dont care?? im talking about 1/4 inch or less 2-5 bubbles in the finish shaped blank…
i hope hear comments from you guys… i´d appreciate that…
REgards.
I don’t know what “100% perfect” means… I’ve found small bubbles, pour lines, bowed stringers, clamp gouges, etc. in lots of blanks that were marked “First Quality.”
Clark used to sell “Seconds” and also had “Rejects” at one time. Those had more serious issues. I think they held blanks up to bright lights and looked for holes… “X” size or “X” number of bubbles resulted in the downgrading.
I don’t think 2-5 small bubbles are that big of a deal but my boards don’t end up in showrooms.
Not all blanks have bubbles or wheat.The good guys know what cause it so they can stop it occuring.They look realy bad when you do a pigment . They look bad also if a boards not sprayed white you can see darker dots when the resin fills them in .Add to this Uv light and it will go yellow due to magnifacation put your board in the backyard for a day and see.
I hate shaping a board to perfection and finishing it to find bubbles .Its also embarassing when a customer asks what they are.There is a lot of average foam around at the moment and a lot of people wanting to do it for the money not for the love of it.So when you buy a blank ask them if they will be around in 6 months in case something does happen and run with the established guys if you can.
I think it must be realy hard to make foam and consistansy doesnt come in 6 months, 12 months it comes after years of doing volumn.Bubbles ,shrinking ,fading ,colapsing. If it was that easy there would be 2000 blank manufacturers internationaly .
Only time will tell.
we miss you Grubby.
Respect !!
Well… i dont think Grubby was making it for the love… he was making it for the money of course… and another thing… if they wanna make money they go to easier markets, ´cause i think the foam is super hard… if someone with money come to this industry is because they love surfing in some way… well… the think is, i know theres a lot of bad foam around, i just wanna know how´s the market in general taking the new product´s quality…
PS. i know some companies that have been in the market for a long time (besides clark) and they are not perfect neither… no bubbles right… soft foam, collapses, cave in foam, yellow, open cell … though…