Economic hot wire

General Discussion
1

Dear all

I have just read with interest Bert Burger’s thread on making a sandwich blank. I have just completed two epoxy boards using clark foam blanks,kinda knew some of the techniques he has laid on us (i am a composite boatbuilder by trade), and am now kicking myself for being too lazy to go down this route, as it was a consideration at the time and I do own a good vac pump. I am happy with the boards(weight feels the same as a similar polyester board), and wanted to use Clark because I wanted conventional looks more than anything. I have a couple of questions, firstly as I don’t want to have to paint my next board, I seem to have only two choices of foam, corecell which is cream and klegicell, which is white, anyone have any experience with the latter? Next, could anyone post a picture of a cheap hotwire for the eps core? I made one years ago, run off a car battery charger, but it was hard to control the heat in the wire. I now can’t wait to get things set up for my next board, particularly with the weight savings that Bert has hinted at.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Mark

2

look at this thread:

http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=150544#150544

3

Well I too was intrigued by Bert’s post…the post of the year for sure. However, a std styrene/epoxy board weighs about the same as Berts, will last almost the same but will not flex nearly as much if at all. So, the key question for me is…do I need a board to flex to enjoy my progressive bigguy shortB surfing? Probably not…Im certain Bert would strongly disagree. His boards are a lot less thick and paddling efficiency may be compromised too…a less than efficient paddling shortboard is not something Im interested in.

As an example of weight savings…my typical shapes with Clark foam will weigh about 4lb, the same shape with #2 styrene is about 2.6lb! With a 6oz bottom and 2x4oz deck I get a superlight and very strong board that easily outperforms a PU/PE board. Additionally, styrene foam is cheap but epoxy and sandwich core mtl is not…so Im also looking at economics…using more styrene and less sandwich (divinycell, etc) and epoxy. I get 95% of what I need at a reasonable cost. For me that means more boards and more shaping…cool.

You can make a hotwire foam cutter…the biggest cost is a variac…about $100. Look at all of Greg Loehrs posts and youll find all the info you need. Good luck.

4

i usa a model train transformer for my hotwire power source…

got it on ebay for $4.00… get an old one as the new ones have overload protection… i attached some photos of my home made rig. pretty simple. i used an old banjo string for the wire.

i also got my vac pump on ebay for just over $100…

There is a guy who lists on ebay who sells thick heat seamed vac bags 50" by 106" with a quick connect, bleed off valve, guage and 12’ of hose… the bidding starts at $145… search seller cudavid1 and email him if he dosn’t have one posted

here is a link to an old auction http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3852437783&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

waste many many hours by searching vac bagging, vac pumps, balsa, windsurfboard building etc on google for many good hints and wild ideas…


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5

i agree there meecrafty , thats a super cheap way of making a board , and way less complicated …

the only real difference is long term durability , a slight weight saving , and the potential to explore a whole range of different materials , there strengths and unique performance characteristics …

you can use so much extra glass with so little resin …today i wet out 2 layers of 6oz for a 9’ x 23 longboard with 400 grams of resin , because it was going in the vacy …using a handlay up you would struggle to use less than 1000 grams and that would be a dry looking glass job …

with out covering to much of the same ground , paddle power is more dependant on area , rocker and rails than it is on volume …as an example you could have a huge chunk of rectangular eps , its got major volume , but with a crude shape you will have trouble paddling it with any control or speed …

either way if it works for you and the type of shapes you do harmonise with the materials no need to change …

im not sure if ive mentioned this one before , but once you go super thin you start having durability problems with existing constructions …

so for me to explore the boundries of shapes i have to find new ways of constructions , that allow me to get the shapes im chasing but still be super durable and handle the pounding from a 220lb surfer on a consistent powerful coastline …

when i look at the weights you mentioned , im surprised more boards arent built that way …

it makes good economic sense …

if economy is the issue , i should do a thread on the cheapest possible vac formed board ,hm , maybe i just pm you the details mee crafty with some pics …

if cobra got this one , the surfboard industry would never be the same again …in fact i cant give you the details , i just realised even tho its not how i do my boards , to be able to do it , uses the same techniques which i havent exposed yet …its giving to much away …

i might build one anyway just out of curiousity on the finished price …then show the finished article …and mention the materials used …and there prices …

regards

BERT

6 
Hey Bert send that to  me too if you want haha...I'm 17 and I have no money, but I want to shape the best board I can, I jsut can't justify building up my standard PU/fiberglass board skills anymore...you opened open so many doors now and I know my shaping or surfing will never be on the same level once I start making vaccum formed sandwiche boards...I can't wait, I've never seen a board on the level of yours, you're ahead of your time and it shows

THX for sharing all your info,

-TJ