EPS and color resin

General Discussion
1

Hey Guys i need an advice concerning color resin on an EPS blank.

I have finished to shape my first EPS blank! i wanted to try to make an color resin (color paste, no pigments) but iam not sure how even the EPS core must be, i dont want to have these smal dark pits.

Is it possible to make a tint/opaque without to spackle the blank (because i want to make an lightweight construction:))

here are some pics:

 

 

 

2

Go to the local hardware store and look for quick drying wall filler or the like. The stuff I've used in the past is made by selleys and it is 400ml but weighs 180mg. Dries very fast and is very easy to sand if need be.

Use qcell instead of cabosil if this is your first attempt at spackling because you will have to sand down the ridges you leave from the squeegee.

Also qcell will leave your seal coat a nice even white colour.

In regards to sealing for weight. Only if you use a lower density EPS.

Dont get your knickers in a knot its only a surfboard. If it looks shit tape up the stringer and spray the filler coat(hotcoat).

Daren

3

Kensurf, Balsa, SD i need help:)

4

Lightweight spackle will increase the weight by bugger all. (almost nothing)

You will be suprised.

Pick up a bucket of spackle and you will swear its empty. 

It will give you an even surface for color.

Cheers

 

5

is it really necessary to spackle the blank?

6

Stop yer whining!  If you want a cosmetically refined EPS surfboard...especially with color, then you MUST seal the blank.  There's a tried and true way to do this, don't skip a step because your in a hurry to get it in the water.  Make it right, take your time.

  • If you want a clear board, then just glass it as is.
  • Use DAP Fast n Final, it dries white, it dries fast, it will add about .05 oz to the board.
  • All those little poc marks you refered to...if you don't seal them then those poc marks will be deeper pools of resin. Ever see a poly board where the blow out bubbles on the blank get filled with tinted resin?  Your EPS board will look like it has freckles.
  • There's a reason 80% of all EPS boards are white. The other 20% look like they have been sprayed with boat paint. The last 9% look like someone made it in there garage. And that last 1% get lucky with color.

Color on EPS is not for the faint of heart. If this is your first EPS then I'd do it clear, or be prepared for what may come.

7

i see, there is no way out:) Ive made some XPS boards, the foam is fitter color-resins.

i ask because its a really big problem to find a good spackle simillar to your us products! Iam sure we have some good spackles but nobody knows if the spackle is workable for this purpose.

8

Hey christoph2601!

Im tardy

resinhead knows what hes talking about, so listen to him

if you dont have the proper spackle then you need to make a decission

light and clear

light and freckly

or a little heavier and colorfull

eps and epoxy resin color are a pain

you could try basting the blank with white epoxy with cabosill smooth it off with a squeegee

let it cure then do your color lam, Ive done that with good results

always expect the worst

9

I’ve only made a few so far with EPS but with the spackle I seemed to get pretty good results. THey’re busy swirly designs though so that covers up a lot. The big thing for me was just deciding to go for it to learn how it works and be willing to surf an ugly board or two to get to the gems. :slight_smile: … I’m still waiting for the gems, but they’re out there! As a note, most of the ugly bits on mine were from bad multiple-colour glassing techniqe; as far as actual strangeness from the EPS I didn’t notice much with spackle. I’d say go for it, it’s fun!

A question for more experienced people out there though: Isn’t it important to seal the blank to keep the weight down by limiting resin intrusion into the foam? I got that impression from a thread elsewhere when I was doing my research; also that it minimizes weird bubbles forming under the glass. (This not supposed to be a problem with 2# and up in some blanks like USBlanks?).

The important thing in finding a spackle as I understand it is that it’s the lightest one available. There are some heavy spackles out there that would add a lot more weight; you want to find a place that carries them and ask for the lightest white spackle they carry. Based on the weight of Fast’n’Final, You should be looking for a spackle that weighs a bit less than 500 grams in a litre container. That’s a very rough estimate, but maybe it will help? Good luck!

10

Hi Ken, nice to hear from you:)

The Epoxy-Method sounds good! I know that resinhead knows what he is talking:) but to find the right spackle here in germany is an disaster:) I have read some postings here in germany about spackling, some guys have tried to spackle an EPS blank but the result was delamination.

if i would try the epoxy method, why must i use white epoxy? Could i use just normal resin with cabosil?

11

chris

by white epoxy I meen add some white pigment to your clear epoxy

that should give you a more even base to lay your color over

once you smooth on the baste coat,, get it as perfect as you can

you dont want to have to sand it

then lam

12

i know what you mean, but i thought its doesnt matter if the epoxy is clear or with wh..pigme...

Ok i will try it:) May be i will find a good spackle here in germany! 

13

Anyone tried colour in spackle?

Be good to know experience before I stuff up another blank.

14

I have good news:) I found the lightweight spackle simillar to the spackle in the USA:) Its called molto modellier moltofiel. Is really lightweight but also expensive:) But just the best for my shapes:)

15

Don’t be afraid to do more than one coat, if that’s what it takes. The surface has to be smooth. Just make sure the each coat of spackle is completely dry.

16

I have spackeld the board now, i thought i will wait till tomorrow, than i will start to glass the board. The Spackle is really awesome, its light like air:)

total weight after spackling: 1210 Gramms.

I want to build the board under 3 Kgs.

17

The spackle actually allows you to get a lighter weight.

The spackle fills all the little voids in the foam surface, instead of the epoxy filling them.

The spackle is much lighter than the epoxy!

It also prevents the epoxy draining into the core, which can happen with some EPS.

Good choice!

I hope that the brand you chose stays white over time. Lets see photos of the result!

18

Go ahead and keep doing what you are doing.

However, I dont think spackle is something that's going to save much weight. If you add up all the pits that epoxy resin will fill you may end up with a board that is 1-3 ounces, 30-90 grams heavier. The pits allow the resin to key into the foam better, so you will likely end up with less delams etc. Good luck.  

19

I have sand the spackled board lightly with 100 grit to become a better bonding between the core and the fibreglass to prevent delamination.

On my XPS blank i have made some scratches with 60 grit before i glassed it with color resin. you cant see the scratches. So i thought to do the same at my EPS blank.

Hope it will help

P.S. If you add up all the pits with epoxy resin. i guess you will the the pits after glassing, so i decide to use spackle. May be next time i will try the epoxy-cabosil-method.

@KKsurf:

What do you mean with:  ...hope that the brand you chose stays white over time. Lets see photos of the result!

I make a color resin so it not so important, or is it?

on my white boards i use only uv-stable resin to prevent the color changing from white to dark white:)

20

Do not over spackle, do not over spackle! all you want to do is one coat then pretty much sand it all off. you just want to fill the little cavities around the beads. Do not float a coat over the top of the beads. if you do this, this is how you get delamination, and give spackle a bad name. you need to have EPS showing so the epoxy / glass can bond to the EPS, not bonding to spackle...makes sense? Right!

If you found some light weight spackle then your good to go. It's probably the same stuff as DAP Fast n Final, the DAP product is expensive too about $5-7.00 for a 16 oz tub? Make sure you thin it to the consistency of maynoaise. Dilute it with distilled water...not tap water. tap water will turn the spackle brown or off white.

Adding color to anything that has different depths will give you strange color blotches, ie, rail gouges, scratches, bubbles blow outs, etc.  So first you need to fill the blems with white stuff, then you glass with your color.  But if you look closely you'll still see the blems under the color.