I got myself a bunch a while ago, but quads start eating up your stash real fast. Making an old school fish now and I want to be able to go from keel fins being straight up to more modern fins having some cant. Only the proboxes can do that.
Only downside I see to the probox system is that it’s post glass, and I had some break out before I started lining the box with glass on install. Since then I haven’t had a problem.
Same experience here.
Would love to see pics of this build, and learn what bottom contours, rails, and fin layout math you’re going with!
.
I’ve tore out or loose about 8 proboxes from EPS and XPS boards and I line the hole with glass. I found that the foam was smooth where the box came out. Remedies are: making the hole wedge shaped now, wider at the bottom and rougher; poking holes into the foam along the sides and to the deck for resin to bite into; adding strips of balsa or high density plugs in the foam where the boxes will be; and adding a layer of glass over the boxes after they are installed.
The board I’m making now has 1/2’ wide balsa strips running perpendicular to the boxes and I tried to place them where the screws will be. The fins I plan to use are huge, so I want those boxes to have a lot of strength. I may add a layer of glass over them once they are installed.
Hi Sharkcountry -
As you’ve discovered, the ‘weakest link’ is the edge of the foam around the resin and glass. Wrapping glass around the box reminds me a bit of the Chinook style boxes that don’t connect to the deck… the ones with the convoluted outer edge? Doesn’t matter - the block of resin (and glass if used) still breaks free of the foam.
I like your idea of the perpendicular wood strip reinforcements. Something substantial to support side forces on the fin. I’ve seen Ambrose do reinforcements like that on FCS plugs. Those strips of wood, once slotted in and glued to the foam, will support those plugs much better than a simple glass wrap around the plugs themselves.
How long do you plan to make them? Any thoughts on a ‘star pattern’ to the wood strips - to support forces from different directions?
So… still in production? Best source?
Proboxes are now in Larry’s hands. I understand Robin and his partner on Kauai sold their interests. They now have Gearbox, but it doesn’t have the interchangable cant. I hope Larry keeps making them.
John, I usually make the wood pieces about 3 or 4 inches long and perpendicular to the direction of the fin. When I plan it out right, I place the wood right where an FCS plug would go. My thinking is that they need to counteract the forces of turning. I’m also putting them in from the deck side and the deck lam holds them in making them solid. I won’t make the hole bigger, but the router makes a super clean cut, so I’m going to rough that up some for more bite.
I’ve also been trying shredded glass instead of regular cloth. I take scissors and cut up glass cloth into tiny shreds. Then I use that instead of other filler like micro balloons. I figure the glass will link up and go into all the holes in the slot better than a piece of cloth and it will be stronger than micro balloons or other filler.
I’d take some photos of the board I’m working on, but I slipped a disc surfing on Friday and I’m out of it. New meaning to being bent out of shape. I lost a 3 day weekend that I had planned on doing a lot of things, and instead I’ve been lying around in severe pain.
Sorry to hear about the back SC. I was laid up a few weeks in January with the worse episode of backpain I ever experienced. Episacral lipoma though, not vertebra related. I’ve got them to mostly submerge with heat and massage and lots of experimenting on leg/hip positions while putting pressure next to them.
I will be installing Proboxes into Cedar, solid blocks of WRcedar, but these are blocks are glassed on the inside of a HWS, and their positioning and size, caused a minor curse fest, as I am always fighting the scale with this construction method.
I was thinking I could have less resin around the perimeter of the proboxes as they are going into cedar, not foam. Some tape on the bearing perhaps, but there appears to be less resin on the fore/aft sections and the receptacles might then be too short with a bigger bearing diameter. and scooting the jig for and aft 1MM for this could lead to unforseen issues.
I used the original fcs plugs into cedar on most previous HWS builds. They never so much as stress cracked with my 220 Lbs of torque. My holesaw was a little oversized for the task though.
I always use a little tape on the bearing cuz otherwise the holes are just way oversized.
Sorry to hear it, hope you feel better soon.
Sorry to hear it, hope you feel better soon.
This is for Huck. I had to wait 3 weeks to get back to working on this one. It was laminated yop and bottom and the top had a fill coat before I hurt my back. Today I sanded the whole board, added 2 proboxes, and fill coated the bottom. This is made from a single sheet of blue Dow styrofoam (XPS). When I checked it late this evening I noticed it outgassed quite a bit. I’m not going to woory about it though. I’ll smooth off the bottom and probably do a spray finish top and bottom.
Just want to add a shot of the balsa strips I inserted for strength. You can barely see them through the deck. Funny thing on this one… I started with 2 white proboxes, but I could only find one 0 degree insert and one 6 degree. I fogured that I would just pull a zero out from another board, and went for it. I installed the boxes, but later when I was cleaning it all off and getting it ready for the fill coat, I couldn’t get the inserts out. Kinda freaked because one side was a zero and the other a 6. Took a little bit of thinking but I managed to get them out. I used a razor and once I got in between the insert and outer shell I was able to break it free. Some how resin got under the tape I had covering the box.
I’ll take more photos when it’s done.
Thanx that’s awesome!
So since this popped back up; and to get back on course; in a related topic; do any of you know for sure what the status is on Pro-box. Is the current inventory at suppliers like Fiberglass Supply and myself (Oregon Shapers) all that’s left??. Larry??
Interesting comment McDing, since you havent bought nothing from me for almost 10 years. Fiber Glass Supply is the Main go to place for Probox Finsystems if you cant get a hold of me directly. Sorry if I am not the easiest guy to get a hold of at times, because like the Marketeer companies I actually am working making the product you guys are buying. I am stoked with the growth of Probox in the Standup community where the 29 grams of weight that the marketeers compair me to in the Surf community makes it hard for the production guys to work. Everytime a factory in the surf community starts using Probox Finsystems the other companies come in and offer free shit to not use Probox except for the Core guys like alot of you here on Sways. For that thank you! In the Standup world the polictics are different and the companies want to be me, which is why they talk like me and tweak their fins to look like me after 4 years ago they were laughing at the same designs they are selling now. It’s funny the designs I discontinued with are the Marketeer companies number 1 selling design. For those who follow me on standupzone and facebook you know what I am talking about. In the Standup World major companies like Infinty have special models built around ProBox Finsystems. If you go to this link you will see the comment Infinity makes using Probox Finsystems. 2016 Infinity SUP Catalog by Infinity SUP Co. - Issuu on page 59 Infinity States “The Twinfin Revolution is here” notice the $3,000.00 Raceboard is with Probox Finsystem install with big Twins. Hope all my Sway bros are well, Love you guys you are always there for me!!
I’ve been at this deal in Oregon FIVE years. I first started trying to put it together about SIX or SEVEN years ago. I believe I talked to you once back then. Unlike yourself and Fiberglass Supply; I have no Banker. When I decide to bring in something new, I have to take hard earned $$$$$ out of my pocket to bankroll whatever it may be. I’ve always liked the Pro-Box set up and the after lam install. The inventory I have was bought off another shaper who decided to not continue using Pro-Box. I have had those boxes and inserts sitting around for three years. Nobody wants them. I finally sold a few sets to a couple of guys this last year. I offered to sell them what I had left at cost. No takers. You and FS always talk big about being there for the little guys and that’s all and good. As long as they never critique or compete. Lowel
Larry’s a busy guy, I understand, it’s been five months and my pm to him is still unanswered, no biggie, I finished the board and bought my fins elsewhere.
I like probox plugs and inserts, I’ve used them on almost every board I’ve made for the last six years, and always said so, and posted pics on Swaylocks. But I’m just a little fish at the bottom of the food chain lol. PM me the details mcding and I’ll buy you out if I can.
McDing. You must have me confused with one of the Corp. companies that are run by Bankers that you support my friend. I have been doing this for almost 50 years now. Working odd jobs to make ends meet sometimes thru out that time. Sorry you had a hard time getting rid of my product good luck on your venture.
Huck, Tried to read your pm from 12/15, but I could not get it to read and not show the email that you sent. Only had your name and date with the word new, that was it! So I thought maybe it was a Type error. Please feel free to use my direct email in the future my friend and Thanks for the support along with understanding."Lasurfer71@msn.com.