As I go deeper into the world of fin making I was wondering what methods and tools are being used out in the real world to foil fins. I am currently doing everything by hand, which is good right now because I examine every nuance of the fins as they come out. But I know that I am going to want to improve my technique as well as speed, so: How do you foil your fins? Thanks, Magoo
As I go deeper into the world of fin making I was wondering what methods > and tools are being used out in the real world to foil fins. I am > currently doing everything by hand, which is good right now because I > examine every nuance of the fins as they come out. But I know that I am > going to want to improve my technique as well as speed, so:>>> How do you foil your fins?>>> Thanks,>>> Magoo …A bench vice or quick clamps,and a sander with a 4" or 6" med/hard pad. Sandpaper grits vary,depending on what I am trying to achieve.Herb
…I start the rough foil with a 4" disc grinder with a 36 grit disc…After that, I’ll move to an orbital sander, starting with 50 grit progressing to 100 grit…I might hand sand the leading & trailing edges…Be sure not to work one side too much…A little bit on one side , flip to the other, etc…That will keep your mistakes smaller and more easily correctable… Paul
Here’s a little trick for foiling two glass on fins… clamp both fin blanks in a vise (jaws padded) with the bases facing each other and the tips away from each other. Position so that the trailing edges make one continuous arc from tip to tip. Grind clear across the arc - you end up rough shaping two fins in nearly the same time as it takes to shape one.
Here’s a little trick for foiling two glass on fins… clamp both fin > blanks in a vise (jaws padded) with the bases facing each other and the > tips away from each other. Position so that the trailing edges make one > continuous arc from tip to tip. Grind clear across the arc - you end up > rough shaping two fins in nearly the same time as it takes to shape one. I use a bench mounted belt/disc sander. If you rotate the belt sander up about 30 degrees you can use the rollered end of the belt, which works particularly well for the trailing edge of fins.
Here’s a little trick for foiling two glass on fins… clamp both fin > blanks in a vise (jaws padded) with the bases facing each other and the > tips away from each other. Position so that the trailing edges make one > continuous arc from tip to tip. Grind clear across the arc - you end up > rough shaping two fins in nearly the same time as it takes to shape one. …I put a drop of hot glue between the two fins to hold them together while grinding/sanding…After I’m finished I’ll slip a putty knife between them to seperate the fins…
Fine foiling-- I use two high speed grinders-- the Bosch is a little heaver and I use a coarse grit with it for roughing things out. I have a little Makita, the real light model, that I use with fine grit for finishing the shape out and a orbital in some cases. The rest is done by hand. I find that it’s the only way to get a really true foil.A small sure form with a course grit abrasive piece on it is a valuable tool as well. Fiberglass Hawaii sells a palm sander that you glue the paper onto that’s the best thing going, and a half round bastard file is an important tool as well. The final fine tuning is done with progressively finer grit wet dry. The more you make the better the quality and the easier it gets. Better Surfing, Rich
How do you finish your fins? Gloss, spray, leave 'em sanded??? Do you offer yours for sale?
How do you finish your fins? Gloss, spray, leave ‘em sanded??? Do you > offer yours for sale? Hi John, I’ll make you anything you like the price depends on how much work it takes to make what you want. Over the epoxy, carbon, glass, high density foam structure a polyesterglass lay is laid up to protect the epoxy from UV. The cosmetics are done with acrylics, cloth inlays and resin tints. The finish is polyester gloss hand sanded, rubbed and waxed. It pretty glassy when it’s done. By the way they float. Standard fin boxes, future-fin system and glass-on are all I’m doing. RedX would be great but the project of fitting the tab will be a very sensitive one, which I’m not up to as yet. Email me at we can chat on MSN instant. I can send you photos if you can read the programs the attachments will be in. Check in any time. I’m considering a web page for my fins but that’s still a little ways off. Better Surfin’, Rich
Fine foiling–>>> I use two high speed grinders-- the Bosch is a little heaver and I use a > coarse grit with it for roughing things out. I have a little Makita, the > real light model, that I use with fine grit for finishing the shape out > and a orbital in some cases. The rest is done by hand. I find that it’s > the only way to get a really true foil.A small sure form with a course > grit abrasive piece on it is a valuable tool as well. Fiberglass Hawaii > sells a palm sander that you glue the paper onto that’s the best thing > going, and a half round bastard file is an important tool as well. The > final fine tuning is done with progressively finer grit wet dry. The more > you make the better the quality and the easier it gets.>>> Better Surfing, Rich This might scare most of you, but at Fins Unlimited I had a 6,000 RPM Skil with 50 grit abrasive discs and a variable Makita with 80 grit resinite and 220 resinite. When it commes down to dollars and donuts, time is a must, less than a minute per fin, on box fins. One night I did 185 sets of glass on thrusters at the rate of .20 cents per fin. No time to chat.
This might scare most of you, but at Fins Unlimited I had a 6,000 RPM Skil > with 50 grit abrasive discs and a variable Makita with 80 grit resinite > and 220 resinite. When it commes down to dollars and donuts, time is a > must, less than a minute per fin, on box fins. One night I did 185 sets of > glass on thrusters at the rate of .20 cents per fin. No time to chat. So as far as you’re concerned solid glass fins are cheap and easy, so what’s the big deal about fins right? You seem to be happy with the way they work and as far as I’m concerned that’s just fine. There plenty of room for a all of us. The solid glass fin world and the molded fin world are about mass production. Some of it’s good some of it’s bad. The computer will soon be making many of the fins we see in the shops no doubt. I used to crank out solid glass fins. They’re nothing special as far as I’m concerned.Heavy and as unimaginative as a rubber stamp they just weigh down a really good board. RedX’s idea of Nylon/glass mix in a molded fin make good sense to me as it’s allot more durable than what I can make and sounds very well engineered. I want something that would follow the form and function of the vehicle I was riding in that it was light and had the kind of foil I think it should have. So as a result what I make is a little different and frankly I don’t what to compete with the crank it out as fast as you can Henry Ford industry at this point anyway. I’ve done piece work in the electrical and plumbing field as well. Boring and uncreative and dehumanizing as far as I’m concerned. A real piece of performance takes a little time. There may be no future in what I’m doing at all except from a research and development point of veiw. I’ll ask my riders how I’m doing with each new single or set I put in the water and continue to learn and experiment. If I can create something that is true cutting edge then I’ve gotten where I was headed. Some prefer surf-tech, Some a handcrafted custom board and possibly fins as well. I know that several of the fin companies are making fins designed for specific pro surfers to facilitate there surfing style as well thus I rest my case. Gone Surfin’, Rich
So as far as you’re concerned solid glass fins are cheap and easy, so > what’s the big deal about fins right? You seem to be happy with the way > they work and as far as I’m concerned that’s just fine. There plenty of > room for a all of us. The solid glass fin world and the molded fin world > are about mass production. Some of it’s good some of it’s bad. The > computer will soon be making many of the fins we see in the shops no > doubt. I used to crank out solid glass fins. They’re nothing special as > far as I’m concerned.Heavy and as unimaginative as a rubber stamp they > just weigh down a really good board. RedX’s idea of Nylon/glass mix in a > molded fin make good sense to me as it’s allot more durable than what I > can make and sounds very well engineered. I want something that would > follow the form and function of the vehicle I was riding in that it was > light and had the kind of foil I think it should have. So as a result what > I make is a little different and frankly I don’t what to compete with the > crank it out as fast as you can Henry Ford industry at this point anyway. > I’ve done piece work in the electrical and plumbing field as well. Boring > and uncreative and dehumanizing as far as I’m concerned. A real piece of > performance takes a little time. There may be no future in what I’m doing > at all except from a research and development point of veiw. I’ll ask my > riders how I’m doing with each new single or set I put in the water and > continue to learn and experiment. If I can create something that is true > cutting edge then I’ve gotten where I was headed. Some prefer surf-tech, > Some a handcrafted custom board and possibly fins as well. I know that > several of the fin companies are making fins designed for specific pro > surfers to facilitate there surfing style as well thus I rest my case.>>> Gone Surfin’, Rich Curtis Hesselgrave, Future Fins, has individual foil templates he uses for specific fins. Fins Unlimited has a nylon/fiber fill long board fin, but it has too much flex for my taste. I prefer an all glass, nice and stiff to get that sling shot out of the turn. For my personal fins I take a slightly different approach that the std. FU, they use a pointed front foil, as I prefer the rounded front, typical “bullet” foil.
Curtis Hesselgrave, Future Fins, has individual foil templates he uses for > specific fins. Fins Unlimited has a nylon/fiber fill long board fin, but > it has too much flex for my taste. I prefer an all glass, nice and stiff > to get that sling shot out of the turn. For my personal fins I take a > slightly different approach that the std. FU, they use a pointed front > foil, as I prefer the rounded front, typical “bullet” foil. Hi Jim, I think a little flex in the fin- tip can be fun. Particularly on a longboard. Too much is just a good way to loose drive though. It’s good to be in touch with one who has some hands on experience. I agree that foil has allot to do with how sensitive the fin is. I use three different foils. It depends on what the rider is looking for. I put a more rounded front on the symetrical fins I make for my own use much as you do. I don’t know if the foil is exactly the same but I suspect it’s fairly close. Good Surfin’, Rich
Fine foiling–>>> I use two high speed grinders-- the Bosch is a little heaver and I use a > coarse grit with it for roughing things out. I have a little Makita, the > real light model, that I use with fine grit for finishing the shape out > and a orbital in some cases. The rest is done by hand. I find that it’s > the only way to get a really true foil.A small sure form with a course > grit abrasive piece on it is a valuable tool as well. Fiberglass Hawaii > sells a palm sander that you glue the paper onto that’s the best thing > going, and a half round bastard file is an important tool as well. The > final fine tuning is done with progressively finer grit wet dry. The more > you make the better the quality and the easier it gets.>>> Better Surfing, Rich a grinder,sanding block-small,rat tail file and of course varying grits of sandpaper.