hey yall, sorry to be bothering everyone with the first board questions, but i just had to ask:
im planning on shaping a 6’6" single fin, ill attach the aps .pdf so yall can get a look
ill be riding it mainly in VA beach, in a 100 mile distance of VA beach at the max…
im gonna put like a 7.5" flex fin with some small fcs side fins just for the extra options. shape it out of a clark foam 6’11" R - funboard blank- glass with 2x4 ounce deck with 2x4 ounce deck patch and 2x4 ounce bottom. gonna do a spiral vee (how deep?) also, i was hoping i could do a resin tint, maybe blue. will this be possible for a first timer? also, im planning on doing free lapping, so will this make the tint look like crap?
I would’t scrap the idea, but if after doing your research you don’t feel confident, then scrap the color lma, and go white. Or simply spray the blank. doesn’t look as cool, but it will be colored!
Do you mean 2x4 on the deck with a 4 oz. stomp pad? You don’t need 2x4 on the bottom. A single layer of 4 or 6 oz. will do it. LeeD usually has good advice. Pay attention. A tinted free lap looks like crap to most. I kind of like the look. Mike
Keep it simple and glass it heavier to last longer
'6oz on bottom (u could get a way with 4oz, but why would you want to
two layers of cloth on deck is fine. Double 6 fro strength, or 6 + 4 is OK as well. Skip the deck patch. Not really necessary if you get a decent tight lam.
A tinted freelap will show the outline of the cloth overwrap from the deck onto the bottom. Sloppy. And wrapping both layers of cloth onto the deck, will get even sloppier.
You also have to consider proper squeegee technique to spread the colored resin evenly. Very tough to do for a first time or even 20th timer. Especially on the rails. free lapping will only multiply this problem.
When i say keep it simple, do just that. It’s you first board and enjoy the process. Laminating is simply NOT the last step to completion of a surfboard. It is an Art form unto itself and needs to be given equal priority to the shaping.
I’m not saying NOT to attempt a clored lay-up…simply stating that it is VERY HARD to achieve a decent result especially for the first time. If you are serious, then READ, READ, READ. READ for days, make notes and prepare to spend hours in prep time , and then another several hours per each sie of the board.
PM me if you want any tips and such as I have made every mistake to date, twice, and can help you avoid them.
Howzit tomcat, If you have access to some FCS fins start with GXLs and go upfrom there to GX's. Normally a board that size could use G-5's or K-fins but I have a feeling that GL's might be what you need for the4 side biters since the center fin is 7.5. There are many combo setups you can try if you have the fins,but if you don't have the fins, find a surf shop that has FCS loaners and try different setups before buying.Aloha,Kokua
The experts have spoken, now for a fellow beginner. Do your tints and do cutlaps. They aren’t that hard. I did tints and a swirl on my first board and they came out looking great. I sealed my blank with spackle and used Resin Research Epoxy. The spackle will fill small scratches and imperfections and make the tints come out even. I put a pinline over the cutlap too. I can see minot imperfections in the pinline that drove me crazy, but now if I really look I can see them in shop boards too. I say go all out- tints, swirls. pinlines- just be meticulous in your prep and search the archives for advice.
i think im just gonna suck it up and cut laps, maybe some pinlines as well. maybe in a rather transparent blue, maybe orange. i know that yellow is suposively the easiest, but i really dont like it all that much…i think the videos from austin of doing the cut laps helped. as shown in the .pdf its gonna have a round tail. should i make some periodical slits in the fiber before i glass so it can fold around the tail, or will it work its self out?