First attempt at making a board

General Discussion
1

Hey, I have chosen to build my first surfboard as a project to keep me busy for the next little while. I live in a city and there are no surf shops for me to go to to get a plank from so I plan on shaping my board from home insulation foam found at my local home hardware store (the stuff that comes in pink or blue). Today I tested the foam and was disappointed to see the resin melt right into the foam. This is the only thing holding me back from starting my board. Are Polyurethane and EPS blanks used because they don’t melt from the resin?? I’m using polyester fiberglass resin meant for automotive, marine use. Is this the same thing as the stuff used for surfboards?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jakub

2

If you can switch to epoxy resin or resin-X instead of polyester resin you won’t experience that melting…

Otherwise, you’ll need to either switch to a polyurethane foam or coat the foam with an undercoater to seal it and prevent the poly resin from melting it. You can google C3d industries – they sell an undercoater for just this purpose.

3

Thanks. So if I use epoxy instead, I shouldn’t have any melting going on? Is the stuff bellow all i need to glass fiberglass (hardener already in the jug?)? If so, what size jug should I buy to glass a 7 foot board?

http://www.foamez.com/resin-research-epoxy-2000-quart-p-478.html

4

The resin and hardener come separate. If you search through the archives you will find a lot of really good info about Greg’s RR epoxy. You can choose from hardener’s with different curing times, using the same resin. You mix them together yourself. As for the melting of foam, polyester resin will melt EPS foam, which I believe is what most hardware stores sell. Also, realize that that foam may be a lot less dense than is typically used for surfboards so you may need to do a heavier glass job, requiring more resin also.

Read through this Epoxy Primer that is specific to Resin Research (RR) Epoxy. Most will suggest reading through it a few times.

http://www.swaylocks.com/resources/detail_page.cgi?ID=1029

Good luck and post some pictures!

5

Thanks guys!

So here is what I plan on ordering:

-Resin Research Epoxy 2000 Quart

-Resin Research Fast Hardener 2100F Quart

-Future FAM1 Production Set (3) - Natural Fins/Black Boxes

-Mini Leash Cup White

Board will be 6’6" x 19 1/2" x 2 1/2"

What you guys think? will a quart of epoxy and half a quart of hardener be enough for this board? As durbs mentioned, I will probably lay an extra layer of glass.

6

Hey guys, I just got back from the hardware store with my foam. It turns out that they didn’t have any foam thicker then 1 1/2" so I bought a 1 1/2" and a 1" sheet. I will glue the two sheets together while i weigh the foam down while creating the rocker. What im not to sure of now is what should I use to glue the two sheets together? I found this vid of a guy doing the exact same process as I am (same foam and gluing them together). He glued his two foams together with epoxy which I think I will need to do unless you guys can give me ideas of something I might be able to find around here. I rather not wait a week for the order of epoxy and all to get here to start shaping. Any ideas guys?

http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=R4xM9EhfK0U&feature=user

thnx,

Jakub

7

Resin Research is mixed 2 parts resin to one part hardener.

8

Hey guys im back. I finished sanding my board and it turned out perfect (dont have pics yet but ill take some tomorrow). Now I need to order my fins, finboxes, glass, epoxy, hardener, leash plug, paint.

I need help with fiberglass. How many yards of cloth and what cloth should I use? My board is 6.6"x19.5"x2.5" and has no stinger and possibly softer foam. The foam seems stiff but probably not as stiff as the popular foams used. How many layers top and bottom should I do? Also, how much epoxy and hardener will I need to buy?

I plan on buying from foamEZ. Here are the cloths http://www.foamez.com/glassing-fiberglass-cloth-c-3_75.html

Any help would be great!

thnx,

Jakub

9

Get a gallon of epoxy + 2 qt’s of hardner ( 1 slow and 1 fast)

No stringer you say?

I would do a double 6oz top and bottom

add a fin area patch and maybe a stomp patch on the deck

12 yards will give you a few extra feet

You could glass it in 4 oz its all up to you

10

Thanks Ken.

The total cost for this board is getting kind of high. Is a quart of epoxy and a quart of hardener not enough for this board (two layers top and two on bottom of 4oz cloth)? Also why is there a fast and a slow hardener?

thnx,

Jakub

11

yes doin epoxy is costly

Slow hardner obviously kicks slower, but also go’s thermal a little less, good for fin box install

Fast hardner sets faster but still plenty of time to work, will go nuclear when left in bucket too long or puddled

I like the fast hardner for all laming and hot coats

I use the slow hardner for finbox’s useing 2 layers of glass in the box area and a full pour with pigment, no melting

I use polyester gloss resin for a gloss coat wuth mekp and uv catylist (after it gells pull tape and stick it in the sun and bam done.

I dont know all the exact times and temps of the above

I dont care much for doin epoxy boards cause it takes too long to setup

but I love them when their done

12

Thanks Ken. And just to be 100% sure, a Quart of epoxy plus hardener is not enough to do my board? I really dont want to spend over $230 on my first board :frowning:

Thanks,

Jakub

13

I don’t know if its the canadian exchange but if you spend over $150 for one of these types of boards you’re way over spending.

Insulation Foam Blank $15-$20

Wood layer - $20-$25 (luan door skin)

premade glass fins - $20-$25

Wood/foam fins - free from scraps

Glass/resin - $50-$75

14

2x4oz glass at 6.6 ,youl probly need about 14 ounces of epoxy mix per side to lam

dont lose any to the floor, work it slow from center out

fold up the glass on the rails as to catch the epoxy, then wrap them

sand coat maybe only need 12 ounces per side

sooo,

14 x 2 = 28

12 x 2 = 24

28 +24 = 52 ounces

32 ounces to a qt plus 16 = 48 ounces in a qt and a half kit

this may be a bit overkill, but first board, better to mix extra

maybe sqweek down the sand coat to 10 ounces per side and youll make it

15

Wow! Where do you score your fins and glass from oneula? I wish it was that cheap up here. Glass and resin will cost the majority here, I usually spend 170 on resin and glass, and thats 8 layers of 4 oz. and 1 1/2 litres total mixed material (3/4 gallons I believe). And the cheapest and decent fins I’ve been able to find (close by) are $55 a set plus boxes which are 10 a box. Then add shipping. Usually costs about 250-300 a board for me.

16

2oz glass cheap from Thayercraft online

4oz warp glass from the seconds box at Fiberglass Hawaii on Colburn

gotta grab them when they are there.

Fins from Fiberglass Hawaii or Surfsource

8 layers of glass?

cheaper to put the luan doorskin on

it’s probably equal to 10 layers of 4 oz per side in thickness and weight.

preseal your skins and blank and you won’t use so much resin.

the epoxy is tough

it used to be $60+ for a gallon kit from Fiberglass Hawaii

I’ve seen it at $120 for a gallon kit at Ace Hardware now in Kapolei

If you epoxy the underlayers of the wood to the EPS foam you could probably use UV PU resin to glass the outside

as long as you have a good seal over the EPS but that’s risky.

quart kits of epoxy are cheaper

You can also use PU glue to put the wood skins onto the foam without spackling to save on the epoxy. A little PU glue goes along way. Squeegee a super thin layer on the wood then spritz the foam with water.

We ran the numbers back when we were doing alot of it, kind of retired now…

obviously you spend alot doing just one versus a bunch.

But we wanted to know what the break even cost was if we ever decided to actually sell something.

You can get a 8’ softie funboard with a hard PVC bottom at Costco for well under $200 you can buy nicely finished chinese made PU board for $350 or less… If what you make isn’t gonna ride any better than those two, you’d better be able to justify the cost.

To yourself its the time and materials you spent for the end product (and education is a silly excuse)

To your clients was it worth the wait and expense to them versus the fun they could have been having weeks if not months ago…

Just think of it that way…

17

I couldn’t really care less about the cost. I love building boards and will pay whatever. Even if I could buy a comparable board at the same price I’d rather make mine. I was just amazed at your glass, resin and fin prices. Even if I ordered cheaper online epoxy and glass from wherever it usually is almost the same or slightly more with shipping, so I just settle for buying it local. In ottawa (where I am) a quart kit of west systems runs for about $75 whereas my 3/4 gallon of MAS costs me about $90. Not that much more.

Really, if your concerned overly about cost you should probably buy a second hand/Costco board like you said.

18

Jakub

Are you factoring one time costs (tools etc) into the cost of this board? That seems realllly high. Also, as Mahana pointed out, make sure you order the right amount of hardner for your epoxy system. Different brands require different ratios. And also make sure to pay attention to whether the ratio is by volume or by weight, it can make a huge difference (If you mix the wrong ratio your epoxy will cure soft). I mad the mistake of ordering the cheapest epoxy system I can find for my first board and, while the deck and bottom are bamboo, the rails are super yellow because the epoxy was not designed for surfboards specifically, but if you are going to paint your board, the yellowing might not really be an issue (You can only really see it over white).

The money you are spending is not on a surfboard, view it as money spent on your “education.”

Durbs aka “durbulator”

19

Thanks guys. Here is the price list for my board:

two sheets foam and glue= $35

Resin Research Slow Hardener 2100S Quart= $35

Resin Research Fast Hardener 2100F Quart = $35

Future FAM1 Production Set (3) - Natural Fins/Black Boxes= $45

Resin Research Epoxy 2000 Gallon= $65

BGF Aerialite 4oz E-Cloth 27" wide (per yd) x 12= $41

Red Pigment= $10.50

Total cost= $266.50

PLUS SHIPPING

Before i started this board I thought the cost would be around $100-$150 but after shaping the board, I found out how much this board would cost me. For about $300 I can buy a board from Ron Jon surfshop here in the city! Im now debating if I should continue this expensive project or not but I can say it has taught me a bunch shaping the board and watching allot of shaping vids on youtube. I really would enjoy glassing this board but im not sure if I could afford it (im 17 working at the local food store). So if anyone has any tips on how to lower the cost of my project, please let me know!

Thanks!

Jakub

20

Just one suggestion

you probably wasting very expensive state of the art components on a homemade core.

If you are willing to spend that much money on those specific types of resin(RR), cloth(Airelite), fin(Future) systems you should at least make it worthwhile buy shaping the board out of a stock core of an EPS or PU low tolerance blank. You’ll get your biggest bang for the buck that way.

There’s no need to purchase all that name brand mail order stuff if your just going to glass around a piece of bent Lowes foam. Maybe it doesn’t make any sense to you right now. But I probably have a $25,000-$35,000 hole in my pocket over the past 4-5 years from doing what you’re doing/thinking right now that’s why I stopped.

There’s lots of good cheap surfboard foam out there and even cheaper seconds blanks to learn on including stripping junkers…

Just balance it out that’s all

you want to go cheap then keep it cheap

it just needs to make sense in the end…

I envy where you are at right now.