First hollow wooden board (picture heavy)

General Discussion
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Well its been 3 month in the making and it still isn’t finished yet, still got one side left to gloss and then wait a couple of weeks to rub out. I was hoping to get away without that stage as the epoxy has a loverly shine, but there’s a fair few zits. But no fish eyes or drips so two out of three ant bad in my book.

I more or less followed Paul’s method , adapting it slightly for the materials that are available here. I’d like to start off by saying a big thank you to Paul for generously sharing his techniques and for all his kind words of encouragement along the way, I hope I’ve done him proud.

Also I’d like to thank, Robbo and Hisky for their posts that helped my figure it out, The Chipmister for letting me bend his ear constantly for the last 3 months about “heavy wooden boards” and Jase (Fatty) for our little race to see who would finish first, it was fun while it lasted, how’s it coming along, then it has taken him 12 months to send chips some fins! I hear his started to dig a tunnel and he should be breaking through any day now.

The methods been pretty much covered already so I guess the photos will do.

started off by doing the templates and making a Jig. first off I use this to been the wood for the rails.

Then I cut out all the ribs, (they are bunched closed together in the nose and tail.)



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Then I started to build the frame up. I’d already cut the stringer out. sorry that the pictures ar so small I’ve had to reduce them to get them to up load.

Then I attached the prebent rails



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With the rails attached it was just a question of cutting out the exessmattereial to reveal the frame.



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With the fram done it was time to add the top and bottom skins. I used 4mm teak faced ply, a heap of sping clips a few G-clamps, and all the hardback books from my room. I spring clips work great but every now and then one would break and fly around the workshop.

any way its getting late now, I’ll come back and post some more shots tomorrow while I’m waiting to pull the tape.



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Nice one Woody,

Now for my HWS questions:

Thickness for rails? Rail Material? Dimensions?

And most important: Could you describe in detail any problems you may have encountered, and how you solved them? That’s my favorite part.

Thanks!

Pat

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Happy to obige SFP.

Dimensions:

Exterior: Length: 7’2" Width: 21 3/4 Nose (12"):15 3/4 Tail (12"): 12 3/4

Interior: Length: 6’10" Width: 17’1/2 Nose (12"):11 3/4 Tail (12"): 8 3/4

The rails are 1 1/2" wide, and built out from layers of cork floor tiles and strips of bending ply.

They are 2 3/4" thick in the middle going down to 1" at the nose and tail,

Building out the rails was the hardest and most time consuming part, the cork went on easy, just offer up, mark against the rails cut and glue.

the ply was harder, I stated at the nose and did the first 12" then to a point where the rails increase in thickness, then used 1/2 strips top and bottom to a similar point in the tail, then build that out solid. with each layer I moved that point towards the centre of the board so the joint overlaps, the last 2 layers were solid.

Getting them to all meet up at the nose was a pain, just a case of taking time and keep offering it up till it fits.

As I was sanding them id get to sections were there was less glue and the rail would start to open up, so I had to apply some more with the blade of a knife and tape up till it dried.

I shaped them by hand with a combination of block plane, surform, spoke shave, and some heavy grit paper on a medium block. It looks a bit wierd in this pic but its the angle it was taken or an optical illusion caused by the layers, if you look at the shadow under the sanding block the curves more gentle than it looks.



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Then a bit of fine sanding with 80 grit to get things just so.

If anyone could please join thes two images together in one of those animation things so I can use it as my avatar I’d be greateful

I’ve had a shave since then, the beard is just a disuise.


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Quote:

If anyone could please join thes two images together in one of those animation things so I can use it as my avatar I’d be greateful

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Thanks bud, I really like that

Didn’t plan to do that, just had the idea while I was flicking through the photos. Works well, but makes my shoulder twinge looking at it.

The Next shots aren’t cronological but they seem to make more sense grouping them this way.

The Lam went really well, first time using RR epoxy and I was supper pleased.

This is the lay up for a rising sun fin, the faced ply here is in plentiful supply and can be very decrative, but solid wood is very hard to get and expensive. I used a 2 pieced of 46mm x 12mm beading, one of pine and one called “hard wood” no idea what type, my first thoght was mahogany but it sands too easy. Doesn’t really matter what it is, as its all there is any way. I worked from my fin template to figuer out the angle of the wedges in relation to the width of the beading and who many I would need.

They were cut out with a jig saw then sanded flat to the line with a hard sanding block and 80 grit. Note the end of the jig is open. there is also same paper underneath to stop it sticking.

Glued up each strip, then fitted into place, a couple of taps on the end of each wedge with a hammer and bang a nail in to hold it in place, work from the out side in.

When the glue dries sand the top even in situe, then flip and repeat. Cut out the template with the leading edge at the tip. Keep the waste.

For the heart of the sun I worked out the largest radius I could get from the beading, then found a tin nearest to this size and maked out using this.

Once the heart of the sun was cut out and sanded I transfered the curve to the fin tempate and cut that part out. I got the tin from earlier and glued sand paper to it to sand the female radius.

A bit of glue and fitted every thing back together like a jig saw puzzle, then back in the jig it goes, hammer and nails back in place (thats why you keep all the waste from before).

Then foil

Thats me for today, I’m beat. More tomorrow.



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nice to see the process ,

THANKS Woody !

I agree with your signature too, by the way !

 cheers



   ben
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That is exactly how I glue my RS fins…

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Quote:

That is exactly how I glue my RS fins…

Seemed like the best way to do it with the tools I have and the scrape material I had lying around. Simple but very effective. I love jigs. I think its the most important part, they’re the basis for every thing that follows. A badly made jig will end in a badly made end product, but a well made jig will make up for a lack of serous tools.

Actually the RS was a bit of an after thought, originally I’d made a lay up from balsa and thin strips of hard wood, that ran diaganally through the fin. But the difference in sandability ment I kept getting dips and couldn’t foil it prperly, so I scraped it walked 5 mins to the end of the road to a little timber yard to see what they had and came back with the beading and hatched a plan. I’m really glad I screwed up the other fin now. When I make my next ones I’ll try using more thinner wedges

heres the glassing. 2 x 6 oz each side, plus glass bead.

Setting the fin

ready to glass, anther 2 layers of 6oz per side.



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For the leash loop I used 2 x 6 oz hour glass patches and pulled all the long strands from 3 x 2"x 5" pieces of 6 oz and formed over some staws.

its a heavy board so I hope it holds, dread to think what would happen if this thing got away from me.



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Wow, nice one Woody. See you at Croyde some time.

Looks great, I love the bookmatched effect in the teak.

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wow, what an absoloutly gorgeous board, beautiful fin too mate, kudos to you for glassing it yourself as well, I didn’t have the balls to glass mine!!!

can’t wait to see the finished pics and pics of the launching day!!!

well done mate, you should be proud, it’s a beauty.

although both you and I may be able to build a board with this method, as you said before… it is to Paul J we owe alot of thanks and credit.

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Yes Robbo, the next one YOU glass…get the whole experience without the costs…

This board has been really well thought out from start to finish…this IS a job well done…

The framing set up is phenominal to say the least!!!

Are you able to use it again for another one or was it a custom fit…

I just used bricks…

Cheers mate…a job very well done…

Hicksy

I might be dumb but I can lift heavy things…

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Inspirational stuff, I’m reaching for a spokeshave now. Must try and get my students to have a go at this. thanks for a great post.

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Thanks Jase

Yer definitely hook up in Crodye some time, just let me know when your down next.

The bookmatching was down in the ply already, I just tried to line it up in a way that looked nice.

Cheers Robbo.

I couldn’t agree with you more, Paul is a legend, I have the upmost respect for him and am very greatful for him sharing his techniques with others. I hope that he still gets some satisfaction from seeing people all round the world using his method to make boards.

Glassing wise this was my first time using Gregs RR epoxy, different from poly but much nicer to work with. Its not perfect, but I only go over it with a fine tooth comb for my own benefit so I can learn and improve.

the gloss coat was finished on Sunday, I was hoping to get away without sanding further as the epoxy is so shiny as it is, but theres quite a few tits.

I had a few drips on the fin that I’ve sanded out and at the same time I experimented with polishing, in a small area.

It didn’t come up as shiny as the unsanded resin, but I ran one hand over the sanded area while at the same time running the other over a parallel unsanded area. As soon as I hit the sanded part I could really feel a definate improvment in smoothness, my hand just flew past.

So I’ll wait a week or 2 for a full cure and sand the whole thing, on balance even if I can’t bring it back to that untouched epoxy gleam, I’d still rather have the smoothness.

I’ll put up the pics of the untouched gloss tonight when I get in from work.

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good job laddie.

…ambrose…

eye candy for a jointer’s passion.

high floatation and resonance

are the features that facinate my immagination.

I will make a model first.

finishing a solid heavy balsa

it has struck me thhat it is a doorway to the arcane.

these hollows seem conversely ,doorways to

waterbourne stradivarius sounding chambers.

perhaps doorways to fine classical music.

listen and we will hear.

fine watercraft punting on the thames?

perhaps a stand up 16 footer

with a 29’’ beam?

perhaps the severn bore

farther than ever before.

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Ambrorose, I’m honoured that you have replied to my post,

I’m glad you mentioned the severn bore went off the other day. I keep meening to catch it, but am never organised enough to remember when it is happening. It can be quite dangerous too, they have a safety boat but acidents still happen. A rib tried to jump the wave with out thinking there would be a load of surfers underneath, no one was serously heart but the propellor took a large chunk out of the guys board, could have been much worse.

Thanks Hisky,

I’ve kept the jig, at the momment it is making a very useful shelf. I could use it again for a board with the same plane shape, but if I do another one I’ll make a brand new jig. When I put the skins on I used all the hard back books in the house to wiegh it down bt the spring clips and G-clamps definately Helped.

Jase you asked to see some pics of the vent in a PM I thought I’d put them up for every one to see.

I glued some 1/2" ply blocks either side of the strinnger where I wanted the vent to go, leaving a little gap at the top. Then used a meter rule to mark out 3 lines intersecting that point, then dropped the line down over the side so I would still be able to see it when the skins were on. Measured along each line to that point and wrote the measurement on the rails so I wouldn’t get them muddled up

I also measured the depth of the webing and added the thickness of the top skin (4mm). When the top skin was on I lined up the markes and measure to fine the point and drilled through. check from the other side to make sure it wasn’t off. The screw is self threading (just a normal wood screw). when I glassed the board I put an extra 6oz patch round the vent hole and used a wooden Kerbab sick with tape round the point to seal it. Its very tight, the last 10 mm is hard to screw in, I see this as a good thing, an should make for a nice seal. I made a little shield from a scrap of cork to protect the board when I’m putting in/taking out the plug, incase I slip. just got to remember to take it with me when I go surfing.