I’m building my first board and successfully laminated bottom and deck with epoxy on an EPS core. So far everything went quite well. What I wasn’t aware of was, that you need/could insert the fcs leash plug before glassing. For this it is too late. What’s the best solution right now?
I’ve read a couple of threads where they claim to drill the hole, put the plug in, fill with resin, glass patch over the plug and then hot-coat the board. Any suggestions what’s the best procedure, also having in mind it’s a EPS core and doesn’t have a stringer?
And a complete other question: I have glassed in fcs fusions. At which step do I have to sand them free (sand the glass away where the fin tabs need to go)?
I usually just undercut some of the foam all the way around in the hole you’ve routed (if you know whatI mean).
You can do it with a dremel style tool or just take a sharp stick to it. I do one undercut around the cicruference of the hole at the bottom and one at the top (just a bit below the glass layers).
Mind you, I am a bit of a hack and haven’t built many boards. So hopefully if what I’ve suggested is a bad thing to do, then some one who knows more will say so.
One the plus side, I’ve never had a plug pull out with this method.
Yep. More space for resin. So you end up with a solid plug of resin which is larger in diameter than the hole in the deck glass which the leash is trying to pull it up through. I don’t add any more deck glass or anything.
But as I mentioned I’m just a backyard builder. So I could be doing it all wrong. A professional’s advice (from someone here) would be better. Anyone?
Cut the hole tight, no extra space for resin. That could cause exotherm damage to the foam.
Glass over the FCS leash plug, as it is designed to be installed. You’re just doing the glass over as an additional step instead of installing it in the primary lamination. No big deal.
Next time see if you can get the after lam leash plugs. They can be installed in a snug hole with a little milled fiber and pigment. Fewer headaches. The FCS plug although I have never used that plug; appears to require a before lamination install. Do it the way Mike suggested with a patch over the top,. If you have already hotcoated/filler coat; sand the area aroumd the plug real well to get good adhesion. Why does FCS cave to reinvent the wheel so much these days. Not very often(almost never) that an after lam plug pulls out. Lowel
There is no problem. Do what Mike D. suggested. I’ve done a few of those after lamination. Didn’t even know they were supposed to be installed before until now. Hardest part is remembering which way the little bar runs under the cap. Biggest problem is exotherming and ruining a good board. If you don’t get the hole tight keep a bag of ice handy to slow it all down.
Have done many those FCS leash plug installs after hotcoating with no issues. The hole saw bit used to install the fcs fin plugs(round ones not fusion) is a perfect fit works great, just like the after hotcoat plug. Just make sure you dont over sink it. I make the top flush with hotcoat so that when I sand its perfect. If you really think about it, its the same as the other plug, just holds differently. The fcs has the recessed areas where the resin fills and that is what makes it hold to the board along with the stringer. The other plug uses the ridges to make it hold. In my opinion theres no difference whether you install before or after hotcoat. If im wrong can someone tell me why.
I personally like doing it after hotcoat. You can use colored resin. When you install before, you cant. Also when you install before hotcoat, the hole is tighter allowing less resin which now the plug depends on the patch over it for strength. Not sure if theres a strength difference between the two installs. Someone might explain that.
Do what Mike D says. Drill hole with 1" forstner bit, paint some epoxy in/around the hole and plug, and lam a small patch of glass over the leash plug once it’s installed. Fair in the edges of the patch prior to hot-coating. As for your other question, you sand the FCS fusion fin-box holes after your hot-coat is cured. Same with the leash-plug cover. I usually hit the fusion/leash plug with a hard-pad and 40-60 grit (carefully). Then move on to sanding the whole hot-coated board with 100…150…220…320.
Several years before there was a commercially available leash cup, I was making them out of white PVC end caps and 1/4th inch dia, Nylon rod. ( still do actually) No corrosion problems, and really strong. Inexpensive too. I also did some boxes with Nylon rod cross drilled through the back of the box, for an under the board leash attachment. Why there, you ask? Because of far fewer incidences of ‘‘tombstoning’’ in larger surf, with that type of attachment. This at the time when others were drilling holes in their fins, or still using big suction cups. (remember those?)
The glass over isnt really needed, but its a good step. Those FCS plugs are our primary plug we use. 99 percent of them are installed after the hotcoat and without a patch. Probably a few thousand done at this point. Have yet to hear of one pulling out. Stock racks in stores show many other glass shops do them the same way.
Do I understand you correct that I put the plug with resin in, do the patch and hot coat in one step? Or should I wait til’ it’s cured after each step?
if you cap it with glass just do it all in 1 step.
fill hole with resin 3/4 way use your finger or a stick to coat the sides. insert plug, cover with glass, lam it on. wait till cures, grind or sand the cloth patch to feather it in, Hotcoat, sand. enjoy
any suggestion how I best solve this problem?