I just got finished with installing a longboard finbox with epoxy, went to dinner, and halfway through the meal it occured to me that I didn’t wipe down the finbox with alcohol. When I got home the box had already set. Is this a huge problem, and if so what can I do about it?
if someday it comes out because of a bad resin bond, put it back in. in the meantime…if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. and if you really want to keep that box from ever coming out…cap it.
Yeh, it seems really solid. I put it in with 3 posts to the deck and 2 layers of 6 oz inside the routed out area. However, in the interest of being paranoid What is capping it?
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I just got finished with installing a longboard finbox with epoxy, went to dinner, and halfway through the meal it occured to me that I didn’t wipe down the finbox with alcohol. When I got home the box had already set. Is this a huge problem, and if so what can I do about it?
I did the same exact thing when installing my fcs plugs last night, ever since ive been all worried that they are just gonna slide right back out or something
At least I’m not alone in my worries!
I never wipe my fin boxes down. Scuff em up a bit with sand paper. I think Soulstice means to put a layer or two of glass over the box. Don’t forget to tape off the opening!Mike
Thanks!
Howzit rss, I know of one glasser here on Kauai that never wipes FCS plugs, fin boxes or leash plugs with acetone. He feels that the heat generated cuts through the mold release to get a good bond. I don’t agree with his thinking, but then again it’s his work not mine. I wipe FCS plugs with acetone plus sand the bottom with some 50 grit paper, fin boxes and leash plugs get sanded but no acetone. Aloha,Kokua
just to let you guys know: there is no mould release used in the moulding process of FCS plugs. There has never been any mould relelase used in the moulding of FCS plugs.
FCS PVC plugs need to be wiped prior to install because of the nature of PVC to exude plasticisers after moulding. This gives the plugs a greasy feel - often misinterpreted as mould release.
Recent testing inhouse at FCS has shown for the ultimate bond, try painting Styrene on the PVC plugs with a pastry brush prior to install. Let them dry, then install. Way better results than Acetone.
Howzit FCSRep, When will we see the new plugs that don’t need to be wiped. What’s going on with Barney,I left a message at FCS hi for him so I can amke an order and haven’t heard from him in over a week. Aloha,Kokua
Kokua,
Austin and I were checking out the new plugs at WRV warehouse in North Carolina. They look pretty cool. They seem to be made out of a material like sunglass lenses are made out of. I like the idea of no need to wipe down the plugs. The plugs we saw were like a smoke grey brown color. More like a tint than an opaque. We hear that they are going to mold them in all different colors. They have a different pattern cut out of the bottom that looks more aggresive then they use to be. It looks definitely like an improvement. Can’t wait to try them out.
Howzit T, Thanks for the info, I have not been able to contact my FCS rep for about a week now, very strange. So WRV already has them, I thought it was going to be a while before they were available to us. You coming to Kauai also in August, if so it’ll be good to meet you and Austin.Aloha,Kokua
Hey Mike,
The WRV factory just had examples. They are not in production yet. We will flying in on August 2nd and leaving August 18th. We look forward to get up with you when we get there. Let us know when a good day to visit would be. I know you have your surgery during this time.
Howzit T, Actually my operation is on the 2nd of August and have to go back to the doctor on the 3rd so enjoy and we’ll get together after the 3rd. It’s been a pretty good summer for the other side.Won’t be any boards in the shop since I won’t be able to work for at least 2 weeks afterwards and they still don’t say when I can sand but I was given a full face respirator to protect my eyes but I might just get some good goggles instead.Aloha,Kokua
Aloha brother Willfriend! For a blind guy, you’re certainly a good speller! I think that goggles,while definitely better than nothing, would probably be too easy to take off, too often. Might be a better bet to use the full-face version, at least for a while, as you might leave it on for longer periods. Might be a little hot in the Haena humidity, but protect those eyes! Cruised by your neighborhood last week and saw the ‘for sale’ sign still in front of the dog-house. How come? I’ll be checking on you. Aloha…RH
Howzit Rick, Ian gave me his old full face repirator but it needs some repair and it’s got quite a few scratches. Saw a commercoial the other night about some scratch filler/fixer but didn’t write down the number so I’m hoping to catch it again. Yeah the for sale sign is still up but that’s a common practice in case the sale falls out of escrow. Plus I think the realator gets a kick out of putting the sold sign on it to show they are good at selling property. The bouse is suppose to come out of escrow on or about the 15th of August, so the sign will be gone or have the sold sign added. Aloha,Kokua
DanB, new to all of this. Buddy of mine just asked me to replace the finbox on his longboard so I’m reading up on the forums on this stuff. What are posts as in the 3 posts to the deck you put in? Is that some kind of holes drilled through the foam to the deck so that whatever mixture you pour in to secure the finbox goes right the way through the board to tie the box in really well?
Howzit marcusom, Do not drill any holes in foam,if you do this all the resin mix will drain out of routed out hole. Just put a strip of glass in bottom of hole and fill about 1/3 of the hole with resin mix and insert the box, you may have to add alittle more mix around the box if the resinmix doesn’t over flow out. Use a mix of resin milled fibers and some white or matching pigment color. The hole through the foam would be for a leash string which would go through the bottom of the box and all the way through the deck after you install the box and the resin mix has cured. Aloha,Kokua
Magic kokua, thanks for the tip. Approaching this with some trepidation as my entire experience of working with fiberglass has been on rusty cars in the past. Going near a surfboard with a router will definitely be a new experience for me. Thanks be to God for the Master Shaper/Glasser series, you can’t beat a visual aid.
Does wiping the plug allow it to chemically bond to the resin, or is it simply a mechanical bond? Will it do the same thing if using epoxy resin?
Is it better to rough up the surface or wipe, or both?