I did a lot of reading in the archives as well as on other well known sites. However, I am still uncertain with which glassing schedule to go. Also there seem to be different version of glasses of the same weight.
As for the schedule: I will build a mini, a keel fish and something eggy. Possibly I will try to get something stringerless with carbon rails done, but more about that later.
So. Weight isn’t really an issue, I want my boards to last. I will be working with Marko blanks, RR and do glass-on fins. I was thinking 6/6+6. Is this already overkill for the types of boards I have planned or can/should I even go thicker? What about deck patches? Do I need reenforcements where the fins will be?
I am also open to s-glass, is it worth the extra $ in comparison to regular 6oz glass? Of course I am really interested in easy handling, so if s-glass offers comparable strength as 6oz and being easier to work with, I’d prefer that. What about biaxial glass? Everything said about that was regarding flex.
Thanks for all the help already given, I really do appreciate it. I hope I can also contribute a bit more once I built some boards instead of bugging you all the time.
2 layers of 6 on the deck and one on the bottom should suffice - I would add a tail patch in the fin area for a bit more strength. Additional glass like a deck patch might be overkill, or not, depending on personal circumstances and preference.
Where will you surf, and are youa board breaker and a “strong foot”. I heard some Guy happy with 2x4-4oz on eps, but if i do it for my home spot most of board will not survive first good session. At least 6+4 - 6 with deck patch for heavy foot and fin patch and structural reinforcement (stringer, springer…). Don ´t spend money in carbon rails or s-glass, buy 6 oz 471 and use enough resin to well saturate it quickly then squegge your lam thight, but not dry. Light sand, scuff, fill coat, sand, finish coat, sand, voilà c’est fini. Keep it simple.
The homemade blanks we made after Clark Foam closed in 2005 all had stringers. We were told the blocks of foam we bought were 2 pound. It ends up they were closer to 1.5 pound. I’m currently buying EPS foam from US Blanks sold as 2 pound. I think it’s closer to 1.75 pound but I’m not sure.
One layer of 6 ounce on the bottom and 2 layers of 6 ounce on the top for 1.5 pound foam. No deck patch. That was back in 2006/2007. Clear boards. Solid boards no crushing. No delams. Joe B is still riding the fish I made him in 2007. Looks like hell with yellowing from the resin and crap from tap water in the spackle. Building him a new Potato board right now.
Today I’m doing 6 ounce bottom and 6/4 top with US Blanks. The EPS foam is much better now so I’m sure I could use less glass. Thats all E cloth…S cloth is stronger but harder to work with using Epoxy. I’m not a Pro. Love to see other points of view on this topic…
I am around 170, with too many sandwich américain + kronenbourg sometimes around 175. I don’t hack turns or the kind of riding you’d expect to be done with a regular HPSB, I prefer a high line and draw clean lines and longer turns (or try to if you will…). I live in Germany but mainly surf in Morocco during winters and spend my summer/automn in France and Spain. So nothing crazy, but the bigger days in Morocco can get quite powerful, as well as those september/october swells that hit the beachbreaks in France, especially Hossegor, Seignosse and Capbreton.
So 3x4oz will be easier to work with than 2x6oz? I kinda have the image in my head, that it is really hard to avoid bubbles or keep those 3 layers of cloth from moving around all the time.
And thanks for the link Stingray, I bookmarked that on some time ago and read through it more than once and will probably read through it again once I start the glassing.
Most of my boards are used in hossegor like beachbreak, really good board braker LOL.
Most eps sold as 2lb is less after “drying”. laminate 1 layer is easier than 2. 6oz, not tight wave, is easy to use. 2x6 - 6 is the way to go. Take time to well seal your foam before, far easier to lam on seal foam for beginner.
1184 yarn is twist only in warp direction, 471 yarn are twist in both direction. 471 have slightly open waves and it is slightly stiffer. Both can be used for same things with same results.