I messed up. I thought I was following the setup and install guide correctly (setting the maximum cutting depth to 33.5mm and using the appropriate jigs), but some how my fin slots have come up an 1/8" too deep – should have only been 1/32".
I’m still not sure where I went wrong. As I was routing the slots I thought they looked too deep, but unfortunately I trusted the setup specs over my gut and now I have a problem. What can I do to compensate for the extremely deep fin boxes? The install guide says “if the boxes are too low, there is the possibility bubbles will form” - I wish that was the case, but I have a feeling I have a lot more to worry about than just bubbles with this one.
It’s really a shame too. This was my 8th board (fun board for my girlfriend) and my first attempt at an airbrush. She was coming along great – the first board I have really been proud of – and then I went to install the fins and… ouch. Better luck with number 9 I guess. I’ll try to post some pics so you can see how deep these slots really are.
Howzit Losos, Have your set the boxes with resin yet? If not you can cut some stips of glass to fit in the bottom slot to raise the boxes. still to low, then lam the bottom but before the resin sets slice the glass on the side of the protruding box and finger squeegee the glass to remove air bubbles. If it’s still to low fill with a mixture of resin and milled fibers which will be stronger than just resin. I had one set that the shaper set so deep that even after the above steps I had to router through the hotcoat and glass to open the slot to be able to insert fin. This one negative thing about the Future system that I don’t care for, so now I always try to be in the area when somebody else does the routing. What you may have done is press down a little to hard when you routed the blank, it doesn’t take much pressure to change the depth. Aloha,Kokua
Thanks kokua - these guys are low enough that I’m pretty sure I’ll have to do all three of those steps (hopefully without having to router back through the hotcoat). Do future boxes get most of their strength from the flange/surface alone, or is the base a big contributor too?
In the future you may want to reset the router blade. I had to adjust mine in the supplied router as the blade was set too deep. There should be written directions if you purchased the complete install kit. If not let me know and I will get them to you. It should go easy after you adjust the blade.
yeah i had the same thing happen recently…not shure if they were that deep but they were too deep anyway…i did have a small problem with bubbles ,but thats no big deal…you really want to be shure the top of the box is at least a little above the foam,because if its under it will be a real pain to get the slot open…along with damaging the glass badly…if thats the case you gotta raise them up somehow…your last post helps with that…
if there just a little low and your only worry is bubbles you cun brush on a little resin to fill the gap before you lam…or just deal with the bubbles when you lam…
That’s what’s got me - I thought I had followed the router setup instructions to the t. I’m going to try registering the bit using the fin box technique for my next install (I would have gone with that method the first time but I routed out the slots before the boxes had shipped). I just rechecked the bit depth and then had a friend do the same. Neither of us see a problem – the tip of the bit is exactly 33.5mm deep. It would be one thing if the depth was off by a 1/32" or even a 1/16", but being off by a full 1/8" should be noticeable. I must be missing something extremely obvious.
trust me i read the directions alot , and measured alot…sometimes i think people making these things want to make you figure it out…do what you can to fix it and forget the 33.5 thats probally a trap door …why i dont know…adjust to fit what just happened…forget what the instructions tell you ,youll mess up for shure…
