I’ve bought G10 panels from this eBay seller, but it seems like the shipping costs have gone way up. I don’t think I ever paid more than $40 total for a 12" x 12" x 3/8" panel, and less for 1/4".
1/4" G10 for FCS fins.
4" angle grinder and the red resin impregnated sanding discs with a LOW grit number to start.
36 grit rough out
Then switch to a hard pad…
100
220
320
Use a flattened sharpie pen for the outline (about 1/8" thick).
Cut out around the outside of the outline with one of those carbide grit jigsaw blades.
Foil the other side SHARP. Leave the sharpie side untouched.
Then flatten the edges back to the inside of the sharpie line.
This will 1) clean up your outline and 2) blunt the edges just right.
Cut out the tabs using a 4" angle grinder with a metal cutoff wheel.
I have made probably 75-100 G10 fins.
I have also made and learned from a TON of mistakes.
If anybody is interested, I could make a video showing my process…
Regular fins go from raw material to surf-ready in about 10-15 minutes.
A trick for foiling side fins is to clamp two fins at the same time so the curve of the two trailing edges forms one continuous arc. This involves placing them in a vise so the trailing edges at the base are touching but the leading edges at the base are separated a bit. So clamp the two fins along the leading edges and give yourself enough room for the grinding/sanding disc to follow the single arc of the trailing edges and… start grinding. When the trailing edges are finished, or nearly so, adjust the fins in the vise so the curve of the leading edges form one arc and proceed as before. If done correctly, you can save yourself some time. This is a production trick I learned second hand from a guy who watched Greg Mungall. I am kind of a klutz when it comes to foiling so I keep a ‘4 in 1’ file to make corrections before hand sanding… I use one for a lot of things surfboard related.
I’d like to see the video
John, an even easier method, one that is used at Fins Unlimited, is to use double face tape, or masking tape loops, to hold the two fins together. I’ve used it many times, and in my experience, it’s been bulletproof.
Ok,
I will be making some fins for friends in the next week or so.
I will video and post it up.
Seriously, if I can do it, anybody can do it.
Once you work out the bugs in the process, it’s pretty easy and enjoyable.
Or; If you have two garbage cans of off cuts from glass jobs. I also have a roll of Volan that I have never used up.
I’d love to see a video. I’d think there would be a lot of interest even by those who may never foil a fin. You ought to go up to Rainbow sometime and show them what you’ve done. I’m sure they would be interested. It also a fun adventure to go out to their place.