I got some Gearbox plugs to give 'em a try. I like them so far. I installed them, then glassed over. But the little ridge is so high, the glass kinda tented around the centers. So I cut the glass as it gelled, let it dry, sanded them flush, masked again, then ran the last layer of glass over, but this time it layed flat. Scored around the masking with a utility knife, and peeled it off. So, what is the actual correct protocol on installing / glassing over these things?
http://gearbox-surf.com/pages/gearbox2/gb2_install_guide.html
I cut a slit in the cloth so it can lay flat, I do that for anything that sticks up above the cloth, long boxes and leash plugs too. After laminating I grind them open with a sander with a stiff backer and 80 grit. If it’s a Bahne box I’ll use a flush cut saw to remove most the plastic first then sand.
Robin is good at explaining stuff too via phone or email, I enjoy visiting with him.
So is it open when you hot coat and gloss cost?
Huck-- where did you get them??
I think I got them from Greenlight IIRC.
So is it open when you hot coat and gloss cost?
Let us know what you think of them. Are they pricey ?? At least they accept a common type of fin. Lowel
I am a fan of the Gearboxes and have used them in 2 boards.
I plan to use them more.
When I install them or any other underglass component, I cut all the way around the base with a razorblade while lamming. Dunno if this is how the pros do it but, it works for me. No bubbles, no fixits later.
I’ve used them in one board too and will continue using them.
Found them about the same to install as Fusion, but they cost a little less to buy.
I’ve also taken to using a razor to cut the glass cloth when lamming - usually along either side of the fin slot.
Also tried some contact spray directly onto the fin flange to hold the glass in place before lamming - worked really well with no bubbles underneath the lam. Just need to make sure spray is compatible with the foam 
We have started stocking them in Oz to help Robin and Lance get them out there in Australia
The feedback we have had is similar to the other tips above.
The slit in the cloth is the way most guys which we have using them does it, this stops the “tenting” and gives a nice result.
I might be biased, but it’s a great system for a good price!
I like them. They seem very strong with the flange they have, and I’ve knocked a few other brand fin plugs loose lately, so that means something to me. Install was pretty easy, I just freehanded the router work, not perfect but close enough for my purposes. I sealed the cavities with leftover resin when I was doing something else, before the install, and it really cut down on the bubble problem. I got them for a great price, $4 something each, but last I looked they had jacked the price about 150% since then. They accept FCS fins, and I don’t know what others.
I’ve taped around the inner wall with a ring of vertical tape that dams resin out and let’s the gloss fully cover the flange it’s a bit tricky. Do these fin boxes take futures and fcs? If so I’m gonna try some I think
@ Damn-I will try your taping method, thanks. I have another board that need therapy in that way.
The Gearboxes are 1/4" FCS 2-tab compatible, but can also tolerate more ‘beef’ between the tabs which is awesome for homemade fins.
They are not for Futures or FCSII’s. Solid 1/4" based fins would need the half-circle clearance shown below:
OK, if they’re not cheaper than Futures, Fusions or FCS plugs and don’t take an insert like ProBox; what’s the advantage???
good idea, Weve installed a few sets Robin sent over. Structurally they are great. Install is easy. We just razor cut the boxes. you should have got 2 sets of tape… 1 for lam and 1 for hotcoat {or gloss}
They are pretty user friendly.
multiple cant options
The downfall, like probox is… nobody knows the boxes, we build collectively VERY few boards with FCS as it is… So for us personally its a smaller segment of a really small segment.
For a smaller/backyarder standpoint its a cheaper install.
Backyarders pay way too much for boxes as it is for FCS and Futures vs manufacturers, so if you are a 2 tab fcs fan its a great option because its inexpensive and it works.
That being said… IMHO and I discussed this with Robin, It caters to what i personally see as a dying market… The 2 tab fin.
FCS2 also fits 2 tab Fcs fins and cant variety is the same. It also has a more familiar look. from a production standpoint in the last quarter of 2015 we almost went from 20/80 fusion/FCS2 to the opposite. FCS is trying to phase out 2 tab, consumers are upgrading and sooner rather than later Fusions will be the CD of fin boxes. there will always be people who want a cd player in thier car, but overall most everyone now is on Bluetooth or whatever the next thing is {fcs2}.
I think Gearbox is a GREAT box designwise, I just think overall the application and its time are already on the downswing if that makes sense. Had they been out 2- 2 1/2 years ago. I would have gladly put those in vs Fusions and they could have garnered a decent share of the 2 tab box market.
I know the rest of the world is different from the US, FCS reigns supreme most everywhere else, so outside the US i still think they have a decent shot of getting into more boards, Stateside though it will probably be hard to pass the point of the low numbers backyarders.
The system probably won’t make a dent on retail production, but anyone who is interested in using custom fins and playing around with the fore-aft adjustments should consider these boxes as one of their alternatives. I like the idea of the trussed flange, which should add support to the top of the box and the extra material between the tabs that basically eliminates the possibility of a tab breaking when compared to the 2-tab designs. No spring mechanisms (FCSII) or plastic crossbar hook (Future) to think about, either.
And a smaller footprint than either FCSII or Future so that cuts down on the visual clutter on the bottom of the board. The trussed flange provides a little more leeway with bottom contours too, because you can grind into them a little without completely compromising the flange.
Thanks jran! I guess you could modify a futures fin to fit but it could not go back in a futures box. I dig the beefier tab for homemade fins option
Really, are Futures and FCS2 seen as better than a 2 tab fin system?
Neither have any merit in my book.
Being able to move fins is huge.
The only reason the general surfing public doesn’t wholly embrace that is because of marketing.
Tightening a couple of grub screws is a non-issue.
You have more movement for a 2 tab fin in an FCS2 box than you do in a gearbox. 3/8 vs 1/8 respectively if you slightly mod the rear tab to fit over the spring. Quick hit with a dremel.
I will take your word for it.
Not to be argumentative but I modify my tabs so that the only limit to adjustability is the distance between the grub screws. Never measured it but I think that it’s at least 3/8".