Getting Started with Vacuuming Balsa Lam over EPS

[oneula]

Okay I’ll start the thread the rest of you experts can fill in…

This is just an estimate again if you buy off the shelf

there’s probably alot more I’ve missed like CA gluing or whatever but it’s a start…

Here goes:

---

Getting started with epoxied and vacuum lammed balsa skinned EPS do-it-yourself board making.

The following is a basic list of supplies you’ll need to get started some of the supplies are resuable some of it some aren’t. There are cheaper alternatives you can look at as well as many vendors of the products mentioned. I’ve listed some online options for an immediate off the shelf setup but look around as you could probably cut some of these prices in half through better sourcing. Also the vacuum bagging material and resin should get you through 2-3 boards at the least.

Left out the balsa rail stuff here

Category

Sub-Category Sub Total

Supply Description est Cost Some Online Resources Alternatives

Reusable Items

Vacuum Setup $ 307.00

1.Vacuum Pump $ 165 ACP, Joewoodworker Refrig Pump or Compressor w ($50)adaptor

Heavy duty 3.15CFM 

2. Vacuum Resevoir $ 32.97 Home Depot 8” PVC Pipe

   11 gal portable air tank

3. ¼ Pipe Tap $ 6.80 Joewoodworker

4. Vacuum Gauge $ 11.90 Joewoodworker, ACP Skip

5. Vacuum Controller $ 24.90 Joewoodworker, ACP Skip

6. Brass VC fitting $ 2.50 Joewoodworker, ACP

7. Brass 1/4“ Hose Fitting $ 0.85 Joewoodworker, ACP 1/8” fitting

8. 10’ ¼” Vinyl Hose $ 6.25 Joewoodworker, ACP 1/8” hose garden/autohose

9. ¼” Bag Hose Nipple $ 6.25 Joewoodworker, 1/8” nipple (ACP), sanding pad

10. 9’ 30”W Tube $ 7.75 ACP Vinyl Sheeting with tape

11. 2 40”W Tube sealers $ 14.00 ACP Tape

12. 9’ 30”W Breather $ 9.00 ACP bubblewrap, cotton batting, paper towels,Screen

13. 9. 30”W Release $ 18.00 ACP Vinyl sheeting or bubble wrap

One-Time Use with left over(*)

Raw Materials $239

1. InsulFoam(*) $ 15.00 Lowes, Home Depot XPS Blue Foam

   4’x8’x2”

2. Gorilla Glue(*) $ 20.00 Elemers White Glue

18oz

3. Balsa Strips(*) $ 21.00/$11.00 National Balsa, Solarbo,Lonestar

(20) 48”x4”x1/16”

4. Bamboo Laminate $ 30.00 TOTALLY OPTIONAL

4’x8’x1mm

5. Epoxy (*) $ 91.00 ACP, Resin Research, FGH, FGS If you gorilla glue the wood to the foam

1.5 gal you can use poly or UV resin

6. 4oz Fiberglass(*) $ 35.00 ACP, FGH, FGS

12 yds E Warp

7. Fiberglass Fin Rope $ 2.00 ACP, FGH, FGS

10 ft

8. Aercore thruster fins $ 25.00 FGH, FGS Make your own with left over glass

FGH = Fiberglass Hawaii

FGS = Fiberglass Supply

ACP = Aerospace Composite Products

JoeWoodworker = VeneerSupplies.com

Reusable/One-Time

Miscelleneous Items $20 - $50

1.14 day 1” Blue Tape

2. Cheap 1” Masking Tape

3. Yellow Squeegees

4. Bag of Chip Brushes

Throw awayy

5. Bag of Vinyl Gloves

Throw awayy

6. Gojo Cleaner

7. Denatured Alcohol

8. 3M Dust/Vapor Mask

9. 36,80,100,220 grit sandpaper

10. Handsaw

11. long straight edge and #1 pencil

12. Box of straight razor blades

13. news paper or vinyl sheeting

14. ironing board

[oneula]

DanB, Benny, Swhuz, jip, you folks don’t have pics start to finish to lay evrything out graphically for the visually dependant learner.

I give Bert credit

it’s hard to pull out the camera and shoot when you are in the midst of doing it all by yourself…

you almost need a videographer to catch the moments…

[Benny1]

I do have just about everything from the first balsa sandwich longboard I made. Problem is, I’m already doing things differently so some of those photos, although an accurate documentation, I already consider obsolete ! And I can’t skip them, because then getting from one shown step to the next would be too tough…

I’ll try to keep a camera handy on the next one. Its a good idea for a reference thread.

[DanB]

I agree with you about the challenges of taking pictures while building the board. Like Benny, I have pictures from the first board but I do things so much differently that none of the pictures are really worth seeing. Next time around I’ll do more pictures.