Can any of you older and wiser surfboards builders tell me how to make those beautiful black glue-ups that were in vogue in the 60’s and early 70’s in place of side stringers. I think I remember seeing some thread about them being made with paper and coloured glue, but couldn’t find it when looking under the word “glue-ups”. Are they usually named otherwise, or what? Thanks for your help.
And, well, if paper is actually to be used, what kind of? And which glue? Until now, I’ve used Elmer’s type for custom stringers in blanks. Am I right, or should I use something else such as polyurethane glue? Thanks again for any info.
You can use colored paper from a shcool teacher supply store. Or use colored resin. Elmers will work on wood blanks, not foam. Polyester resin works just fine. Add some talcom to soften the resin. Any blank manufacturer can do those glue ups for you.
I know multi stringered glueups, mixed in with wooden stringers are a feast for you eyes on a finished board.
Final shaping is a nightmare (but do-able). Each stringer is resined in, and the resin chunks the foam with any passes of sandpaper or sureform.
Another problem is exact placement of stringers…meaning if they are off by 1/16th, your templates look pure amateur. Or, if my templates are off, it really shows.
Mixing a darker colored tint with multi stringers is the stuff of glasser’s nightmares.
Of course, perserverance overcomes any problems, but for the nice looks, you add quite a bit of finish work.
Exactly, they were called a ‘glue line stringer’, not a stringer per se, just a detail item. Another approach is to add color to your glue. I have heard ( may be apocryphal ) that they were done with colored resin, though that would make them a beeyotch to shape. Jim Phillips was there for that, hope he comes in with the straight skinny.
A mainstay in the woodworking and furniture finishing arsenol of goodies is “fresco colors” which are super concentrated coloring powders available in a full spectrum of colors. The powders are soluable in just about anything from oil stains to glue, and even water. I have used them for years mixed with epoxy to fill voids in spalted woods. They sand and finish fine. These could be mixed with resin or glues for the stringers with good results. Here’s two products and sources:
“Homestead transfast dye powders” available from Woodcraft (woodcraft.com)
“Fresco colors” available from Woodworker’s Supply (woodworker.com)
Thanks to all of you for taking the time to answer. I know well enough how hard it is to cut and glue a blank properly, having wasted a few… I also know that resin stringers are a nightmare when sanding. But then, they look so fine… I was just wondering if you knew of some magical way to make them fine AND easy to shape… Looks like I’m gonna have to do it the hard way: blood, sweat and tears. Sigh!