Okay I made Rich’s Minnow template (5’ 4-3/8"X 20-1/4" X 2-1/2")
I am at the point where I need to make the fin keels (I gather that for boards like this they are called keels instead of fins? or is that the same thing? not sure…)
I have read through nearly every thread that mentions “fins” when doing a forum search and gathered lots of info on fin blanks, layup, etc…
Most of the dimensions I am seeing are make the blank as big as it needs to be in terms of surface area, but as far as width there is some variation…
I have seen people usually go from 1/2" to 3/8" for the wooden fin blank, then do like 20 layers of glass on each side, is this correct? what thickness would work best with this type of board as far as fin blank?
This is my last step other than leash loop and the one I am most nervous about as if its screwed up the board is basically a wallhanger unless you rip fins off some how.
Now for placement, a few posters gave me some advice in my other thread I started and im thinking of following Rooster’s tip here:
have not measured it onto board yet, I want to do the fins first but I am very nervous about this step!
I’d start out with a thickness of 3/8" and by the time you are done foiling them and glassing them with two layers of glass they should be thin enough and strong enough. I’d also baste them with a few coats of lam resin before glassing to reduce the amount of resin that will be sucked into the wood when laminating.
You can research fin thickness and learn tons about them. Single foiled keels or double foiled keels all have different thickness. At the end of the day 20 layers of glass on top of 1/2 stock would be a very thick fin. Wood fins need around 2 +/- a layer of glass.
So, if I was making a keel fin single foil I would start with a 3/8’’ - 1/2’’ stock and put 2 layers of 6oz glass and some might even consider that “fat”.
You don’t need 20 layers of glass over your 1/2 or 3/8 inch stock. Way too much. 2 six oz. as mentioned above is good. I’d put a halo of glass roving around the edge, too. I have several keel templates you are welcome to, but I don’t know how to send them digitally, etc. PM me an address and I’ll put them on paper and mail them if you like. Mike
Thanks for all the tips! I ripped some planks of walnut, cherry, and mahogany (sapele?) to 3/8 + 2/16" thick.
Glued using a method I had observed from Roy Stewart (I think) where he tapes one side of the planks on the cracks, then flip, add glue to the seems, tape again and then weight down to prevent buckling.
Whatcha think for first go at making blanks?
I made enough so that if I mess one up (which I will not be trying to do obviously, and which is also why i will start with 2 off cuts of cedar plank I have leftover from the decking of the surfboard I am making)
There ya go mike! For some reason at the moment, I can’t upload images but here are links to my dropbox. Promise no funky files! Also the last pic is the first day I took her to the beach. Talk about 45 seconds of nervous tension praying shed float as i walked to the waters edge with many an eye on my creation. I have to say you were instrumental in my finishing off this project and I can’t thank you enough!!
That’s a bitchen little board and the fins look great. I dig the picture of the board with the peeling beach brake in the back ground. Your fish is just what the doctor ordered on those little peelers! Mike
Thanks mike! I still cant believe it performed so well!!! I am building another one of the same boards and then Im going to make a 7’9x22x2 13/16 (already drew up the brd…see my other thread “my first brd template” for details!!)
