I’ve been working on my first traditional foam surfboard. I say traditional because my other three boards have been made out of cardboard and balsa. This board is a 9 foot long board.
I’m going to set the stage by presenting my build and then I’ll show the problem I got myself into while tinting the board. So here goes…
The Design:
I drew templates on craft paper.
Three templates 1) the outer dimension, 2) the first concave, and 3) the inner concave.
I traced the tempalte on to the blank
Then cut the pattern.
I hung plastic over the garage door frame to keep dust down and save my marriage:)
Done setting the rocker and now I’m working on the concave.
The inner concave.
Cutting a 30 degree tuckunder
The concave
After working on the rails
Shaping is mostly done.
Final sanding with a foam block. The foam slide right off the sand paper.
Duct taping worked before it got dusty
I cut the block shorter and rolled the edges of the paper up. This is not as good as flat paper.
That’s a very big dip in the middle of the template. Have you been drinking? Also what needs saving? As for the sandpaper sliding off the foam, try using two sheets of sandpaper back to back and then place the foam on top of them. That way the top most sheet will grip the foam. Even better, spray adhere the two sheets together. Also if you have Aku Shaper and you know how to print templates from it I can send you something that may help with your outlines in the future.
Ready for glass. I’m planning on two layers of 6 ounce on the deck and one on the bottom. I was going to do one layer on the top and a deck patch but decided to go for the extra strength in the rails. The layers will be interleaved. The order is top, bottom, and top.
Rolling out the glass
The deck has been glassed
Hi Bigshow,
Next time I would transfer your template to masonite or doorskin and clean up the curve with a sanding block. It’s hard to get a good clean line with a piece of paper. I usually skin the blank and do a lot of the foiling before transfering the template to the blank. I always cut the template out from the bottom, not the deck. Hope that helps although your are wondering about tints. Mike
A quick check to see how close the board is compared to the design - looks good.
The foam from the stands stuck to the board
Marking a line for the cut line
Marking the cut line with tape.
Taped and masked
Getting the resin ready for a resin swirl
Making a mess.
The laps are plenty wet
Top deck.
A couple of resin swirl pictures. Too dark and too muddy.
OK, here’s where I need help. The masking tape and craft paper didn’t do a very good job keeping the deck clean.
I had leaks at the tape.
Leaks at the tail too.
The long edge tape line had a lot of bleed through
Try adding a dark pigment to a gloss coat? In future you may want to try Future. That stuff is good for sealing masking tape edges I believe.
Any suggestions on how to clean up the leaks. I’m going to put one more full layer of glass over the top deck. I’m thinking there has to be some kind of tape that I can tape over the boarders and leave under the glass.
Thanks!
Any suggestions on how to clean up the leaks. I’m going to put one more full layer of glass over the top deck. I’m thinking there has to be some kind of tape that I can tape over the boarders and leave under the glass.
Thanks!
I don’t think there’s any kind of tape that you could leave under the glass.
Big fat pinlines your best cover-up if you want a clear deck. You COULD do a color inlay, and work the mistakes into the design somehow,
then do the clear wrap over all (giving you a 3-layer deck). Only black will cover black, btw.
Using real tape and pushing it down tight, and taping to foam instead of laminate, might help you to not get ‘‘leaks’’ next time. There’s lots of
how-to’s on here if you search. Make sure you search before you pinline or that won’t come out well either.
File or sand that cut-edge down before you do anything. And definitely work on your outline curve (templating and shaping) a little more next time.
But it looks like you’re having a good time and learning, that’s what counts.
Mike
if that is still un glassed foam i would gouge the paint spots out and fill with lightwight spackle sand it back and it will match the foam perfectly
Sonny, There’s already a layer of glass on the deck. Sounds like big fat black pin stripes and a lesson learned.