This may sounds like a dumb question. I have been searching the site for info about my next build. This will be my second Board for Lake Erie. I plan on building a 7'11" Retro Fish Type Shape. The first board I built went well. I have a few dents in the deck wich is normal. I have been looking through the site about compsands. It's a little out of my league. My thought is to have a wood veneer topsheet built into the board with foam rails and a foam base. My reasoning for the wood top sheet is to try and have a very strong deck. Has anyone ever done this. If so can you give me a breif rundown on how to do it. I am assuming I can just shape the deck to accomidate the wood top sheet. Any and all info you have for me is a great help. Thank You in Advance.
Check the “WMD compsand” thread.
I just finished adding a wood deck to a foam board. In this case, it was a GSI "X-2" Walden Magic 9'6" longboard, composite over foam, that had broken in two.
I glued the two broken pieces back together with epoxy resin. Then I cut out a 12" section of rail on each side, and replaced it with redwood, epoxy-glued in place, then shaped to blend in. The joint was still weak, which you could tell when handling the board.
Next, I cut a "stringer" slot out of the middle, about 3' long, 3/4" wide, and slid a piece of 3/4" cedar in, and epoxied it in place with 5 min. epoxy glue. That really beefed up the repair, and eliminated any weakness in the glued joint. Then I cut a diamond shape out of the composite deck surface, the length of the new "stringer" (3'), and epoxied some thin redwood and cedar planks (1/8" thick, 1 1/2" wide) down to the foam, then blended them in once the glue dried.
My camera broke, so I don't have any pics yet. But I've ordered a camera which should arrive shortly, and I've ordered my glass and resin from Tuck at Wood Surfboard Supply, since its now ready to glass over the repaired area.
My previous project was a foam board I shaped and combined with wood rails and chambered wood stringer.
What I have learned is this: the wood, when attached to foam, will be much easier to shape once the foam is glassed. Otherwise the difference in density of materials is just too great. I would shape and glass your board, but don't hot coat yet. Then cut the glass off the deck area where you will be putting the wood. Sand or router the foam down a bit, and glue your wood (I used epoxy glue) to the foam. Once the glue has dried, blend the wood in, and glass over the wood. Then proceed as you normally would from that point.
Here is a pic of my wood/foam board
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You should also check out this thread: http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/nuuhiwa-fish-helpplease
Kensurf built a foam board with a wood veneer vacuum-bagged onto the deck. I have seen the board's cousins in person, and they turned out beautiful!
Right on Thanks for the response. I am new to board building. So far I have made one 6'4" retro 22.5" 3" thinck. Im happy with it but need something with a little more float for the soft waves on the lake. Quick question I have now idea how to do a vacum bag? Am I able to do this without vacum bagging the board?
I did mine without vacuum bagging, but I used thin strips of wood, not veneer. I just glued them down and put pressure on them until the glue dried (I used 5-minute epoxy).
For veneer, I think vac bagging is best, but since its just a deck patch, you could probably get away with sand bags, or something like that, use your imagination!
Did you use Home Depot foam on those Boards? When you are putting hte planks on Do you plane the foam where the planks are going or do they get pressed into thefoam? Also I have read a few differant things about guys Palcing a layer of glass underneth the wood? Did you do that with yours. I am sorry for so many questions but I have never attempted this so Ijust want to learn as much as I can before doing it
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Did you use Home Depot foam on those Boards? When you are putting hte planks on Do you plane the foam where the planks are going or do they get pressed into thefoam? Also I have read a few differant things about guys Palcing a layer of glass underneth the wood? Did you do that with yours. I am sorry for so many questions but I have never attempted this so I just want to learn as much as I can before doing it
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I don't mind questions, but why ask questions that have already been answered? Like I said, the wood deck I did was over a GSI composite-over-foam longboard, not Home Depot foam. And - like I said - my wood strips were epoxy-glued to the foam. I cut the existing composite decking off where I applied the wood.
Did you read through the thread by Kensurf that I gave you a link to? He did not glass under the veneer, but applied the veneer over the foam, then glassed once where there was foam and no veneer, then a second time over the entire deck.
My suggestion, already stated, was "shape and glass your board, but don't hot coat yet. Then cut the glass off the deck area where you will be putting the wood. Sand or router the foam down a bit, and glue your wood (I used epoxy glue) to the foam. Once the glue has dried, blend the wood in, and glass over the wood. Then proceed as you normally would from that point."
Some of the details of how you proceed will depend on the thickness and type of wood or veneer you choose. If you're using veneer, obviously you cannot sand much without going through the veneer. If you use 1/8" thick strips like I did, you have some room to sand and shape a bit.
been there done that
the combination of 1/24"-1/42" “veneer” and Home Depot EPS won’t work.
you need a 1.5-2lb if not greater shaped EPS core to use veneer
otherwise you’ll need 6oz+ under/over or at least 1/16"-1/8" thick boards to cover a 1lb or less core.
my camera came today! Here's a shot - I'll post the rest in the proper thread. Too bad I didn't have the camera during the rebuild =(
