I’m interested in making my own fin to fit a Fins Unlimited box. I recently made a wide tail bonzer shape but my store bought fin is too narrow based and squirrely in all but the smallest of waves. My question is how many layers of cloth to use to fit the box? And what oz. cloth would you suggest? I made the side fins myself using 16 layers of 8 oz. cloth and glassed them on. I’m guessing I need probably at least twice as much to get the thickness to fit a box. I used 8 oz because I’ve got a surplus of it. Is 6 oz. better? Does it make a difference? As best I can tell from measuring, the fin has to be about 5/16 to 3/8 inch thick to fit the box. Any fin experts out there?
I’m interested in making my own fin to fit a Fins Unlimited box. I > recently made a wide tail bonzer shape but my store bought fin is too > narrow based and squirrely in all but the smallest of waves. My question > is how many layers of cloth to use to fit the box? And what oz. cloth > would you suggest? I made the side fins myself using 16 layers of 8 oz. > cloth and glassed them on. I’m guessing I need probably at least twice as > much to get the thickness to fit a box. I used 8 oz because I’ve got a > surplus of it. Is 6 oz. better? Does it make a difference? As best I can > tell from measuring, the fin has to be about 5/16 to 3/8 inch thick to fit > the box. Any fin experts out there? You are correct, the base is 3/8" or .375, but it has a taper so that as it goes into the box it becomes tighter the deeper it goes. They are layed up with 32 layers of 7.2 oz. cloth, run through a thickness sander, then the bases are milled with a carbide cutter to the correct thickness. You can saber saw the fin shape and carefully sand the base to thickness, if you slip up and go to thin, you can hot coat and re do. http://www.JimtheGenius@aol.com
You are correct, the base is 3/8" or .375, but it has a taper so that > as it goes into the box it becomes tighter the deeper it goes. They are > layed up with 32 layers of 7.2 oz. cloth, run through a thickness sander, > then the bases are milled with a carbide cutter to the correct thickness. > You can saber saw the fin shape and carefully sand the base to thickness, > if you slip up and go to thin, you can hot coat and re do. Thanks much. I’m getting pretty into this make it from scratch stuff. Next I’ll be asking how to blow my own foam! Thanks again.
I’m interested in making my own fin to fit a Fins Unlimited box. I recently made a wide tail bonzer shape but my store bought fin is too narrow based and squirrely in all but the smallest of waves. My question is how many layers of cloth to use to fit the box? And what oz. cloth would you suggest? I made the side fins myself using 16 layers of 8 oz. cloth and glassed them on. I’m guessing I need probably at least twice as much to get the thickness to fit a box. I used 8 oz because I’ve got a surplus of it. Is 6 oz. better? Does it make a difference? As best I can tell from measuring, the fin has to be about 5/16 to 3/8 inch thick to fit the box. Any fin experts out there? … My most recent fins are 1+1/8" at the base…1/8" glass core + 1/2" ply x 2 sides…I do remove wood at the part that goes in the box, and replace it with glass & epoxy… I used 4 layers of 6oz.cloth with tinted resin at the core The plywood is 1/2" 9ply baltic birch…After foiling and fine sanding, I put 2 layers of 6 oz. on each outer side&Lay one layer of glass at a time…I brush resin on with a cheap bristle brush… lay on the glass… brush on more resin, smoothing and evening as I go…Lay on more glass&Etc…The glass is there to keep the wood protected, I’m not really looking at it for strength…After sanding again, one more layer of glass each side, sand, hot coat, final sand…Spray with Rustoleum/Krylon gloss clear…Drill for fin screw & slot pin ( I use a stainless steel scew cut off & epoxied )&