I want to make my own fins (one longboard fin and a thruster set). Anyone have an idea how to approach this? Any instructions out there?
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks
Jonathan
While there's still time......
Read this: http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/dont-build-your-own-fins-thread
hey Jonathan, welcome to Sways.
after reading the thread that Mike linked, if you're still interested, type: fin foiling, making fins, etc.
in that search box at the top right of the screen... making fins is one of the most discussed topics on
this forum... also, you should send a private message to this guy: http://www2.swaylocks.com/user/chipfins61
good luck!
Yeah, I was just kidding. But that thread's so funny that I had to do it.
You need to tell us whether you're trying to make glass-ons or box fins, solid fiberglass or wood, etc., etc.
Search will get you a lot of info, as chris said.
Howzit ChrisP & MikeDaniel.
JK,
Also see if you can find a thread by Bert Berger about fin making. I complained about not being able to find it a while back and then it came back from the electronic ether. Great thread.
Here's a post where I ask where it is and then Onuela provides some amazing links that should answer most of your questions about anything basic:
http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/cant-find-berts-fin-making-thread
what's up C-Slug?
how you been? missed you at the last Big Sur event.
yah, that Bert thread is another classic. as is the one Mike linked. too funny
.....slowly
patiently
methodically
itchily / scratchily [if that's a word?]
and ( in view of the above ) .....
with the neccessary PROTECTION !! ...
above all else , have FUN !
WELCOME to swaylocks , and fin making , mate ....ENJOY !!!!
cheers !
ben
wear a shirt, Ha Ha.
I foiled some fins when I was 16, with No shirt on and oh my god. I couldn’t sleep for 2 nights (I couldn’t even move in Bed) I had so much itchy dust in me. I nearly cried!
....trousers too, perhaps ?
and maybe shoes [unless your name is george , of course ]
if you are doing fiberglass do yourself a huge favor buy one of those disposable paper painters suits when you do your foiling and make sure you wash the clothes you do wear in a load that contains no underwear. I learned that the hard way. Did you know it is not socially acceptable to scratch your balls with your hands down your pants in public highschool?
No, I thought that was normal public high school behavior :)
After a while you get immune to ''the itch'', or at least I did. I can now foil fins care-free (but I do wear a shirt, haha). But I remember getting it seemingly all over my body a few times, it is an experience you won't forget.
Jonathan,
I hope you find these tips helpful.
LB fins take about 44 cut out sheets of 6 oz
Cut them out so they are close to uniform in size
Make the lay out big enough for at least two fins, you will know why when you are done with the final product
After you finish let it stand for 24-48 hours before you peel it off your waxed panel. And when you do make sure when you lay it down on a flat surface, in case it has not kicked all the way.
Make sure you cut of the edge after the initial gel (just like a cut lap) less hassle when you go to peel it off
If you plan to use more than one color, stop in-between and brush on a coat of resin with sanding addative.
If you plan on placing it in a fin box) When you drill your holes for the fin screw and dowel be patient and make sure it is straight. Small bit to bigger.
If you fuck up #5, like I have done, oh well, it will be a glass on.
Buy a carbide jig blade for cutting the fins out, you will understand why if you use anything else
Like riderofwaves said buy some cover ups when you go to sand, also googles of some sort
I didn’t do that initially and paid the price, my skin actually welted up in spots
If you don’t have a good respirator mask, buy one
Don’t rush the foil
Don’t rush the foil
Make sure you have a professionally shaped fin at hand to reference as you slowly don’t rush the foil.
If you plan to make it for a fin box, buy a fin box from foamez or local surf shop.
The reason I say this is because I have personally found that the hardest part is the final sand of the base that fits into the slot. Very challenging to get it straight. Nice to have the fin box right there instead of just guessing or walking back and forth to your board
Why do I say walking back and forth to you board with a fin box, because anything you care about should not be in the same room where you sand your fins, that dust does not clean up easy.
After you finish your fin (I recommend simple glass on first) glass it to the board that you made and glassed yourself, and go surf it.
Enjoy the stoke of being able to say “I made that board, 100% of it.”
I could go on but I am late for a date with my new 7’6" pintail blank. The fin I made for it is waiting for me to start working.
Have fun bro
On the fin foiling question if you do it out of scrap glass ( offcuts of rail trims etc;) a glass on fin is about 36 layers for a longboard and 28-30 for thruster fins.Increase to about 44 as has been said for boxed fins. Should work out ok.The deal with boxed fins is in the install of the box procedure.Heat is generated no matter how you put them in .My advise is to at box install time also put a good fin in the box to elimate any shrinkage from the heat.Tape the fin up accordingly so you can use it again and again.Whatever.Also allows you to look at the fin in the correct position which is vertical from the nose,no stuffs up here,easy.For foiling you can look for the line of mat(cloth) to be relatively even along the length of the fin.It is easier and more obvious if you lay fins up in a slab formation as opposed to a one off layup.Hope this helps someone.Done it a thousand times.Works all the time whether or not in production.Itchies are generally found when you sweat Hot environments.You can foil as you sand if you don't get to hot.I normally foil outside or with a fan on and generally don't have to many dramas.
Regards Steve Rice
Or, you can go to a cabinet maker and ask to dig through the scraps and foil them from high grade cabinet plywood. Mike
Plywood is light, has nice foil lines to follow, look good, work good, and don't itch when sanded. I thought I already typed this....... Mike
hi johnathan !
here's a few shots of a small, magenta tint panel i made....hope it's helpful ...
1. magenta tint , premixed , and left to settle for a while [thanks for the tint , 'Beerfan' !]...
2. brush lam resin onto a masking taped off piece of glass....
add cloth...
add logo , if needed ...
add more cloth [by now , i've done three layers of clear]....
and now , i add the tint ...
[i generally leave the panel for an hour or so [let it cool down] , and then brush on the filler coat ...[others may do it differently]..
it look more glossy when filler coated [but bear in mind , this gets sanded / ground off, anyway , when the fin is templated , cut out , and of course , foiled and sanded...]
[this is just an 'old school' curtain , reflected in the panel , i did not inlay material!]
the last step i do , when it is set ,
is to [i use a paint scraper , run lighly down the masking taped edges of the panel] lever the panel off the glass, peel off the masking tape [using gloves!] , then turn upside down , to let the edges dry [this step is optional , i guess...]
[i did four of these small panels , in order to make a quad set ]
anyways.... i hope this is helpful , John ??
cheers mate !
ben
Hi,
i just started makin fins at my high school engineering class.
we used this reverse engineering method to create a 3-D model on a Mastercam program.
after we used a mill machine to make a mold out of wood and we varshined and waxed the mold about 1000 times
we just started laying up fiberglass.
so now our problems are about the fin
its .4 in thinck and has a perfect foil from the mold but the resin and fiberglass never seeped into all the cracks. so there are some deformities. what i really need help on is getting the fin to clear up so i can see whats goin on inside. theres a bubble in the middle, and there is no way to see thru the fin.
Any ideas?
P.s. and i supposed to wear any kind of safety equipment when working with fins?
I have only built fins by laying up flat panels and cutting/foiling after the resin sets. But, I’d guess that trying to mold fins without being able to pressurize the resin into the layup is going to result in the exact problem you have. Gaps, bubbles, voids, etc.
At this stage, I think all you can do is try to fill the gaps on the exterior, then foil it out.
When you do your foiling, wear a good mask that keeps out ALL dust, and also protect your exposed skin on your hands and arms (gloves, long sleeve shirt). Fiberglass dust is itchy at best, and bad for your lungs at least.
I’m probably in the minority here, but I prefer to make big longboarding glass-on fins out of wood. Whether it’s high grade plywood or an exotic glued up arrangement, it’s non-toxic when foiling and adds a nice custom look to the board. And if it’s a longboard, who cares about weight, you’re loggin! :) I rode into the shallows today and nailed a rock with one of my wooden fins. Just had to sand it a little and restain the sanded section. Good as new!
