When you are done sanding hopefully your board will look like the pics below.
The most effective and fastest way to take down 95% of the lip with the least amount of effort and heat produced is to use your router. Set your PB router bit a few mm out and have at it.
Hi Otay, That’s a interesting method using the router, pretty clever. I am going to try that next time, thanks for the tip. Mahalo,Larry
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Make sure to add this final step to make sure your board balances out properly before you get it back in the water.
Duct tape this to the nose so the whole board will be underwater, instead of just the tip of the nose bobbing in the surf.
Bammbamm808, Pretty funny, but you bring up a good point that everyone always seems to throw in weight, when all the systems are within a oz or so of each other. I find this comical when that’s all people have to market their product. Here’s a pic of the board balanced on a Power Pad box that is 8" tall and 1 1/2" thick. This board is 6’1" alittle under 6 lbs. with a kick pad on the deck also.
bammbamm808, You are probably right, alittle to much weight in the tail! So we added a Nose Guard to help balance the board. Thanks for joining in. Mahalo,Larry
maybe bammbam should just chain one of those to his leg next time he goes surfing
or maybe learn how to build a light strong board
Oh my God! I had an opinion! Don’t take me, or yourselves too seriously. You’re doing both now, a lot. Stop it. Except you, Larry. You seem to have a sense of humor. The rest of you get stuffed.
I avoid ProBox meltdowns by completely avoiding the system. Works every time.
How many steps was that? 90 or 95? I lost count somewhere near the end of the first page. Where’s the Youtube video?
I do build them all light and strong, just like the customers always write on the order cards.
Might work well on a centre box but trying using it near the rail. Or should I say try not burying the bit into the board when taking down a box on the rail with a router (it’s called the lap). Been there several times. Stick with a grinder is my advice.
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I avoid ProBox meltdowns by completely avoiding the system. Works every time.
Brilliant! Now for my advice in avoiding a ProBox meltdown. Concrete! Guaranteed not to exotherm. Adds a bit of weight though.
The problem with sanding/grinding is you can heat up the epoxy and eps to the point of weakeing the epoxy bond and foam molecular integrity all at the same time. I have understood this for over a decade now and it is commonly overlooked by the neophite eps user. Every fin box system is different in some ways. The post glass installs usually all have lips are are easily taken care of with a router fast and sweet. Red-x can have a huge shaft on the deck side and I cut most of the shaft with a saw then router to almost finished. If I were to follow the directions from red-x you could not touch the box for all the grinding it would take to get it down. It can be I smell rubber burning hot. My way is faster and touch the box for yourself and see how it’s not hot. The preglass installs with caps or taped off holes still can benefit from the router method if done carefully. I free hand this process now with a roybi small router that I had for my pb system. But if you use your imagination and build a balsa, plastic or whatever cradle sled that will let you more persicely steady the router and avoid the opposite lips you are trying to trim off it is very easy. I think it would be a technique to master for the quality of the board and all the dough you will be saving on sandpaper. There are many ways to build a board, and if my goal is to minimize heat build up at the fin box, I like my way better.
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Oh my God! I had an opinion! Don’t take me, or yourselves too seriously. You’re doing both now, a lot. Stop it. Except you, Larry. You seem to have a sense of humor. The rest of you get stuffed.
I avoid ProBox meltdowns by completely avoiding the system. Works every time.
How many steps was that? 90 or 95? I lost count somewhere near the end of the first page. Where’s the Youtube video?
I do build them all light and strong, just like the customers always write on the order cards.
“I suspect bambam is just messing around…”
Just so you remember…I picked up on your sense of humor.
Customers may like them light as feathers, but your average customer doesn’t have a clue about that type of thing. One of the problems of our industry… is some have become order takers and don’t know how to challenge a customer and actually convince them to try something else. It’s why most shapers become has beens after a brienf surge of popularity because they are new. The kiddie market is already handled very well by the big three and Asia.
Same with pro box system. It’s not that many more steps if any and if the product does something folks find worth the investment why should time matter. It mostly matters to board manufactures who are into mass producing three fins and are attempting to do the numbers. Maybe thats a valid claim for production. Most customer shapers I know that do all their own work, have no issue with things like this if ordered.
I have nothing against most of the other systems. I like Futures for simplicity, FCS for fin availability and etc. What I like about Probox is the non expensive way you can change the cant and move the fin without having to buy a bunch of extra fins. I like dealing directly with Larry rather than some ridiculous sales rep. Had too many years of that garbage to let some other person control my distribution. If I want to sell online instead of in a store location…why should the company give crap? With Larry…there is no " cool " factor. I am also not saying I would never use another fin system either. I have used most of them.
I don’t think the through the glass or under the glass is that big a deal when compared to some of the other aspects of each system. Same with the weight. Some of the explanations for the under the glass vs through the glass have just never made sense to me. We are talking about some thin layer of fiberglass cloth covering a box floating in foam with a little resin vs a system sunk into a fiberglass cloth sock with the laminated fiberglass cloth and foam surrounding it.
Are either that big of a deal?
Also…if my memory serves me correctly…the other two systems were made specifically to use plastic fins and Probox from what Larry tells me was made to use fiberglass fins. I think lokbox also, but I can’t remember what Lokbox said about it last time we had the discussion.
My view is use what you like for whatever reason you like, but don’t be afraid to try something else. Even if it takes a few more steps and don’t be afraid to offer your customers a different option or idea. You might find you create customers that are truly yours rather than just buying because they are bros or because they want to try that miniscule difference between your average thruster with a different label.
None of this is directed at you bambam or anyone else…the thread just gave me something to think about.
There is no one best in any of this. Only alternatives.
Hey otay,
exactly what i do ! works great !
i first tried the electric planer, to take down big bits, but it is not the safest and cleanest way
then i tried the router → better for sure!
if the router opening is not big enough, and goes askew on the fin box, i lay down two strips of wood along side the box, and rout by putting router on top of the wood, just make sure the wood lies down well, and does not move, then really all you need to do is sand with 100 grit.
good tip,
btw, which Ryobi Router do you use? is it small with a round base?
i am looking for st similar to the futures install router
do you have a serial number for me please ?
Thanks for you help!
Wouter
What can you say wouter? Great minds think a like and obviously we have the do it right gene. I am of european ancestry so we may be related.
It is the ryobi lamination router PB recommends. I don’t know the serial number. I use the same bit as the one used to cut out the box. And just like bambam808, I’m a pro trained by the pros. We know our tools and how to use them. Kudos to my mentor Elmer Fudd who weally, weally,weally wuved the wouter technique.
I’m with you guys on this one. Router. Great for longboard center boxes too, I’ve been doing it that way for years. You can even use the same roller bearing bit & template guide you used to make the hole in the first place.
BTW, for anyone not used to working with routers - here’s a tip. The bases have holes in them for a reason: To put screws through and make bigger bases. Clear 1/2" lexan works very well and being see-through is helpful as well. I have router bases all the way up to about 12" square. That way you can lay down a template around your work to rest the base on, lower the bit to the depth you want to cut off, and move the router around on the work without the base losing contact with the template.
I just made a large 3/8" lexan template of the probox jig to route out my holes instead.
We always run into that problem of the jig being too small trying route the holes using a regular router instead of those lam routers. We use a regular router cause it has a vacuum port to suck all the cr*p out of the hole and off your arms and face as you’re trying to work. So to support the big base I cut a sheet of lexan that provides support at least 4-5 inches from the side of the hole.
After using the FCS jig to cut the holes for their new fusion plugs I realized how simple the process is with the right jig. The Fusions were a no brainer to put in compared to their regular plugs which also require like 3-4 different tools according to the install dvd…
You can always glue those red probox jigs on later to put in the plugs.
I’m with OTAY’s approach especially with epoxy or urethanes as heat is the enemy when sanding.
Unless you have a festool or specialized expensive sander that keeps the heat down while sanding you’re messing up the bond. Most people don’t realize this except old timer pros who care about the end result . That’s why alot of them use the router technique it’s fast and clean… Even dremel has a plunge router attachment for fine work. Also why you see grinders being used for heavy work (laps) on epoxy rather than sanders, you have to keep the heat down to reduce the “gummies”.
Most pros used real heavy tools like the milwaukee’s and move fast to grind off rather than rub. Sanding is definitely an art form and very hard to do when you’re in a bumblebee suit.
Also Mark’s right about all those steps.
Especially when you compare it to the under glass Fusions, lokbox or ofishls
It’s alot to ask for a production shop
Alot of these glassers have got 10,000-30,000 under their belt and pumping out double digit glass jobs a week
I think they want the install to be a one/one resin container shot deal
Production glass shops want something you don’t have to keep coming back to or having to do special prep work for like the roving and glass inserts. It’s funny to see the sways garagers challenge some of the pros here who are doing 10 times as many boards a day or week as them and who’s paycheck is based on the quality of their work and output numbers they can produce on a weekly basis.
that’s why other than sanding them I like glass-ons
Its a one shot hit or miss deal put them on, sand them down, pau
No accessories to worry about later fins, screw keys, inserts, plugs etc etc.
My surfmobile is filled with the stuff cause, “ya never know what you’ll need” is the problem when you have options…
But the probox has a lot of pluses from being very affordable, not to complicated and the stuff and people are very accessible the the average joe board builder which isn’t always the case with some of the other companies that only cater to the production guys…
Are you guys leaving the jigs on after curing and then routing? My method was to glue to bits of wood to the base of the router to give it some feet. Just like the master glasser video. Now that I think about it, leaving the jig on and routing to a shallower depth would be a much better idea.
No, once the box is in the board, you’d have to adjust the router bit so shallow that the roller bearing wouldn’t touch the template plastic. It would be no use.
2 sticks and your router bridging them is a fine way.
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Oh my God! I had an opinion! Don’t take me, or yourselves too seriously. You’re doing both now, a lot. Stop it. Except you, Larry. You seem to have a sense of humor. The rest of you get stuffed.
I avoid ProBox meltdowns by completely avoiding the system. Works every time.
How many steps was that? 90 or 95? I lost count somewhere near the end of the first page. Where’s the Youtube video?
I do build them all light and strong, just like the customers always write on the order cards.
getstuffed yerself
boohoo808, can give it out but cant take it
must be from surfermag
great idea btw otay
i use a sharp surform btw for fcs plug. its quick and clean
incedentaly. the thermal stability of the infusion resin i use for innerlams and boxes is 75 degrees celcious and about 100 degrees celcious if it post cure it (electric blanket)
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Quote:Oh my God! I had an opinion! Don’t take me, or yourselves too seriously. You’re doing both now, a lot. Stop it. Except you, Larry. You seem to have a sense of humor. The rest of you get stuffed.
I avoid ProBox meltdowns by completely avoiding the system. Works every time.
How many steps was that? 90 or 95? I lost count somewhere near the end of the first page. Where’s the Youtube video?
I do build them all light and strong, just like the customers always write on the order cards.
getstuffed yerself
boohoo808, can give it out but cant take it
must be from surfermag
great idea btw otay
i use a sharp surform btw for fcs plug. its quick and clean
incedentaly. the thermal stability of the infusion resin i use for innerlams and boxes is 75 degrees celcious and about 100 degrees celcious if it post cure it (electric blanket)
Forgive me Paul. I’m so rude, but I’ve forgotten, which one was you again?:
the good looking one of course
the otherones me mother