how to build lightweight wooden rails without glassing???

General Discussion
1

Hi there, inspred by this thread I started some years ago (http://www.swaylocks.com/forums/veneer-sandwich-construction-wood-and-glassing-schedule-questions) I want to make a new attempt building a wooden board without glassing.

The planning has progressed so far that I can tell you these things:

  • EPS Core
  • 1/16'' (1,5mm) Maple or Robinia veneer deck & bottom
  • Vacuum bagged
  • Flax fabric between EPS and veneer
  • sealed with linseed oil based UV-Epoxy

So far for the planning. But I’m still in doubt how to build the rails. I can get veneer 1/8’’ (3mm) thick, but I think 5 or 6 layers of this (to get a proper width for shaping) would be very heavy. I have seen that some do cork between the veneers. Is that really lighter? Does that work without glass? Or maybe just go with smaller rails?

Best regards, Andi

 

 

2

any advice?

3

I made a HWS without exterior glassing, 4oz on all  interior.  It is the only HWS i made which is no longer viable to ride, root cause was no glass on the outside.

 

I am making an elaborate  HWS now. It is getting glass inside and out.

 

Glass protects the epoxy just as much as the wood underneath it.

 

With Foam interior?.. well no input from me, no experience.

 

Just that wet wood is not happy wood.

wait, Scratch that.

 Wet lumber is not happy lumber.

 

 

4

Maybe you could try to wrap the eps rails with cork before you bag the wood on top and bottom? Just a thought…no “real” wood on the rails…

5

…just use a wood that can handle saltwater environment…and reduce your rail width as much as possible…15mm is a good width…but it will be determined by how well the vac process can accurately laminate your skin to the substrate without changing the contours in any way…paulownia works well , as does the lighter traditional boatbuilding timbers …pictured board has 3 coats of water-based epoxy and a coat of water-based urethane UV filter , 15lbs waxed…it performs well.

720×960 87.3 KB

960×640 45 KB

6

That’s beautiful work, Kayu.

Not to derail this thread, but I’ve just always wondered what is the aversion to exterior glass with these types of builds?

7

I think there’s various reasons…the main one is connected to the “green” thing…I still do some glass-less boards , but most are engineered to need a single clear 4oz , using epoxy. It’s a nice balance.

8

My motivation for building boards without outer glassing is because I hate this part. Have always problems with the glassed finish and I have no professional glasser around where I live.

9

The boards I made are not very well done but rideable.

My opinion is lam part is kinda tricky and require skills and speed. Both things can be gained.

Skills can only be improve by practise.

Due that I don’t have a lot of practise and I need a lot of time for the lamination, the UV resin is the answer.

Also my shaping room is kinda small and the lamination is compromised. With the UV cure you can take your time laminating abd nothign can go wrong. Another good thing is the curing time, in 3-4 minutes to the sun and it’s cured, u can flip the board and continue (here in Spain the sun it’s not a problem LOL).  Of course the opaque colors are not compatible with it.

U just need poly resin and UV powder. I use to buy the UV powder from a UK web.

10

Is poly resin and UV powder good for avoiding import/export regulations? Or is it like Epoxy in that you usually need an import license in some countries and dangerous goods special transport - both of which make it impractical and expensive for some of us