That’s a great idea. I hope the “experts” don’t rag on the people trying to help. I could do one on how to sand through a glass job. I’m getting pretty good at that.
FYI, there is a whole bunch of basic stuff in archieves. Kokua wrote some of it and some other old dogs. How to lay up a fin, how to do gloss. Bunch of stuff. Keith M put them together as summaries from Sways articles taken from yr 2003. Here is one:
Howzit sharkcountry, Igot a laugh out of that and we all have sanded through sometime in our day but it just teachesus what not to do. I think a how to thread would be great and would probably cover a lot of topics and I would not laugh but would like to help when I can since that is what we are here for anyways. Aloha,Kokua
Hi stingray,
A few months ago I managed to install a centre fin box on my board to turn it into a widowmaker. Thanks for your thread which helped kick start the project and kept me on track during the process. A few little mistakes here and there but it's in, solid and lots of fun to ride.
A forstner bit is the drilling bit that you may be thinking of.
Hi all,
My First board and was wondering about the drilling the hole for the leash. If you go right through the board does this hole let in water defeat the purpose of lamintaing and hot coating the board. I have bought a leash plug, would i be better to install that. Dimensions are 8ft9 - 22- 3.
Just off to make my fin jig
Cheers in advance.
[quote="$1"]
Hi all,
My First board and was wondering about the drilling the hole for the leash. If you go right through the board does this hole let in water defeat the purpose of lamintaing and hot coating the board. I have bought a leash plug, would i be better to install that. Dimensions are 8ft9 - 22- 3.
Just off to make my fin jig
Cheers in advance.
[/quote]
Nothing wrong with a leash plug. Simple and strong.
After you router out the surfboard for the longboard fin box.....before you mix up any resin...drop the box into the slot to make sure it fits...you might have to do some sanding with a little sanding block to true up the sides...while the fin box is sitting there with no resin...measure from the tail to about 1/4" inside the box. Write that number down.....Now flip the board over...now you are working on the deck. Measure from the tail and mark the number that you wrote down.....drill a super tiny hole right in the middle of the stringer....got it ...now make a 1/2 inch hole from the deck down with a forstner bit or whatever you have.....put a piece of tape on the deck...flip the board over...when you install the fin box you will fill up this hole with resin....and then come back later and drill a 1/4 inch hole all the way through the deck and fin box...bingo!
Since this thread was ressurected and I was going to ask anyway, what is the correct way to set the box at the right depth? I route the hole for the box and set the box with the tabs resting on the glass. When I sand the box I can’t sand it smooth, the slot sits deeper than the glass and only the lip around it is sanded away at the center (ends are fine). Should I route the hole shallow so the box sits on the foam/stringer at center and the center of the box is high enough? But then what’s the point of the tabs on the sides?
I'm in San Diego County, California. The FU boxes have the tabs...I think that's Fins Unlimited...known localy as Bane Boxes....The tabs are nice for lining up the box.....But I prefer the High Surf boxes from Fibre Glas Fin Co...no tabs...
My install method works with both systems...I've had the same problem as Harvard.....some extra sanding...I use FU and HiSurf all the time......I'm not taking sides.
at one point in time ProBox Larry was selling Red, Blue, White and Black longboard boxes...He no longer sells the Red or Blue....If you have a Red or Blue Longboard box I want it...................Stingray
Hey Haavard,
I know what you are talking about. If the board has a lot of rocker in the tail, the center lip in the FU boxes dips below the surface of the board when you rest it on the tabs. I don’t know what everyone else does to solve this problem but I use 2" tape around the opening 1st. I then place 4 tongue depressors on the board underneath the tabs parallel with the box…This helps to shim the box high enough so you can sand the center of the box flush with the board. Tape these in place with another layer of 2" tape. They tongue depressors also act to center your box in the opening once the ooze of resin make the stringer harder to see. I hope you can visualize this.
bluenose
Go back to page one. I posted a photo for you way back in the beginning. If the tabs work for you that's great! If not go with the Boxes from Fibre Glas Fin Co..........I use both systems
Hey Ray!
Excellent guide! Thanks for posting it!
Finally got my area clear and started working on a real board, I’m just about ready to install the fin box, but I’m having problems. I have a fixed base bosh router with a 1/2 in bit and 1/2 in top mounted bearing. First what is the easiest way to make the template. Second how the hell am I supposed to take it down slowly when the bearing is at the top of the bit!? I have practiced with a piece of foam and I keep F’ing it up (thankfully not the board! 
So I guess I have to say I need a dummys guide.
Volks
3 years later Stingray and Ghettorat are friends… I’ve been off line for a few months…my new computer does not want to talk to my old printer…and my camera says the photos are deleted… but my new computer finds 500 photos that I know I deleted…
The wood jig I posted in the thread is now much wider…I spent $26.95 at Tool Mart for a trick router bit with bearing…Wish I could help… I’m super happy going hard core Low tech! There’s too many projects going on right now…no time to sort out computer stuff when I have boards to finish for Fall Swells !!! Boards for me…boards for friends…! Measure twice , cut once.
stingray
Hello fellow back yarders!
Does anyone have 2D files of a routing template to install single 10,5" fin boxes, using the standard FCS [Fusion] router?
If not, i will see if i can make one and share it here for those liking it.
Online i can only find Futures and some ingenious vac clamping system too expensive and difficult to make it work
Also, how much “Vee” should be put into such a routing template you reckon?
Wouter
Hi Wouter,
There are videos showing the fancier fixtures (Lokbox vacuum and Futures adjustable) but also lower-budget videos showing that a template is just a hole in a board. How big of a hole is the main question…
10.5" Fins Unlimited Bahne Box — Greenlight Surf Co. has many of the templates. Click on the text that says ‘page1 / page 2’.
I just drew a sample one the other day, I think the intent was recycling a Fusion bit. The box was shorter than standard so I omitted some dimensions:
https://www.swaylocks.com/forums/how-to-make-jig-fin-box-installation
Using all the odd bits from other side box install kits…it’s interesting but raises the question of how do you rout deep enough while guiding a shollow bit?
For myself I do not bother searching for a drawing. Over a cup of coffee I can design most any template I need. I find it relaxing, possibly even meditative.
I simply measure the box and the cutter and the bearing and decide on the ‘reveal’ (gap between box and foam) and do the math, which can be done with numbers, graph paper, calculator, spreadsheet, or CAD drawing as shown in the link above.
A standard FU long box is 10.5" long, 1" wide, and 0.985" deep (266.7 x 25.4 x 25mm). Deep is the underside of the support tab that sits on top of the bottom lamination to the bottom of the box. So routing 1"(25.4mm) deep allows for a layer of cloth and resin at the bottom. Not too sloppy or deep with EPS to avoid too much resin leading to exothermic meltdown.
If you use a 1/2" (12.27mm) or similar top bearing (pattern following, bearing and cutter same size) bit, the template hole and the finished hole are the same. So add twice the reveal to length and width and you are finished. This is my go-to system.
Consider how depth will be controlled in your ‘system’. Plunge router? Stacked templates? Design, build, test, enjoy.
1/4" (6.4mm) Masonite is not the best router template material for top bearing bits, no wiggle room. 3/8" (9mm) or more plywood is better.
I do not understand the question about Vee. I rout the sides straight.
I’m about to embark on my first center fin box jig. My only confusion is the depth of the router bit. If you use an fcs fusion bit you only get 3/4” depth correct? Would I be better off removing the bearing, creating a jig off the 1/4” shank, and then routing in two passes? One at full depth and then another 1/4inch over extended? I’m using a trim router not a plunge. Thanks
Yes, many ways to guide a router: base plate, bushing, and bearing (all using templates or jigs) and freehand (template free).
If you begin to ‘do the math’ and understand the allowances, you can switch up the tooling and get a result that satisfies.
Hi jrandy - I was going to mention the baseplate method. That’s the way the guy did it where I used to take my boards in for the route job so I just followed his lead. It’s a basic frame attached to a piece of plexiglass with a slot cut for the bit. There is no bearing collar on my bit… the edges of the base plate touch the inside of the frame which is sized for the 15" box and I have a spacer plate I drop in for the regular box.
Can’t beat the price and way easier than making an accurate jig: https://greenlightsurfsupply.com/products/longboard-centerfin-router-jig-install-kit?variant=1228949913612