I’ve scoured the internet to see how people laminate innegra tape on the rail of a board but haven’t come across any real concenus. I figured I could use some type of spray glue to hold the tape in place but I’m worried about the glues turning yellow over time, plus some of them are already yellow to start with like Super 77 or they eat the EPS foam.
The instructions they have is to use some resin to hold the tape in place then laminate over it with glass, and while that would work well on the deck or bottom, on the downturned rails of a board, that might not go so well (or maybe it will). Trying to do my due diligence before I try laying it up.
Anyone have experience or suggestions the best way to do this?
It totally depends on whether you are laying down two pieces (one on each rail) or a single piece across the entire tail area. Keep in mind that you will need a pair of shears that will cut Innegra, Carbon Fibre etc. Don’t think that you can cut it accurately with normal scissors(Wiss etc.). I have used 3M 77 to stick and hold in place Innegra and Carbon Tape. I prefer to just brush on some weakly catalyzed Poly resin or even uncatalyzed resin where I want to place the Innegra or Carbon, then lay it in place. Flip my deck cloth over and begin saturating my deck. Work a little extra to be sure the Innegra gets saturated. But, don’t pull so hard with the squeegee that your Innegra moves around and gets out of place. Trimming the Innegra at the rail depends on your cloth schedule. You can put the Innegra down with a layer of 4oz over the top and razor cut when it gels at the apex of the rail and then put another 4 oz. or 6oz. Over that lapped onto the bottom. Freelap or cutlap. I have generlized but that’s it. The two biggest concerns are saturation and keeping the Innegra from moving around.
I use tack spray sold for fiber fixing in infusion process. No yellowing. Many use 3M 77 for this with success too, so may be cured clear if lightly spread. You can go Mc Ding tech, works well with poly or epoxy, that was the only way to go before spray glue. Use a brush.
I developed a technique for glassing hard (90-degree) angles in a bottom channel without using glue to tack pieces of fiberglass to channel walls.
Tape off the area to receive FG pieces. Pre-seal foam within the taped-off area with a thin coat of resin. Pull tape off. Then, before resin gets to the tack-free stage, I do this;
I plan on laying down one on each rail. Your method, gives me an idea how I can do it, I’m working with epoxy so it’s a bit tricker but I can make your technique work. I hear you on trimming the Innegra, it cuts just like polypropylene rope, moves like crazy lol. Thanks a lot for your help!
Very cool technique, that would work well, I just need to keep an eye on the resin setting up
Also after reading your other post, I notice that the newer Super 77 formulation doesn’t eat EPS foam now unless it really pools in once place. I tried the Gorilla glue spray adhesive and while it was not yellow, it totally melts EPS foam even with a small application.
There is another spray adhesive that some are using that may be better than 77’ but I can’t remember the name. It has been mentioned here on Sways and I have seen it for sale on at least one suppliers website. Supposed to be clearer than 77. When I use 77, I barely fog it, so I have never had any yellowing. Next time I run across the name of the other spray adhesive I am going have to write it down in my “Demintia Diary”.
I find sicomin “epoxy” spray at composit supplier store. Specific for gluing dry fiber in infused process. Very expensive. 3M 77 work, you need light spray so don’t eat anything and no yellowing. A friend use to spray on fiber first then laid it on blank like masking tape.
Great thread, lots of helpful info, next time I will use some Super 77, I notice the newer formulation isn’t as yellow as the can I had from 15 years ago? Anyways to close the loop on this, I’ve attached some pics of how it came out. Overall I’m happy with it but it’s darn hard to get the fibers straight on a rail, the slightest tug or squeege the wrong way and it’s all buggered. The left side came out better than the right after I got the hang of it.
What I ended up doing was glassing on the innegra tape, let it kick then cut lapping the ends of the tape so I could get a nice clean cut, and then glass normally. I think I can get away with glassing both the tape and the bottom at the same time now that see how the tape laminates. I also picked up a pair of proper scissors for cutting carbon and other composites, huge difference.
In terms of durability of innegra on the rails of a SUP, so far no complaints and impressed with the durability. Had a few hard paddle strikes and no major damage yet.
Good! A small trick to reduce distortion is to glue strip with spray tack or on a thin layer of epoxy cabosil squegged first then to laminate with a roller along rails.
Use of a small 3 or 4 inch roller is a nice trick. I have used one for laminating for years. Because I use a roller, I almost never have any problems with rails. The flats are what I have to be careful with. I pull too much resin off and occasionally leave those little crystal looking dry spots. Old eyes. A cheater coat would take care of that.
