I just got my new board back from the glass shop (Global Glassing in Oceanside). Not only did they do a fantastic job, they did it in six days. I didn’t make this board, true, but I did some of the work. I picked up the blank one week ago today. I dropped it off at the shapers the same day. The next day (Tuesday) he called to say it was done. That same day I took it to Global, and they called me today (Monday, Jan. 12). A 7 foot board in 7 days. Holy smokes! Can’t get that from China. Oh yeah, I forgot to ask: Do I really need to let it cure, because there is a hell of a swell in town, and it peaks in the morning. I really want to ride this new board de la manana. Is curing a myth? If it’s true, then how long should it cure before I rip the heck out of every wave in sight? Yours truly, Fairmont
not if uv was used
True story. A friend of mine glassed my board from start to finish sanding in 4 hours. I dropped it off a 8am and picked it up a little after lunch time. packed it that evening and had it in the water the next day. Seemed to hold up as well as any other board ive ever owned.
Everything I have ever read about polyester resin and and MEKP is that there is a considerable duration of cure time once the ccattalyst hardens the resin. A board may feel cured in a day or two but for some reason the chemical reaction needs at least another week to fully activate and create the strnogest chemical bond. But if the entire board was used with UV resin then cure time is reduced to 15 minutes once exposed to UV light. That’s 15 minuted for lam, 15 minutes for hot coat. Sometimes in super intense sun a UV laminated board ccan cure in a few minutes. Not sure the effects that surfing it prior to this time would have on the board. Yu might not noticce any difference immediately, but maybe the board will not last as long as if it were fully cured. But hey I am no expert. If it’s a truly great board, save it for the next swell. If not then go ride!!! Drew
In the past I’ve done some pretty quick ones. No real problems, but you should expect some deck depressions.
I did a board for a customer once and he could’nt pay for it so it sat in the shop for 3 months, when he finally got the dosh he picked it up and went surfing, he kicked the living shit out of it within a couple of weeks and this was in the days of double 6oz decks and full polishes, we put it down to a shitty blank. I myself ride them soon as the last stroke of wetrub is finished, for the first week I dont knee dive them or hang on to the rails to tight when going under waves, it seems to save them a bit. KR
Well, that settles it! I’m going surfing! Thanks guys.