For the center fin boxes I only drilled to just over the depth of the box, through the stringer. The others I drilled the outline of the box through to the glass on the deck.
As I was fitting the second set of side boxes I noticed the other side had popped out and was starting to bubble! After sh***ing myself for a second I pulled that jig out, with the boxes still attached to it. I started doing lots of frantic digging to get the smoking resin and pillar of foam out of the holes. Which I eventually managed to do to both sets of fins.
All of them had slow epoxy resin with the powder that was supplied when I bought the boxes.
Now im left with 4 large holes through to the deck which I need to somehow fill and be strong enough for new fin boxes to be installed.
FCS Fusion are the easiest to do in EPS foam. But if you choose not to use fusions, you need to stage the pours. Steps are as follows.
Drill the holes , and make the "H" in the foam.
Using Fiberglass Hawaii 5 min epoxy, and Fast hardener, you mix and pour just enough epoxy to cover the bottom of the "H"
Go have a soda, and wait for the first pour to set. about ten minutes.
Mix some more, and pour enough of the 5 minute epoxy to reach th bottom of where the plug should go.
Go have another soda, and come back in 15 minutes this time. Place a plug in the hole, and see if you poured too much epoxy in the hole. If you did, take your forstener bit and drill a little of the cured epoxy out. At this time, the Epoxy will be hard but rubbery. Drill slow so you don't tear the semi set epoxy.
Set you fin/ template in place. With the foam dams.
Mix and pour the last bath of the 5 minute epoxy in the holes. Come back tomorrow to trim .
Fiberglass Hawaii 5 minute epoxy turns to rubber in 10 to 15 minutes, but it is too soft for your final sanding. That takes about 8 hours cure time.
Last hint… when mixing epoxy. mix the two part epoxy before you add any milled fiber, tint, cabosil, or anything. After thoroughly mixed, you can add your stuff. If you add stuff before you mix the two parts, it will block the mixing, and will never cure right.
Epoxy will get hot in even small quantities - that’s why you mix it and pour it out fast when laminating.
I suggest to get a hole cutter on a drill, buy some XPS and cut plugs the size of your holes in the board. Epoxy the XPS in place, then restart the install. Worked for me.
You use five minute because no to low exotherm, when done in stages, and because I don’t like leaving my fins for hours waiting for something to bump them and knock them off position. The Epoxy goes solid in 10 to 15 minutes, just stays rubbery for longer.
Ice packs, and melting can still happen. Foam is an insulator, remember?
And who wants to go out and buy some XPS foam just to fill the void? Try so shape it to fit? Five minute, with micro balloons, and you are done.
Put a ziplock bag of ice under the drilled out holes. Then pour the epoxy in and set fins. Ice will keep the temp in check, and slow down the epoxy kick. Once the epoxy goes to peanut butter stage, you pull the bags. I even keep left over RR epoxy in the freezer to do my touch up work..ie those little bubbles around the fin box and leash plug. Cold epoxy will last a few days in the freezer.....just wont kick
Re-doing it with XPS is the way to "fix" it. Ice packs keep it from happening. I find it troubling that everyone feels they have to use the fastest resin they can get their hands on. If it takes over 8 hours as everysurfer says; Why use five minute? Good ole EPS/Epoxy and its subsequent time consuming problems and remedies. Exotherm, Fish-eyes, tacky hotcoats. Precisely why Epoxy/Eps is only 25% of the market. Next time get a nice Arctic Yellow and use Epoxy or Poly and milled fiber. Nothing wrong with FCS plugs. It's just that some guys can't drill, line up and install that many plugs. Boxes are definatly better for amatuers and backyarders. You're not supposed to grind your fins on the reef, run over a fellow surfer or throw groceries on top of your boards in the back of your yuppy SUV.
I think the main reason I chose FCS X2 boxes is the fact that all you really need is either a forstner bit, or a hole saw bit and your away. Where as most of the others look easier to get the correct hole shape with a router, which I dont have access to.
I did do a lot of research before starting this project, one thing I dont think was emphasised was that you have to put the epoxy into the holes bit by bit. This is definitely where I went wrong.
Ive been thinking about how to fix the holes in my board.
If I shape new pillars of EPS (in the picture below) and epoxy these in as I fill the holes back up. This will end up how it should have been before I melted everything.
I dont want to have to buy more materials to fix this when I have pleanty of EPS offcuts still lying round.
Like someone said use a hole saw and cut new pieces. EPS or XPS as someone mentioned. Like I said EPs and it's subsequent problems. No problems with a nice Yellow Acrtic Poly blank, white gelcoat and milled fiber or for that matter Epoxy, milled or ground fiber and some pigment.
You don't have to shape anything(in this case) to fit if you just use a hole saw. And you are right EPS is insulation and it's too damn bad people use it for anything other than that and tourist's ice chests.
Live and learn...I've had a few EPS melt downs....no need to buy special tools or slow resin. When I install plugs or boxes with Resin Research Epoxy resin I line the hole with a small piece of cloth. And I do 3 small pours. Not production. I often color my install resin with a little pigment...... And..............You will work out a system....it's not the end of the world.....
Now you can go out into your Lab and do some testing...experiments....the Sways crew has lots of very good ideas....we don't always agree...thats OK.....Off gassing on a warm day is something everyone needs to see. I did a leash plug one summer day on an EPS board....never again....ha ha ha......Have fun.......Stingray.........
Do you guys remember when FCS first came out? I do. I was working as a fin and hotcoater at the time. How long ago was that? 15-20 years ago? Anyway, the first kit we got came with two sponges meant to soak with cold water and put under the board in the fin area on the racks to do just that. Keep it cool and not allow it to get too hot. I always hated the little rings on the deck from getting so hot and deforming the deck.
Maybe they should instruct their Epoxy customers to Ice them or bring back the sponges?
McDing, you are right. This wont happen with a poly blank.
Hurray! Styro-foam. I mean EPS. The Red-Headed step brother of Poly Foam!
Remember the pool rings we played with as kids? Leave them in the pool overnight and they weighed a ton. Let dry the next day, and light as hell again. Kinda like the EPS boards we repair at our ding shop.
Epoxy Surfboards. Love the resin. Hate EPS!
I guess hate is a strong word. Lets say dislike. My therapist would be so proud. HAHA!
Before I took over the shop where I’m at, it was a ding repair shop. I watched the “repair guy” drill out FCS plug holes on a thick paddle board. Did the drill to the deck like usual. Poured the epoxy in, and Whooaaa! Melted like crazy. Huge cavernous holes.
He had to also rip them out. Replaced holes with some foam. Then re-filled. came out OK.
I saw a friend coat the inner holes with Elmers glue first. Seemed to work.
Yeah that foam does not like heat.
Thats a situation where the FCS Fusion system works better. Less resin, less heat.
Good ideas from Barry. Yes coating the inside of the hole with Elmers or Roo Glue will help. Even a thin coat of Epoxy that you let set before the install. But using ice packs is a good precaution. Of course none of this is relevant or warranted if you use a poly blank.
