Just finished sanding this epoxy and did a behr wipe on finish. I did not even notice these spots while sanding (maybe because its a clear lam) but they dont seem to be bad as some of my normal little burn thrus. I only saw them on the rail in a certain lighting while giving the board a final look over. One shot is a super close up with a macro.
My question is would you sell a board like this? Will the spots eventually turn into that more whitish burn thru look that is obvious? I feel like i see boards on the racks at the shops like this a good bit. If need be i will rough up the rail area and lightly brush some epoxy on then sand with 320. Just looking for thoughts and opinions!! Thanks!!
Thanks guys. I decided i was not happy with it. I want my boards to be better than the ones on the rack at the shop. I scuffed it all up with 80 grit and did a thin epoxy gloss on the deck and rails. Hit it with 400 on the orbie and then behr wipe burnished with grey scotch brite pad. Excellent finish and not the slightest bit of burn thru on the board.
Good to hear you went on and fixed it. You will see these in racks at shops but you are your own quality control. Are you in it for the long haul? Money or not? Because a pieceworker turns in sloppy work, doesn’t mean you have to. Even if you are a production shaper, quality is paramount. It’s the same as boards with un-even rails for sale in a shop. It is a petty form of theft. After all, what do you want to be known for? Onya.
Your first comment was enough for me to see that it bothered you. When something bothers you and it is in your abilities to do something about it; Then do something about it. Just take care to not make it worse. You did the right thing.
Right on Lowel, the point is not that someone screwed up. The error is not fixing it. Everyone messes up now and then but the real deal will do what it takes to make it right or at least un-noticeable. There is an old saying in the trades: “bury your dead”. That’s what a pro does is makes it acceptable to the client. Although it needs to be acceptable by yourself first. Higher standards make better product.
There’s a guy around here who’s producing some beautifully finished boards. Immaculate. He’s pretty much the go-to shaper round here for the locals at the moment. As a backyard guy I like to quiz him from time to time about various things. Anyway I asked him about sand throughs. He said that from his observations only the very best of the best in surfboard construction are able to sand a single hot-coat with no sand throughs into the weave. He told me that he sands his hot-coat then usually does another thinner hot-coat for the final sand. From there he’s able to get pretty much perfect finish. This surprised me since he’s shaped and glassed many hundreds of surfboards.
So basically unless you’re a master sander, working with a master shaper and glasser then the only way to get a perfect finish is to take your time. In other words it’s possible for just about anyone to get a good finish if they’re prepared to spend enough time doing it. Of course the super skilled guys have got there after working on thousands and thousands of surfboards over many years. They’re able to achieve near perfection in a short time. Something that I am in awe of.
Just for the record I’m too impatient to mess round with extra hot-coats, although I will do it on certain special boards. I just use a can of clear satin acrylic spray after I sand. Hides a multitude of sins! It gets the job done anyway. However when you put an expertly finished board next to one of mine you can really see the difference. It doesn’t bother me though since I just make boards for myself and a few friends.
One more thing, and sorry if this is turning into a bit of an epic: I agree about what a couple here have said about the quality of some boards you see on the rack at just about any surfshop you choose to visit. I guess they have to make a buck so you can’t really blame them for trying to get their product out as quickly as possible, but it is surprising how bad some of them are.
