Lamination order. Why?

I would like to know if there is any reason for the lamination order: Why everybody laminated BOTTOM first and then the DECK? And why hotcoating DECK first and BOTTOM second? Is there any reason? Thanks!

I was told that since the bottom of the blank is put under the most stress (supporting the rider’s weight and flexing upward), you want the best possible bond with your cloth and the blank on the bottom first. My buddy tried doing the top first on one of his first boards, when he did the top lap, he had some cloth strands from his lap pull on to the bottom. He filed them down when it kicked and then glassed the bottom. Long story short, he buckled the board in half two weeks later. Looking at the board you could tell that the cracks started at the rail (where he had the strand problems) and went right across the board. I like to hoatcoat first because it is faster. Once I lam the top I wait until the resin has kicked, and bonded to the foam, then proceed to hoatcoat the top. If you try to hotcoat before you lam has bonded to the foam, the hotcoat will cause the cloth to float to the top (that sucks). I also like to do the top first because after it has kicked and you flip it over you have a good surface to place blue tape around the tail on the rail (with the edge sticking up about a 1/8" ) to catch some hotcoat from your bottom coat, so that when it kicks you have a resin bead around the tail that can be sanded to the edge that you like.

I would like to know if there is any reason for the lamination order: Why > everybody laminated BOTTOM first and then the DECK? And why hotcoating > DECK first and BOTTOM second?>>> Is there any reason? Thanks! BECAUSE!! Thats the way THEY told us to do it. [smile]

It has alot to do with flex,and twist.As a lam dries it shrinks,pulling on the rails,and rocker. If you reverse lam… you’d better know what you are doing!Herb.

i used to reverse lam all the time without problems. still do for deck and rail splashes. it’s really important to blend your lap cut on the bottom with a roller before dressing for the bottom lam. note: this is not intended to be a shameless promotion, it’s just a reverse lamination.

i used to reverse lam all the time without problems. still do for deck and rail splashes. it’s really important to blend your lap cut on the bottom with a roller before dressing for the bottom lam. note: this is not intended to be a shameless promotion, it’s just a reverse lamination.

i used to reverse lam all the time without problems. still do for deck and > rail splashes. it’s really important to blend your lap cut on the bottom > with a roller before dressing for the bottom lam. note: this is not > intended to be a shameless promotion, it’s just a reverse lamination. …You shameless promoter(just joking)… for people like you and I it’s not a big deal,BUT I have seen some novices kill a board with a reverse lam or crossweaveing of the glass…can you say, twist and shout!Herb.

Nice board! Would you mind providing a little more detail on the “rolling and dressing” aspect of the reverse lam overlap? Do you use one of those black rubber rollers to flatten out the glass on the overlaps or??? clueless laminator

as usual herb, i agree with you. learning to laminate on one of these might be a bad idea. it’s even more important on these to dress straight and squeegee with out flexing the board too much. and to john, i’m talking about rolling edge of the glass into the foam. pushing the very edge of the laminated glass at the lap cut after the first lam is hard yet still slightly flexible. your pressing the glass flush with the foam next to it so there is no seam or ridge after sanding the board. blend it by putting pressure as you role directly on the seam. i like to use a wood wallpaper seam roller(the flat kind, not the curved one). this is not so important when your going with a double layer on the second side, but i feel that a single layer(as in the reverse lam) over a high seam makes for a serious weak point after sanding.

as usual herb, i agree with you. learning to laminate on one of these > might be a bad idea. it’s even more important on these to dress straight > and squeegee with out flexing the board too much. and to john, i’m talking > about rolling edge of the glass into the foam. pushing the very edge of > the laminated glass at the lap cut after the first lam is hard yet still > slightly flexible. your pressing the glass flush with the foam next to it > so there is no seam or ridge after sanding the board. blend it by putting > pressure as you role directly on the seam. i like to use a wood wallpaper > seam roller(the flat kind, not the curved one). this is not so important > when your going with a double layer on the second side, but i feel that a > single layer(as in the reverse lam) over a high seam makes for a serious > weak point after sanding. it never ceases to amaze me the wonderful tips and techniques that can be gleened from this site. i never would have though of something like this. so you are just compressing the thin layer of foam directly under the edge of the lap. i guess if you wait until the lam is too hard then you risk putting cracks in it when it flexes into the foam? great stuff, thanks. trev

I like to use a old credit card instead of the mini-roller ,but it’s much tricky-er to use.The roller is the easier to master. Also you can do your reverse lam first(deck)with a single layer or lighter amount(layers) than you what to end up with, then the bottom (cut or freelap) then go back and do the deck again in clear single layer(lite wt. glass)freelap…make sense?Herb.

Yep- this is good stuff. Seems that the rolling the lap edge could be used on all such laminations to minimize air and Gene’s point about the weakness of sanding the overlap seam too much. I’m about to undertake my first opaque cut lap and I’m going to need all the help I can get if I can’t see the trapped air bubbles. Tom>>> I like to use a old credit card instead of the mini-roller ,but it’s much > tricky-er to use.The roller is the easier to master.>>> Also you can do your reverse lam first(deck)with a single layer or lighter > amount(layers) than you what to end up with, then the bottom (cut or > freelap) then go back and do the deck again in clear single layer(lite wt. > glass)freelap…make sense?Herb.

Thank you very much for that tip - I’ve never done it but it makes sense to avoid that little ledge at the trim line. Do you roll it before or after you cut the lap? Still unclear on “dressing.”

john, after cutting and wait a few more hours. the next day is too late.

Thanks Gene!