Layers . How Many??

I’m sure this has been kicked around before.  But my memory doesn’t serve me well.  How many layers of six ounce for a center fin lay up?  Solid glass.  No wood.  How many layers of six for a side bite.  Also how many layers of six for each side of a 3/16" piece of Sanderling Ply center fin.  And;  How many layers of six ounce for one side of a 3/16" Sanderly Ply side bite.  If you don’t use six then specify what weight you do use and how many alternative layers.  I seem to remember guys used 30 layers for a glass-on in the old days.  These fins would be glass- ons, but I don’t want them any thicker than modern day box type fins.  Lowel

Rookie here and I guess some of the pros will chime in soon, but my 2 cents:

There is varying info on here, from 2 layers of 6oz halfway up the fin to a lot of layers. So far I used the 2 layers method without roving using the cloth at an 45 degree angle going all the way up the fin. With my recent twin, I also used 2 layers but added roving too. I’m about to glass on a 7 single fin on a 6’8 and I guess I’ll also glass it on with 2 layers going all the way up the fin. 

Just for clarification .   The number of layers I am referring to is the number it would take to make these fins.  For you I would recommend three layers each side with a few strands  pulled off of woven roving on each side of the base.

Haha ok, thanks. Thought you were talking about glassing fins on. Oh, and thanks for the info, I’ll use 3 layers for the singe fin then. 

When I was looking for info on how many layers you need I found 30 layers for regular fins and 34 for a single fin. 

Hi McDing. Only made up a couple fin panels before, so really limited experience here! But i found 36 x 6oz ideal for single fins. i also like thick glass on singles too. Never made up side bites or other types of fin in glass panels though sorry.

Slanj.

Hi Lowel - 36 layers of 6oz sounds right.  It worked for me on hand lay-up panels. 

 

Take a vernier and measure one layer then multiply. In my experience as long as you don’t use vacuum, a hand lay up with rollers will end up very close to the calculation. I did this pretty often with varying fabric thicknesses too. 

Thanks Guys.  Yes thirty something was what I seem to remember.  I suppose if I put 3/16"-- 3 layer ply in the center it would just be a case of fewer layers to accommodate the ply.  I am only going to put glass on one side of the wooden side bites.  They will be foiled ply on the outside.  Then when they are glassed on I’ll  use the three layers as described above.  Lowel

I used 28 layers for the keels I made for the last mini simmons I made.  They went into proboxes.  came out pretty nice.

Oh yeah.  Keels look good.