Hi there,
I’ve tried a quick search but couldn’t find a solution…
The finbox on my log is loose. There is just a hair crack visible around the box.
It’s a classic board and I wanna do the repair as strong and visibly pleasing as possible.
Thank’s for your help,
Shaazam
You should post some pics…
It will probably sound extreme, but based on my own experience, and petec's comments, I honestly believe the best thing to do is to just router the old fin box out, and install a new one.
Because if there is any problem with the fin box being loose, a fin in use exerts a lot of leverage on that little box (or when hitting sand or a rock), and it will just continue to be a problem. Furthermore, if even a tiny amount of water has gotten in, that will only exacerbate the problem.
So in my opinion, the only fail-safe solution is to take the fin box out and install a new one. Which shouldn't really be a big deal, if you've ever installed a fin box before.
Plastic routers out very well, just go slow, use a standard fin box router template, do it in several passes at slightly increasing bit depth each time, take it all out, make sure everything is bone dry inside, and install a new one the standard way, and shazaam! problem solved.
A relatively simple solution is to rout 1/4" slots on either side of the finbox extending the slots fore and aft about an inch. Insert strips of wood the same thickness and height of the slots with resin. After the resin kicks, grind it all down flush with the bottom of the board and glass over. Hot coat it, sand it, gloss or just leave it with a sanded finish.
Installing 3/16 woodies is the easiet, quickest, strongest fix, as said.
If the box itself is cracked it’s coming out. I remove them with a 7" circular saw set just short of the box depth. Do it like making a pocket cut and drop the blade on the edges of the box, move forward back along the box. Last cut is down the center. Big wood chisel and a dead blow hammer, smash the sides of the box towards the center. Sometimes it’s a lot pieces, wear eye protection. Use a smaller 3/8" wood chisel to get the bottom out. It takes a lot of hard hits to break up a box, just be careful you don’t crush the surrounding glass or jack up the bottom foam using the chisel. Finish up with router and template.
If the box isn’t cracked, use the wood as previously recommended and it will be bullet-proof for life. Looks good too.
That’s a creative tip I never thought of for removing cracked boxes! I always routed away, an eighth at a time, with the hot plastic shrapnel burning my forearms, and wearing out my bits. Often I have had bits break doing this, and never been hurt, but seems less dangerous, with the worm drive.
Actually, not much is left of the box after 3 passes with a carbide blade and it’s really fast. Set the front of the base on the board, pull back the blade guard and lower the rear of the saw down. Line up the blade on the box before you start it. Be careful of the power cord, I cut one a couple of months ago doing this, had fireworks and tripped the breaker.
I like that also. Seems like if you wanted to it wouldn't be very hard to make a jig for the circular saw base the same as you make a jig for the router. Then your cuts would be lined up by the placement of the jig. Might be helpful if you were wearing eye protection during the cut that made careful placement of the blade difficult. Just a thought. Great suggestion, anyway, thanks.
I like the saw idea. Just stick your favorite fin in the box and glass it on ha!