This is gonna seem like a real idiot question, bur there is a point, I think.
Here’s the thing; a buddy and I earlier this year aquired a big block of EPS and set about hotwiring some blanks out of it. We got about 6 blanks off then ran out of time to stash the block in his dads garage so had to move the remainder to the local tip (big shame). Two of the blanks we hotwired off first were a bit crap and in my opinion too thin to be of any use. But I decided to practice shaping on one of them as I’d not worked with EPS before. Anyway, I decided to shape a mini-mal sort of deal but its turned out to be rather nice so far and I’m just wondering whether its gonna be worth glassing as its pretty thin at 2 1/4 inch. It’s not gonna be expected to float me, but my son who is a skinny rat of a lad. The blank is 7’ 6".
Any opinions??? I’d post a pic but my new camera has fallen out with my computer and they aint talking to each other.
Jase, of course it’s thin for a 7’6" but then it’s EPS and thus very light. So you may glass it extra-strong and end up with something that will still be on the “light” side as compared to a similar PU/PE. Better ask for EPS specialists’ advice, though. I’m not…
IMO EPS boards can feel a bit corky even with a solid glassing schedule, so I’ve always shaped them a bit thinner than a comparable PU board. 2 1/4" is on the thin side for a 7’6"–BUT if the blank has a stringer to moderate the flex or if it’s not to be ridden in surf over one meter, you should be fine. Launch 'er!
that’s what I was thinking. Its unlikely to get snapped anyway with the weak surf we usually get when I make it to the coast (always in the wrong place at the wrong time). I was hoping to find some bamboo veneer after reading G.L.s compsand thread a couple of days ago, but the UK is hopeless for anything of any use and importing is way expensive…so more glass it is then!!! I don’t much care about the weight, he’s been brought up on my 7’2" hollow wooden so this will be featherweight in comparison.
I’ve stuck a big thick (1/2 inch) stringer up the middle, made of pine of all things, (try getting anything else from round here) so the whole things going to be a bit of an experiment. But it will probably only ever see 2-3 ft max anyway.