I was wondering which chambering technique Diff used in his balsa boards. His shapes have some of the cleanest lines in history , right up there with Downing , Yater , and R.B… I’ve seen the hole saw chambers used by Yater. They have the qualities for strength and expansion that work. I guess my question is , how did Diff chamber his boards? An old buddy said he chambered with square areas using a router and template. In my thinking , This would be leading to expansion problems and weakness at the surface. Would anyone like to share their theories? Thanks in advance.
I was wondering which chambering technique Diff used in his balsa boards. > His shapes have some of the cleanest lines in history , right up there > with Downing , Yater , and R.B… I’ve seen the hole saw chambers used by > Yater. They have the qualities for strength and expansion that work. I > guess my question is , how did Diff chamber his boards? An old buddy said > he chambered with square areas using a router and template. In my thinking > , This would be leading to expansion problems and weakness at the surface. > Would anyone like to share their theories? Thanks in advance. i read an article in the “surfer’s journal” a while back that chronicled diff’s legacy in surfing. the pics did show him chambering a balsa board with a router, so your buddy is correct. the internals of the chambers were rounded, definitely no sharp angles. i’m guessing that this helps with any internal stress that could develop along the grain of the balsa wood…
i read an article in the “surfer’s journal” a while back that > chronicled diff’s legacy in surfing. the pics did show him chambering a > balsa board with a router, so your buddy is correct. the internals of the > chambers were rounded, definitely no sharp angles. i’m guessing that this > helps with any internal stress that could develop along the grain of the > balsa wood… The thinness of the surface area vs. weight reduction. I guess that is where the 30 yrs. of experience comes into play. Offset chambers? A while back many here where going to build balsas. What did you all do? I saw a Diff 9’6" semi today @ Woolleybears ding shop , drool all over the floor.
The thinness of the surface area vs. weight reduction. I guess that is > where the 30 yrs. of experience comes into play. Offset chambers? A while > back many here where going to build balsas. What did you all do? I saw a > Diff 9’6" semi today @ Woolleybears ding shop , drool all over the > floor. Diff used several methods in chambering, router, spade bits on drills. I am recreating a '69 7’10" balsa that was Jimmy Lewis’s board, it is really light, but Diff cut into many of the chambers while re-tuning the board after re-gluing it. The sure fire way to NOT hit chambers is to have the board as finished as possible BEFORE breaking it apart.
Diff used several methods in chambering, router, spade bits on drills. I > am recreating a '69 7’10" balsa that was Jimmy Lewis’s board, it is > really light, but Diff cut into many of the chambers while re-tuning the > board after re-gluing it. The sure fire way to NOT hit chambers is to have > the board as finished as possible BEFORE breaking it apart. Lots of food for thought…Thanks