What is the most efficient way of glassing on fins to a surfboard?
I think its usign five minute epoxy to hold it on, get three or so strands of resin soaked roving, stick them next to the fin, make four footballs of glass and put them on each fin two per side, more strands of roving. Thats what I did, but didn’t use enough roving last time so if your in doubt use more, I don’t think its that much of a problem but I could be wrong.
We always used regular resin and one layer of glass to tack on the fin. Tape it to both rails, leave it alone for 2 hours.
3 strands OK for fins under 5", but if it’s a single around 9", better use at least 5 strands of the rope (almost the whole rope, but unwound).
The rest is the patches, usually minimum of 3.
What about tacking the fin to the surfboard, like beforer you lay down the glass on the sides of the fins?
I read don’t use hot glue, because it weakens over time even if it looks solid now, adn to use either epoxy or poly resin that has been alowed to cure partally.
Do you have to hold the fins in place? Because last time I tried to glass-on fins, the fins always fell over when I came to check on them. I’m very confused about how you tack it so that it stays permanent.
run a piece of tape from the top of the fin down to each rail…that’ll keep it straight and stuck while the resin/glue sets.
yea I forgot about that part, remember to get good tape though because otherwise it will just come un stuck about half way through.
Your fins fall all over the place because you cannot understand what you read!!
If that is an example of your comprehension, you’d better use the Braile method of board building…make one, make all the errors, learn on your own.
Don’t worry Joely, it’s just “double d’s” time of the month. That , and ‘newbie’s’ always cop it from him …kinda like the class bully picking on the new kid [everyone else would just tell him to piss off and stop being such a rude… [fill in the word of your choice] ]
As my old philosophy professor used to say - that depends - mainly cos the hot glue will hold it in place adequately, hardens REAL fast and a thin bead is adequately strong and stiff to hold the fin in place while you lay the glass, rope and so on to it. That’s all it does. It contributes as much to the strength ( if you just use a little ) as, say, the graphic.
It’s definitely a matter of efficiency. I can hold the fin in the right alignment for the few seconds it takes for the hot glue to cool, then I can get on with doing what really holds said fin on there. The long term strength contribution of the hot glue is right around nil.
I have tried quickset epoxies ( which turn yellow with sun exposure) , tape ( works fine, but maddening at times and tricky to get just right ) and jigs ( forget it if you’re not doing production) and the hot glue has worked best for me. I can see where it’d be a problem if you used a whole lot, yeah. So, don’t, just use the minimum you need to hold the fin there while you glass.
Hot glue deteriorating over time - well, probably does. Sunlight, water, etc, will almost certainly deteriorate most kinds…and there are several kinds. 'Course, what that would do to polyester resin and urethane foam under the same conditions kinda makes that worry go away.
hope that’s of use
doc…
Joely,
I would echo what doc said and add the nice thing about hot glue in my limited experience is that it does not add any structural element. So, if you want to grind that fin off and replace it you just cut around the glass-rope/resin and pop it off. No damage to the underlining glass and foam. Sand it down. Mount the new fin. Hot glue is the easiest and quickest. mike
hot glue good
I have been using extruded foam with whatever appropriate vert, angle notched at the bottom so as to keep away from the 5 min epoxy i use to set. set it up,tape it up. Takes away most of the problems I had with the fins wanting to slip around. once the epoxy set. I use 3-5 pcs fin roving and a peice of cloth. Works well for me.
Im just at this stage with my first attempt at building a 9’2" noserider… I was going to cut a rectangle of plywood with a slot in one end that I can wedge the fin in… if you cut the wood say 120mm x 300mm and put a 50mm x 10mm (wedged to nothing) slot in one of the short ends you should be able to wedge the fin in the timber and use it like a tripod/jig because if the other end of the wood is cut square and your board is shaped with a flat tail section, or even a mild shape then it will sit at 90 degrees to the foam…
does that make any sense or should I post a pic?
ok… hang on… this wont be pretty but might help explain…
<img src=“http://img235.exs.cx/img235/4119/untitled9hy.th.jpg” border=“0” alt=“Free Image Hosting at www.ImageShack.us” />
Do you think it’ll work??
a suggestion: bevel the foam end of your jig and use maybe some good grade double-stick tape to hold it in place. Or the ubiquitous hot glue…
hope that’s of use
doc…
Why bother with a jig?
Just masking tape tip of fin to each rail, like we always did!
You still gotta look at the setup for eveness and straightness, as jigs only follow bottom of board, which can be OFF.
Start learing to use your eye, train it to see angles, rythims, and ryhmms.
Im hearin ya DD… Im a pattern and mould maker… I use my eyes to sight lines and shape things as my everyday job but the engineer in me wants it all to be exactly 100% symetrical… just part of my nature I guess… Ive got no problem with sighting and setting it but most tapes will stretch under tension and I dont want that… and a jig like this will take about 10 second to make and be usable on my next board too…
did you ever see the toyota sportivo concept car? I spent just over 16 hour making sure the lights and glass where all set 100% symetrical… AU V8 falcon super cars - I spent 4 days making sure the front air dam mould and the spoiler where perfect… XR6/8 body kit that you see driving around everyday… I spent about 4 days building jigs to get the badges is the same spot on the side skirts over and over and over again…
I think Im obsesive over this kind of thing… but it just must be right… I wont share how long I spent with a profile guage and a straith edge going over my rails… that would be a bit embarrassing…
(shrug… I need a beer…)