natural finishes

General Discussion
1

I am building a solid paulownia chambered board with a future fins 5 fin set-up so I can play with varying fin set-ups, and had a few questions on the finish.

  1. What are your thoughts on linseed oil and beeswax for a finish?

  2. Since I am not glassing the board do I still have to glass the fin boxes in on the top, or can I just epoxy them in from the bottom?

  3. What kind of “green” sealers are available to the general public?

Thanks and I am open to any and every Idea!

2

I don’t know about the finish question–I glass my wood boards, but I see no reason to glass over the top of the fin box on a solid chambered wood board. Glassing is to impart strength to a relatively weak substrate (foam). Your paulownia should be plenty strong. You can always add chopped glass to your epoxy mix, or if using boxes like probox, wrap some roving if you want some additional strength. Just make sure you leave adequate wood in the finbox area…pay attention to where you put your chambers!

 

3

Bees wax ,linseed oil finishes do not work for chamberd or hallow wood boards,regardless of what some experts say. Go ahead and do it so I can say I told you so !! Polyester resin and glass cloth on wood boards will fail in short order regardless of what the experts say. Epoxy resin and glass cloth are the best you can do. Even with that if you get water inside you will have problems ! Don't try to rediscover what boat builders have found out over the past 30 years !!

4

Thanks for the info cycloxslug!

Wood_Ogre-  

First question: So your saying there is no environmentally friendly way to finish a surfboard?

Second question: You don’t think on a chambered board that paulownia would be strong enough to avoid the glass?

Thanks

5

[quote="$1"]

First question: So your saying there is no environmentally friendly way to finish a surfboard?

[/quote]

Don't worry so much about the finish.  A board finished with epoxy and fiberglass will last longer which is the biggest enviromental factor in my book. 

If you really want to be environmentally friendly in your build process then you will...

1) Build your own wooden fins and make your own fin boxes,

2) Grow your own trees instead of buying lumber that was shipped to you from half way around the world, and

3) Use a hollow (or hallow) frame build method instead of chambering to minimize wasting wood resources.

 

Q: Guess who has done all of this?

A: Wood_Ogre

6

Swied- 

You do raise a strong point when it comes to a long lasting durable finish being eco-friendly. 

  1. I do plan on making my own fins very soon.

  2. I have my own paulownia trees

3.I was kinda thinking that the hallow boards strength was all in the glass, and not wanting to use glass i thought a chambered board would have more integrity.

WOW Wood_Ogre is a buisy man!

7

BTW:  I made a chambered balsa board that didn't use any fiberglass.  I created a mortise for the fin and secured it with PVA wood glue.  I finished the surface with five or six coats of marine spar varnish.  It's been five years and the original finish is still going strong.  There are no knee dents either.

Here are some pictures of if.

 

 

8

there is a guy on Sways that is doing no outer fiberglass on compsands if I remember correctly…

EDIT: check this link to Marke’s work: http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/show-us-bars-soap-you-have-created-your-laboardatory-post-your-mini-simmons-pics

9

Thanks for all the info everyone! This was very helpful.

10

I’m growing paulownia in my backyard to do this same thing. I thought that the best reason for no glass, is that you could take it back in the bay and refine the shape if you wanted.