1.) When doing a resin tint job, what is the easiest way to ensure even color across the whole board. I know to mix double the amount (1 for top and one for bottom), but I mean when you’re actually spreading the resin on the board…I seem to get real light “lines” or “stripes” every so often. When that happens, is it better to add a little more resin and try to even it out that way, or to use the squegee to go over the darker areas and try to even it out THAT way…? Thanks.
2.) My cut laps are looking better and better. How long do you wait for your lam coat to cure before actually cutting the laps with a razor?
3.) When cutting the lams with a razor, I seem to cut into the foam a bit, is that ok? Doesn’t that cut let resin seep in and give you a “messy” lap line?
4.) After the bottom lam is done, laps cut, and after the deck lam is done with the glass wrapping around the rails to the bottom (which is taped off about 2" from the rails) and you’re ready to cut the laps on the bottom, do you just try and be real careful and cut through the “newest” layer of glass, meaning the deck lam that is wrapping around to the bottom, or is it ok if you cut through that layer AND the dry bottom lam layer…Whew, sorry if that was confusing but I don’t know how else to puit it. Thanks again for all your help. My first Real board should look killer after all this practicing…
complete and uniform impregnation of the glass by the resin is what gives a colored resin job with no splotches and it takes MUCHO practice. A long sqeequee helps a lot (you can cover all the area from the stringer to the rail on 1 pass to clean it up after everything has been wetted out).
its not how much time(because that depends on the weather, how you catylise, etc) but how hard the resin is. Wait untill you are completely sure that flipping over the board and putting the fresh lamination on the racks will not cause any problems. Better to wait too long than not long enough. Ideally, the best time is when it is soft enough to cut easily, but hard enough to stay put on the foam. When you cut, the blade will become tacky, but you do not want it to be gooey (if that happens, you have not waited long enough - stick it in the sun or by a heater). If the rail laps are too hard to cut, buzz the lap right at the tape line with a grinder, then it will peel up and cut off like butter.
when you peel up the tape, cut ‘relief’ slits in the tape/lap every foot or so so you can bend the tape/lap line completely over itself. Then slide the corner of your razor in the crease so the end you are holding it with is almost touching the curve of the rail. Clean cut while keeping the blade off the foam.
same as #3 - just use the corner of the blade and angle it so you dont cut into the bottom lam. The blade can touch the bottom lam and make some scratches - it wont matter because the hotcoat will cover those. Just make sure not to really cut into that bottom lam or your board will come apart.
Dont be too hard on yourself for your first board - it will not be a cooperfish, but you will have done it and your next one will be even better.
Ah, c’mon now, don’t rain on my parade! At least I can “hope”, right? The better I make my first, the better the rest will be. Oh, and how did you know what I was going after? I love my Coop more than any board I’ve ever owned (9’6" Nose Devil). Here’s a pic of my board…
Nice looking board Ten Toes…the shoes look pretty proffessional,another 2 inches of resin on em and you will be good to go.Grasshopper really nailed it in his description,nice job.The only thing I can think to add is on the squeegee.Use a long one like Grasshopper said. It helps to round off the corners a bit so you have less problem with the lines.
That’s my board, but that’s not me…That’s either the glasser or Gene Cooper, I’m not sure. But that’s the kind of glass job I want to work towards in the future on all my boards. Simple, clean, resin tint, single color… Here’s a pic of me RIDING the board though…
for those lighter lines…inspect your squeegee. if it has some rough spots or any sharp sharp edges they can cause those on resin tints. keeping it nice and even is all about being smooth with the squeegee. same pressure over the whole board and watch for puddling in concaves. Austin S
haha thanks tenover. i think resin tints are the coolest. Good luck. one good hint, wear two pairs of latex gloves and have a couple squeegees. Austin S.
I find I need to sand my squeegees about every 10 glass jobs, by running them accross sandpaper all the way to 320 for a clean face, then work on the corners to insure smooth release.
But tints and the glassing is not the problem, it’s the blank. Blank has to be really clean, sanded to 180 100%, no scratches, no divots, no bubbles, no planer marks, no flaws. If the blank is perfect, the tint will be close…unless you choose a dark color.
I set depth of single edge razor by my grip.
On the second cut lap, it’s easier to pull the tape AS you cut, insuring clean cuts and a cut with good depth control.
I’ve been surfing since '66 and still have yet to go 10 over.
Hey LeeDD you are a Grom.I started surfing in 63.About the Squeegeeeee.I assume you are using a rubber one(Thalco).If you keep them in a sealed jar of acetone they will last forever.If you don’t they tend to dry out and get stiff.
I just found this old post (mine) in the archives…Laminating still tends to be my achilles heel! First off, I think I’m kicking my resin too fast, as it seems to start gelling in about 10 minutes. Second, after you pour the resin on, do you guys tend to pour iton, then just work it in with light pressure all around the “middle” of the board, then pour extra around the rail area to wet the laps? I think it was Kokua who said he does the rail area firs and wets out the laps, THEN gos toward the center…?? Thanks. Just about ready to start my first longboard and I want to get all my ducks in a row…
