Here are some pics of our first composite attempt. The build is 1# EPS with H80 rails, stringerless, with 3mm A500 corecell composite decking (4 under, 4/4patch over; 4/4 bottom). I didn’t get a chance to weigh it, but I’m guessing under 4.5 lbs. It’s light. Even for a fat boy floater. This is the first in my quest this year to build my same 6’2" Wizard in all “31 flavors”. Ok, here’s what went wrong. I vacced the corecell too early, with not quite enough rail turned so that when I did turn the rail I went through into the 1# just a little bit. Instead of hiding my mistake I drew all attention to it with some pinline work. Here’s the proof…
So my good friends at FCS hooked me up and stuck her in their Surf Exbro booth for me. It was the first time I had a board at the show. Usually I take an hour to look at new stuff, and beg for a tee shirt or two. By that time I’m disgusted with “the industry” and I go home. This time I wanted to show the new stuff a little. I even felt brave enough to try and shape one at the show. This first pic my wife took. I have some cool blanks in the truck to show off, all my tools are neatly packed up, I’m feeling confident. Then I got to the show and they actually had a spot for me to sneak in and shape one. I was sooooo nervous. I could hardly plug the tools in my hands were shaking so bad. I was so nervous about going into the next guy’s time slot, I think I busted her out in 45 minutes!! Not that many people really stopped to check it. Well I don’t think, I tried not to pick my head up. At one point I was rushing around and my tee caught the nose and snapped off a 1/2". I looked up real quick, and it just happened to be that everybody was talking and not really looking at me so I fixed it really quick and finished up. All in all it was super fun and I hope to get the opportunity again one day. Right now I’m just jonesing to get my board back…
Thanks Craftee. Yeah, love Local’s Surf Shop! Those guys rule. Got some fun surf down there over Christmas, can’t wait to come back down. Should be there next weekend or shortly after:) I know 4/4 bottom is light for a stock lam. I’ve always lammed my boards SO light. I’m 190 lbs and never break boards, ever. I used to lam my blue boards with 4oz bottom, 4 oz deck and they’d last me forever. Give that to one of my friends and it’s done in a week. I don’t get it really! I mean, I’m not boosting or anything but I’ll do a sick kick out once in a while:)
the thing they did wrong (or right) at the expo with regards to the shaping trailer was that they put it across from the girls that were wearing next to nothing…I didn’t even notice you were shaping a board until about 20 minutes in to it. I heard a lot of people asking about your blanks and what you could do. I hope you get some business from those people.
If its any consolation, the Firewires that I’ve seen have that gap as well. Between the wooden rail and deck there’s this white line that could be the core. Looks good btw.
That looks friggin great. I love the shape (I’m partial to hippy swallows- they turn great but bite as well). What are the dims? I’m a skinny boy but that still looks like what I’d ride. Pins looks great too. Are the colors the colors of the materials? Anyways, great work.
Weren’t you the one doing work with texalanium? How’d those hold up?
Thanks Benny!! We’re fired up too. There’s always a better way to do it out there! \
Thanks lillibel03 This board’s 6’2" x 11 1/2" x 19" x 14 3/8" x 2 1/4". Pretty much my standard shape. I’m 5’7" x 190 lbs. I do wish I woulda put a concave deck on. Yeah, we did some texalium, I’m selling that rediculous roll of 10 oz. It looks cool for sure, and at the expo there were a bunch of boards with tex. But we’re over it. I like the corecell board much better, def. cooler tech. Oh yeah, that dull yellow is the corecell naked. It’s not that bad looking.
What’s up Oneula! There’s more volume in the tail like a typical high performance stick. I am striving to get even more swing weight out of the nose, but that’s down the line. The divinycell is actually only 3/4" before I turn it. I’ve been doing a good amount with 1/8" basswood stringers next to the 3/4" dcell. I think those are super strong, maybe too stiff. Next we want to get the corecell A400 or the 4lb dcell with the bass stringers. But I do think these stringerless with the dcell rails is a nice build. I’ll have to prove these to myself. I can’t wait to get this board wet!!
If its any consolation, the Firewires that I’ve seen have that gap as well. Between the wooden rail and deck there’s this white line that could be the core. Looks good btw.
That means the load from the surfer has to go to the top skin, then to the core, then to the bottom skin, then to the rails…
You don’t get a true I-beam unless the skin is fused to the rails top and bottom…
You could even cut a relief into the rail for the skin to sit in…should let you keep strength and go lighter…
Actually there’s no white gap on the FWs…its sanded CC.
I read your last two posts Drew…I gotta confess, at least two Floridians, way ahead.
Btw, I like the CC color…dont really understand the “white-or-nothing” attitude…its like every ones brains are pre-programmed…another nagative side affect from the Clark monopoly?
That’s a pretty stick there Craftee. Is that bamboo veneer? That’s next on our plate. Check out northwestbamboo.com they have sick deals on bamboo veneers. I can’t wait to see the organic married with the tech. Got some 2oz. hemp and 2 oz. carbon to play with too. I got a PM from a friend about the spring back with the 1# compared to the 2#. I believe that to be true, too. My helper had the most basic realization on that. He noted that when he piled our 2# scrap into the dumpster and jumped on it, it all cracked and buckled. BUT when he jumped on the same load of 1# nothing cracked, it just springs. May be something to that???
nice continuity in aesthetics between the small wave board and the big wave board, despite the differences in construction and material.
kinda like wearing a red wetsuit so that all your buddies know you’re in the water by looking from the beach, regardless of conditions, without actually having to resort to wearing a bright red wetsuit…
Drewtang, you must have walked right by me on the way into expo. Friday? I’m pretty sure I saw you and your board. Wish I had known to stop you and talk. And later, you were shaping as I walked by, after talking to Sam. I wanted to ask about the blue rails. Is that divinacel? In blue? Sweet little blank standing up outside the shaping booth. Needed a brick on it to keep it from floating away.
BTW much impressed with your boards and tech. thanks for sharing.
