I want to glass one of these blanks with polyester resin,old time opaque > lay up,resin pins gloss an polish.I am still trying to find a primer for > the blank.I have heard about white glue but would like something more user > friendly.What about rolling on a coat of latex primer? Why? you might > say…don’t know really just a thought and I like dead flat decks. Hey there. I had given the idea of using some form of sealant, whether paint or glue or whatever, on these blanks so that I could use the polyester resin that I already have. After a little experimentation and words from others, it turns out that you must be absolutely positive that there are NO pin holes through the sealant. Apparently just the vapor from polyester resin will cause the foam to melt. I’m just going to bite the bullet and pay the extra for Epoxy resin…besides, I like the more stable curing rate and longer working times. I did some price calculations on typical PU vs epoxy boards…when I take into account things like shipping and duty (I live in Canada), it’s actually cheaper for me to go the epoxy route. Think I’ll have to give it a go on my next board. Dee
I never try polyester resin on Styrofoam but I wonder it will melt the foam.
I never try polyester resin on Styrofoam but I wonder it will melt the > foam. dont do it with poly, it wil not work. When you use latex the board delaminates in the sun.
I tried to find this stuff through Dow and their distributors. What little > I found was verrry expensive (it worked out to be about $100 per blank > before the stringer work). Ouch! I had problems getting them as well because they’re not used around here. They told me it’s just not cold enough(huh?) so they don’t need that kind of quality for buildings. Bummer…>>> I also tried to find bouancy billets (the foam > they use to float docks), and being in FL I figured that this material > would be all over the place, it turned out to be very limited and again, > very expensive (about $95 for 8’ x 24" w x 4" thick). It is > better to get a supplier of 2lb. eps blocks. The best price I have got so > far is a block 96" long x 50" wide x 48" thick for $720. I bought 3 120x60x10cm blocks and glued them together. Cost me about $15 + $6 for the stringer. Cheapest longboard blank I could get. regards, Håvard
Has anyone tried laminating thinner styrofoam insulation panels together > to form a blank (say four layers of one inch foam)? It seems like you do > this over a form of the intended rocker (with maybe a little extra rocker > for springback), you would get a blank ready to cut the template and > shape. There would be no stringer, but production epoxy boards don’t have > stringers either. There would also be much less waste and so it would be > much cheaper. The two problems I can see are first, finding a glue that > would bond the styrofoam but would not form a hard layer that would make > shaping difficult. And second, forcing the panels tightly together when > the glue is curing (maybe vacuum bag it). I think I might try this. Any > suggestions for glue? I was thinkering with the same idea, but stranded on the glue as well. Epoxy with alot of lightweight filler might work and be shapeable, but it would be a hazzle. Also, I think the glue would add quite alot of weight to the blank. Might add strength too tho. You could always cut the glued blank in half and place a stringer if youd like. regards, Håvard
dont do it with poly, it wil not work. When you use latex the board > delaminates in the sun. What if I primed the blank with latex and let it dry real good.Then I come back and do a light color opaque polyester cut lap lay up on both sides?Seems to me as if the opaque color would block any U.V. rays and reflect heat.I am just trying to figure out how to build a board using time proven methods without the hassle of Epoxy.I am convinced that it is possible, just need to find the right primer.I also like the idea of laminating sheet foam to make blanks.As for gluing up why not use plain old white glue?I’m pretty sure that white glue is used by the Florida E.P.S. blank supplers.It is a little gummy but seems to shape ok
I was thinkering with the same idea, but stranded on the glue as well. > Epoxy with alot of lightweight filler might work and be shapeable, but it > would be a hazzle. Also, I think the glue would add quite alot of weight > to the blank. Might add strength too tho. You could always cut the glued > blank in half and place a stringer if youd like. Try 3M 77-spray adheisive. We used to use this to glue the foam blocks before we cut them out on the hot wire.
What if I primed the blank with latex and let it dry real good.Then I come > back and do a light color opaque polyester cut lap lay up on both > sides?Seems to me as if the opaque color would block any U.V. rays and > reflect heat.I am just trying to figure out how to build a board using > time proven methods without the hassle of Epoxy.I am convinced that it is > possible, just need to find the right primer.I also like the idea of > laminating sheet foam to make blanks.As for gluing up why not use plain > old white glue?I’m pretty sure that white glue is used by the Florida > E.P.S. blank supplers.It is a little gummy but seems to shape ok This is coming awfully close to the sandwich method. I used this technique for building windsurfing boards wich had to be very light/stiff and strong. I simply used polystyrene wich I shaped norrower/thinner as wanted and placed thin urethane hardfoam on top (and bottom) of these blanks.(again using a vacuum bag). You can choose whatever method you use to finish these, and when you use carbon/kevlar or dynema it wil even be bombproof. I never had any problems with delam. building this way, its just that it takes a little more time. When using paint or latex to seal the blank is risky, the smallest pinhole might ruin your work. What I don’t get is the part that just using epoxy should be a hassle, its not harder to do, you even got more time to finish your lam job ( if mixed right). I do think however that the sandwich technique is a much bigger improvement on windsurfboards as on surfboards, try a board like this when it’s a little choppy and you know why. Peter Rijk.
Has anyone tried laminating thinner styrofoam insulation panels together > to form a blank (say four layers of one inch foam)? It seems like you do > this over a form of the intended rocker (with maybe a little extra rocker > for springback), you would get a blank ready to cut the template and > shape. There would be no stringer, but production epoxy boards don’t have > stringers either. There would also be much less waste and so it would be > much cheaper. The two problems I can see are first, finding a glue that > would bond the styrofoam but would not form a hard layer that would make > shaping difficult. And second, forcing the panels tightly together when > the glue is curing (maybe vacuum bag it). I think I might try this. Any > suggestions for glue? hey jack, im still finishing this long awaited board using the idea ya mentioned. i got 2 slabs of eps, i think bout 15mm and 30mm thick each (makes up 2 3/8", and epoxied them together with a sheet of 1.5mm ply in the middle- acting as a stringer running horizontally instead of vertically. i rigged this up very amateurally using a heap of ropeto pull a flat sheet of masonite into the rocker curve, then vaccuum bagging the foam combo down onto the curved mould with vaccuum cleaners. dont need much epoxy coz its supa strong. the 35mm thick foam was bit too thick to curve nice into the nose rocker, maybe better to use 3 or 4 slabs of thinner foam. the 1.5mm ply was maybe unneccessary and a shit to shape, but a sharp block plane worked alright on it. the more layer of foam, the more glue liners and prob. more strength. vaccuum bagging is real annoying without the lavish equpiment pro’s use. but it stuck good with some springback. anyhow, i rekon its a goer but rather labour intensive until the right tools and technique is figure out. good possibiities for streength and flex, and weight too. this board i made is 5’10, a shorty but maybe just little lighter than standard PUblank + pE layup. good luck morgen