Disclosure; This is my first build other than a chambered wood short board that is Stiiiillllllll in progress. I was given a ~ 5’6" short board with a bad glass job and a significant twist down the long axis. I’ve removed to old shell, straightened it out, cut the new plan-shape, foiled the rocker, and just have to finish sand before art work and all that follows. My questions to you (for now): 1) I’m considering a sun cure resin. I’d like to do it outside, but live in the farmlands so plowed fields and winds will need to be taken into consideration. Once the resin kicks, how long before I can bring it back inside? 2) Doing cut laps. Is there any adverse effect from using blue painters tape to mask?
I’ve collected images along the way and will post at a later date. Much mahalo to all.
Sun Cure or UV Poly resin is nothing more than Polyester Laminating resin with UV powder added. It can be kicked in the sunlight or by using artificial light. UV Resin can also be used with MEK catalyst. You cannot laminate in UV light. The lay up is done inside and then the Blank is walked outside into sunlight or put in a UV box. It is not advisable to do cut laps with UV resin. The board can be brought back inside as soon as the laminate has hardened.
Images from the process immediately following removal of fiberglass through rough shaping. The channels were placed where the divots from the glassed in fins were.
OK, well that looks like a project - coming along nicely. Is it still 5-6? Seems like a little thing, you gonna be able to ride it, or is it for a grom? Gonna be a tough glassing project with those channels. Keep the pics a coming!
Hi Huck; It’s for the grands. I lopped off the swallow tail and accidentally broke the nose at the get go of roughing it in. Dims are 5’0" x 13 x 18.5 x 15. Thinking of a twinzer or fall back onto a tri set up.
I’m installing FCS boxes soon and their site tutorial calls for cabosil with resin when installing fin boxes. Cabosil is simply powdered silica and I take it to be analogous in function to aggregate found in concrete mix. If that is the case, wouldn’t finely chopped fiberglass cloth (think coffee grinder) serve as well? Best to all.
Lost track of what was going on here. But to answer your question; it is easier to time time your cutlaps with catalyzed resin. I’m not saying a cutlap cannot be done. But I am saying; only for the experienced. If you attempt a cut lap in UV resin; I don’ t want to hear about it when it gets screwed up. You will most likely have permanent masking tape under your lap.
jrandy; Per the video tutorial, Cabosil is a thickener, but also serves to add strength to the glassed in box since it will be subjected to forces that the board won’t?? If indeed these are the only concerns, then wouldn’t finely chopped cloth serve the same purpose?
McDing; I bow to your knowledge and experience, but would like some more detail if possible. My understanding is that UV resin allows more time to work the saturated cloth. At least until it is exposed to a UV source. Once it kicks, it would be the same time frame as a MEKP processing??? Are you advising me as a first timer not to do cutlaps at all or just not with UV resin until I have more experience?
You will have no problems with UV resin and a freelap. Cure time with UV is based on exsposure to UV light. Cutlaps are obviously easier with catalyzed resin. I don’t understand where I am failing to be clear.
UV resins cure rapidly, like within 30-60 seconds when exposed to direct and intense sunlight. If you expose them to indirect sunlight it takes longer.
Just as an example, when I was laminating in my garage I had to close the doors because the indirect light coming in would start kicking the resin before I could finish laying it down. ('cause I’m slow). Even the light leaking in under the closed garage door would reflect up from the concrete floor and into my lam and start kicking my laps. Not enough to actually kick them before I could tack them to my blank but enough to notice.
UV is no joke. I would expose only the deck to the direct sun just long enough to get it to barely harden and the laps would already be at the B-stage due to the indirect exposure reflecting off the ground. Then I’d take the board out and give it another couple minutes on each side to finish it off.
Supposedly, UV cure resins cure to within 95% of all the curing they’re going to do at their initial exposure. You don’t have to wait a month for your glass job to “completely” cure as you do with MEKP catalyzed resins. Some here say that UV resins are more brittle because of how instantly they cure. Maybe so, but I never had that problem with the VE resins I used.
I set my boxes last night and sadly did not mask off the area. The resin is a lam resin, so tacky and a brownish finish. It’s not thick, maybe a few mm above the surface of the foam. Can I carefully sand to remove it? Or??? Thanks for your remediation/responses in advance.
