Quick question – I’ve always set my fin plugs/boxes with a patch of glass in the bottom a few chopped strands and then a resin/filler mix that has a natural white colour,
I was wondering if it would be possible to use pigmented resin instead of the filler mix. To avoid meltdowns I do a 2 stage pour so I could just use the coloured resin in the last stage over the top of the normal mix.
I was thinking it would look better to use black resin in this particular board instead of white but was worried this may compromise the strength
Any thoughts? any one tried this - if so what were the results.
I supose I could always paint over it instead before the gloss in the same way as a pin line?
yep, I’ve done it, milled glass and pigment. I did it with dark blue for some fin plugs and It’s still working, looks good where the FCS holes come through to the deck too. I usually put white in with milled glass for plugs and boxes.
Black pigment weakens resin LESS than white pigment, and you don’t need much to be black. Set the plugs as you described, and do a black top pour, you’ll be fine.
Black pigment weakens resin LESS than white pigment, and you don’t need much to be black. Set the plugs as you described, and do a black top pour, you’ll be fine.
White pigment definitely retards the curing of epoxy resin.
On more than one occasion I’ve put too much white pigment in the resin to set fin boxes and it NEVER fully cured hard. Still a little gummy.
If you feel the need to use white pigment, do the first resin pour clear and the second pour using resin with the slightest amount of pigment possible to get the opacity. A little pigment or tint goes a long way.
Yea, not that I am an expert or anything, or even an intermediate, on my first and only board so far I used orange resin for the fin boxes and leash plug and haven’t had any problems with it yet.(Have surfed it a decent amount)
“Black pigment weakens resin LESS than white pigment, and you don’t need much to be black. Set the plugs as you described, and do a black top pour, you’ll be fine”
I’ve said the same thing about the plugs themselves…and boxes, and leash plugs, and fins… why does it have to look ugly? You have to look at it, so why not make it pretty.
One thing to remember with colored plug installations: If the hole is a little ragged, or there is tearing under the fiberglass around the hole, a dark pigment will find those voids and make the edge look uneven. Especially with black or other dark colors.
May I add that you should be very careful centering your plugs in the holes if you’re using another color than that of the plug? Otherwise, it will be even more obvious that they’re not centered.
Thanks for the input Balsa + doug good points - as some of you may know I do cut the slots by eye with a router, a little different I know but it works for me. I’ll be using black with black plugs/box so hopefully it will come out ok, should be ding it tonight after work so I’ll let you know how it goes.
