Seems more and more are going to PU cores with epoxy glassing for bigger wave boards for the bombproof durability and reasonable weight.
Anybody on Sway’s been having good results with this?
If so, what epoxy glassing schedule do you reccomend?
cheers
There has been a lot of talk on this subject on here. Search the archives for more info.
I do PU/Epoxy all the time. I’d say 80% or more of the time. It has worked well for me, but below I describe when you SHOULD NOT do it.
I use S-Glass almost exclusively. You can also do a search on here for the comparisons between S and E glass using both PE and Epoxy. I make a lot of wakesurfers as I’m landlocked in Washington state. In the boat and dock environment, you have to build them as durable as possible. So Epoxy and S glass it is. The wakesurfers, and everything up to about 6’6" get 4 oz on the bottom and (2) 4 oz. on the top. Anything bigger I start upping the schedule.
One of the major drawbacks to PU/Epoxy is it tends to delam in the heat. I’m in Washington - not super hot. I made a bunch of boards for my brother who lived on the Oregon coast. This construction was never an issue. Then he went and moved to Cabo. As soon as the boards sat in the sun too long or in a hot car, the foam started to suck away from the glass. Lame. I know others on here have seen the same thing.
So if you’re in a cooler climate or can make sure your board will never get too hot, it’s a great application. In my mind, it’s the best foam to shape, and the best resin to work with - a win-win.
I’ve been doing this for awhile on all my boards. The glassing schedule I’m using right now (on the bigger boards) is 6+4+4 deck (or 6+4 plus 4 oz. deck panel), 6+4 bottom plus 4 oz. fin panel. The board below IIRC was 10’ 5", I don’t recall the finished weight, but it was much lighter than a comparable board that was glassed with polyester resin (in the pic of the two boards side by side, mine is on the right, the poly board is the left).
I’m just finishing an 8 footer, same schedule, haven’t weighed it yet but probably end up around 12 lbs.
Haven’t had any delam issues in the california sun, but IMO its always a good idea to avoid extreme heat as much as possible.
A glassing schedule depends on what you are looking to get out of it. Yes “S” is wonderful for strength if you are willing to pay for it. Otherwise any standard schedule say; 6 bottom x 6/4 deck or 6/6 deck is going to be stronger Than Poly if Epoxy Resin is used. You can use lighter foams such as the new Arctic “orange” with a standard glass shop schedule and Epoxy Resin and get a stromger glass job than if Poly were used. Just common knowledge that the PU Foam and Epoxy are stronger than PU and Poly no matter what the schedule. Ask Murdy. Or does he do Epoxy?? Don’t know. But the meaning being ; Ask your glasser .
Pretty impressed with the new Epoxy resin that I saw being used at the Boardroom show last weekend. Manufactured by Rev-Chem. Super easy to use, with no additive and very clear. People on this site were bitchin’ about glassers etc. not getting credit; Pure-Glass must have glassed twenty blanks right there at the show. Looked good. Lowel
I’m a backyard builder. I shape and glass 5 Stingray Surfboards per year. I also do repair work and glass about 5 surfboards per year for other people. I’m 100% epoxy on complete glass jobs.
What is “bomb proof” and what is a good weight ? You have to work that out. I would call Huck’s glass schedule heavy…But I don’t surf big waves.
A standard Stingray Surfboard has a 6 ounce bottom and a 6x4 deck…and gloss. Compared to a …Lost board my boards are very heavy.
I just finished glassing a 9 foot gun for a friend. Shaped by Resinhead…I was worried that the gloss coat made the board too heavy…friend says it’s perfect, lighter than he expected !
S cloth with epoxy is good, go slow because it takes more time to wet out the S cloth.
Poly vs EPS …well, poly is easy to shape…EPS takes on water…poly gets soft on he deck…it’s a trade off…
Stingray
…and…core matters…I am with the school that belives that a heavy core or dense core is better…but many want a light core with a light glass job… I don’t bust air…
Oh yeah…one more thing…So you want a 6x4 glass job…OK…wrap the rail with the 4oz or the 6 oz ???..it matters…do you get it?
This is very good advice. When I switched from E-glass to S-Glass, I learned this hard way. Rails getting bubbles or not fully saturated is ugly. Go slow to avoid getting the resin all churned up with bubbles, and don’t wrap the rails until full wetout. Wait, what was this thread about?
McDing,
Did you get any other info on this resin while you were there? I just googled the stuff, and it appears it’s early enough in development that they don’t have much info on their website. I’m completely happy with Resin Research to date, but always interested in ways to make a good thing better.
I like the rev chem epoxy too. Never had any issues with it. Nice easy wet out, no fish eyes, no need to add surfacing agent, never turned solid in the jug. Mike