RE: Leash cup and Finbox install Questions

General Discussion
1

I know that I should search, I have I’ve looked all over, found varying answers, etc.

I am working on #001. New to all of this so it’s a learning process.

Making a 5’10" Fish primarily for river boarding…

Most likely using 2-6oz cloth on top and bottom for strength, as rock dings are common.

I have fin boxes and a leash cup to install, I’ve read varying things about install.

Fin Boxes

  1. Install fin boxes before lamination and tape off and grind out cloth before hotcoat, then continue to tape off fin boxes for subsequent coats.

  2. Install fin boxes after lamination by cutting through fiberglass with a router or a hacksaw blade.

Which is easier/better ? How hard it will be to cut through the lamination with say a hacksaw ? or to drill a couple holes to get the hole started and then use a hacksaw blade ?

I have access to a router and a power sander, however not sure about making a template as I probably won’t be doing many boards. So I am looking for the opinion of someone who’s done a board “garage” style and those who have done it every which way.

Leash Cup

I have read to do this at the very end after the gloss coat by drilling a hole, dropping in with resin and thats it ?

Or should I be doing this differently.

Thank you in advance.

2

Howzit Afrodeziak, First off you don’t mention what fin system you are going to install, different systems = different installation processes. Next as for the leash cup, install it after the hot coat not after the gloss. Aloha,Kokua

3

Welcome to the world of surfboard building.

On the boxes, it depends on which system you’re using. Some are designed to be installed

as part of the lamination, so you route the install holes in the blank pre-glassing. Most systems ,

however, are made to be installed after the hotcoat before you sand the board.

Leash cups are almost always installed after the hotcoat also. Just tape over the cup opening

for the install (and the gloss). Some cups and boxes come capped so you sand them open, you

don’t have to mask these until the gloss.

Have fun!

Mike

4

I am using “Futures Fin’s” with the solid base area.

5

Futures are designed to be installed in the lam, so you route the shaped blank. It is possible to do it freehand,

but it’s better to make or purchase (or borrow) a jig. Practice on scrap foam first either way.

Mike

6

If this is the case, how difficult can I expect it to be to sand the area of the finbox down until I hit plastic ? Is a power sander a must, or could it be done by hand ? Keep in mind it’s my first board, first time laying glass, etc, therefore I really don’t know how quick it is to sand through layers of fiberglass…

cheers for all the help guys.

just got back in from the shop, working on the rails of my board… proving to be more difficult than I figured… slow and steady wins the race here :wink:

7

I can’t imagine sanding a box flush by hand, but it probably could be done. You said you have access

to a power sander, I’d use it. A hard disc is what the pros use to take down boxes and cups, then you

finish with the medium pad that you sand the rest of the flats with. Just go easy and take a little at a time

as you learn. Also on the Futures, you don’t want to sand all the way to the plastic, the bottom glass

overlaps the box right to the fin channel by design.

Mike

8

Howzit Afrodeziak, Hand sanding a box will take forever so ise a grinder. The thing to remember is only do a couple of passes then let the box cool down before doing more passes. If the box gets to hot while grinding it will delam from the install mixture around it. The material that fin boxes are made of isn’t really compatable with resin. This is noticable when cutting the tape over the slot. You can actually see the fiberglass on the outside of the cut delam from the box, this is one reason I never cap boxes or even FCS plugs.Aloha,Kokua

9

I believe I understand the answers to all my questions, thank you for the help all.

I tried to make a router template for my fin boxes last night, quick and easy traces and then cuts to wood with a jigsaw.

Measured the depth and perfect (mess) haha , then realized my router bit was cutting through the template as well. Looks as though I need a different bit with a roller or something… I wonder if I could just use a skateboard bearing or something ?

Anyone made a makeshfit router template ?

Most of what I’ve read on here goes along the lines of "buy the kit. However this could potentially be the one and only surfboard I ever make, for a while, that is.

10 
Howzit Afrodeziak, I have made a few fin box jigs in my time. Let me take a picture of one I still have and the Lokbox one I have also. They are set up differently, one uses the base plate edge running inside raised edges and the other (Lokbox) has a collar that runs inside a template slightly bigger than the box. Give me a couple of hrs to get it together and I'll post them.Aloha,Kokua
11

If you have access to a bunch of router bits, you could probably do the futures in a ‘‘makeshift’’ way.

Use a bit that’s exactly the width of the flange route (the shallow lip of the box), tape a fence in position,

put some stops on the ends, and route the flange. Then change bits to one that’s exactly the width of the

channel and route it. You’ll have to do some simple math to position the fence(s) properly, the old 1/2 the

baseplate diamater minus 1/2 the bit diamater,etc.

There’s a reason most of what you’ve read here says buy the kit. The proper tools make any job easier, and

yield more accurate results.

Mike

12

Hey Afro. My #1 was a 5:10 fish and definately garage style. I decided there was enough to learn in one go and opted for homemade glass-on keels. I figured if they snapped off I could replace them, but the weedy buggers are still there!

#2 was a single and I cut the box hole after lamming with a stanly knife and a taped off hacksaw blade for the stringer.

Cutting holes always seems the scary bit but steady as she goes and you’ll be fine. There’s enough experience here to guide you through anything.