Saw the ad for Rusty’s disappearing stringer and I am intrigued. Anyone out there seen or worked with one of those blanks? They say that the tail area is strategically reinforced with extra glass to maintain structural integrity and enhance flex for more spring out of turns. Does anyone know if the blanks are for Rusty’s sole use or can anyone get them from Clarks? I have a shortboard planned for myself as well as an egg. I think that the ‘disappearing stringer’ idea would be an interesting addition to the revolving quiver. So I plan on the short board having that feature. I am going to cut a 6’9" for myself and if I can’t get the blank then I am going to have to cut out the stringer and glue in a strip of foam just to shamelessly copy their idea. Anyone have any comments on the best way to get rid of the stringer? My initial thought is to dremel cut through the stringer and then slice up both sides of stringer and remove wood. Then slide in a foam replacement and glue it in place. Then plane, sand and lam as ususal. Any thoughts on how far up the glass patch should go to reinforce the tail area? Thanks, Magoo
Magoo - You shouldn’t have any problem ordering a stringerless blank from Clark. It should be cheaper than one with a stringer.
Build from eps foam block and hotwire the shape - this is the most cheapest cost to build. Applying 3+2 or 4+3 glass layers to compensate the stringerless structure. Regards, Crabie
Why a stringerless blank? I sort of like a stringer. Seems to keep things nice and even on both sides. Maybe for a shaping machine. Seems to me that everything always comes back to the good ol’ basic surfboard structure. Foam(w/stringer)resin(polyester or epoxy)and fiberglass cloth. However, I do agree with evolution and innovation in the surfboard industry. Maybe you could opaque the heck out of it and bingo,no stringer. Just a thought.
… M …The blank is probably glued together with a short stringer(at least that’s what we did in the 70s for flex tails),and white colored glue.If you can’t get Clark to glue it up for you,which I doubt,you can order the blank cut,and have them supply the wood,and glue it up yourself. …In other words if you order a 7’-0" blank,the stringer will be 5’-6" or so in length,there’s no need to add foam,as it would react like a stringer. …Better yet just order the blank glued-up no wood at all.This will give you your stringer line,and flex more uniformly.Herb
I was thinking if they wouldn’t do the disappearing stringer, then a stringerless blank would be an easier and cheaper way to go and you could add your own partial length stringer. Not sure how to advise on staggering glass layers on the tail. At least a patch of a layer or two should extend up past the end of the stringer or maybe you will be vulnerable to breakage where the stringer ends?
Clark Foam will provide any client with all of their blank / density / stringer combinations. Some rockers are “private” and may not be used by other clients. There are a few options for the flex tail stringer arrangement. The best option would be to order a “wedge” stringer - thicker in the nose than tail - and specify the stringer “ends” whatever length you want from the tail of the blank. Contact Fiberglass Hawaii in Santa Cruz about ordering custom blanks from Clark Foam. It’s a simple and easy process.
I have seen what your talking about in Clark Blanks about a decade ago. The stringer is thick at the back then tapers down to paper thin at nose. It was a custom order item for some builders at the time. I have not seen it in years, which probably speaks for it self. Anthony http://www.viser.net/~anthwind/
Saw the ad for Rusty’s disappearing stringer and I am intrigued.>>> Anyone out there seen or worked with one of those blanks? They say that > the tail area is strategically reinforced with extra glass to maintain > structural integrity and enhance flex for more spring out of turns.>>> Does anyone know if the blanks are for Rusty’s sole use or can anyone get > them from Clarks? I have a shortboard planned for myself as well as an > egg. I think that the ‘disappearing stringer’ idea would be an interesting > addition to the revolving quiver. So I plan on the short board having that > feature.>>> I am going to cut a 6’9" for myself and if I can’t get the blank then > I am going to have to cut out the stringer and glue in a strip of foam > just to shamelessly copy their idea.>>> Anyone have any comments on the best way to get rid of the stringer? My > initial thought is to dremel cut through the stringer and then slice up > both sides of stringer and remove wood. Then slide in a foam replacement > and glue it in place. Then plane, sand and lam as ususal.>>> Any thoughts on how far up the glass patch should go to reinforce the tail > area?>>> Thanks,>>> Magoo It just isn
t this easy! The amount of actual "flex" necessary to be of significant use is well beyond the structural limitations of the same foam and fiberglass. Isnt it mysterious how this thread is adjacent to the thread about “recycling broken boards”? Cheers!
I was thinking if they wouldn’t do the disappearing stringer, then a > stringerless blank would be an easier and cheaper way to go and you could > add your own partial length stringer. Not sure how to advise on staggering > glass layers on the tail. At least a patch of a layer or two should extend > up past the end of the stringer or maybe you will be vulnerable to > breakage where the stringer ends? …Yeah John,but it still going to break off,eventually.Herb
…Yeah John,but it still going to break off,eventually.Herb Yes Herb, a little wedge ending right between front and back foot, a nice place to snap while landing that big floater. It happens to boards with stringers???
Yes Herb, a little wedge ending right between front and back foot, a nice > place to snap while landing that big floater. It happens to boards with > stringers??? …My bro and I saw a guy out at lowers awhile back with a stringerless blank-board.It was glassed in opague,so I asked him if it was glued or if it was a true stringerless,but I don’t think he really knew the diff.(he said it was completely stringerless).So I commented about it to Ray ,and he said,“just like you white opague D.N. SURFCRAFT”.So,I replied,yeah,and that one will snap even faster than my old fish did, too. …He was all secretive about it like it was a new concept,and wouldn’t let me look at it.My brother just laughed,and said we have built and broken our share of those stringerless jobs,no need to get all stuck-up about it,and then laughed like a crazyman afterwards.Herb
It just isn
t this easy! The amount of actual "flex" necessary > to be of significant use is well beyond the structural limitations of the > same foam and fiberglass. Isnt it mysterious how this thread is adjacent > to the thread about “recycling broken boards”?>>> Cheers! If you are going to attempt a disappearing stringer go epoxy and EPS. Epoxy can handle a greater degree of flex prior to shear. I would taper the stringer at an approximate 30 degree or less angle at the very end to provide a transistion. That way the load doesn’t have as much of a hinge point. And as was pointed out earlier a staggered lamination schedule with an decxent overlap (say 6-12" into the stringer area.
i snapped a 6’8" by 2 3/8th" a couple weeks ago in two foot surf right in back of the side fins straight across. it was held together by only the traction pad basically(trailer fin was history). did it on a tiny close out floater in shallow water. funny thing is i didn’t notice right away(!) and paddled back out and caught a nice little wedging left. totally side slid the drop, but connected the bottom and actually surfed it right in the pocket to the sand thinking to myself that the damn board has just too much tail rocker(it did actually). then i noticed the back 8" just flapping in the water. i can’t imagine those flextails lasting too long. the ones i’ve seen in shops already had some spider lines around the plugs, prob from employees and trying to flex the tail.
If you are going to attempt a disappearing stringer go epoxy and EPS. > Epoxy can handle a greater degree of flex prior to shear. I would taper > the stringer at an approximate 30 degree or less angle at the very end to > provide a transistion. That way the load doesn’t have as much of a hinge > point. And as was pointed out earlier a staggered lamination schedule with > an decxent overlap (say 6-12" into the stringer area. Hats off to Rusty for best new add gimmick of the year…very creative.I predict that they will snap easily…therefore generating more board sales.If you have the money to run expensive adds you can sell the Groms anything.It may take over the industry like the famous C5 fins.The flex tail idea is great on its own merit but this is a cheap way to try to engineer it.
Hats off to Rusty for best new add gimmick of the year…very creative.I > predict that they will snap easily…therefore generating more board > sales.If you have the money to run expensive adds you can sell the Groms > anything.It may take over the industry like the famous C5 fins.The flex > tail idea is great on its own merit but this is a cheap way to try to > engineer it. Picked up a 6 11R today and asked about the new gimmick (good call, cleanlines!) and the guy told me that he thinks that they are using that new resin that was discussed a while back. He said that the kid demonstrating the new resin actually stood on a board in the parking lot to demonstrate the strength (disclaimer – I merely report facts, not my opinions). He also told me that he believed that the 3/4 stringer is used exclusively by Rusty. I’ve been thinking about the flex and the 3/4 stringer all day prior to reading the responses (thanks guys) and have become increasingly concerned with strength, snapping, and possible methods of reinforcing the board. Does rubber hold up to resin? Maybe replacing the removed section of wood stringer with a more flexible yet durable material? Thoughts are leading me to think about Big Rig mud flaps… I guess half of the fun is thinking up new ways to skin the cat – fully comprehending that everything that I come up with was probably done in the 60’s by many folks. As for Epoxy: I’ve never worked with EPS and epoxy. Frankly, I wouldn’t know how to begin… Thank you all for the insight and comments. Magoo p.s. We got waves! M
It just isn
t this easy! The amount of actual "flex" necessary > to be of significant use is well beyond the structural limitations of the > same foam and fiberglass. Isnt it mysterious how this thread is adjacent > to the thread about “recycling broken boards”?>>> Cheers! Once I’ve had a board get “worn out”, delam, what ever, I hated it, as it had no “life”. If a board is flexing enough to feel it, it’s over soon. Why do boards break at the fin box?
Picked up a 6 11R today and asked about the new gimmick (good call, > cleanlines!) and the guy told me that he thinks that they are using that > new resin that was discussed a while back. He said that the kid > demonstrating the new resin actually stood on a board in the parking lot > to demonstrate the strength (disclaimer – I merely report facts, not my > opinions). He also told me that he believed that the 3/4 stringer is used > exclusively by Rusty.>>> I’ve been thinking about the flex and the 3/4 stringer all day prior to > reading the responses (thanks guys) and have become increasingly concerned > with strength, snapping, and possible methods of reinforcing the board. > Does rubber hold up to resin? Maybe replacing the removed section of wood > stringer with a more flexible yet durable material? Thoughts are leading > me to think about Big Rig mud flaps… Gary McNabb is using a test run of boards with the new secret weapon resin, he watched the producer drop a new sanded finsh Al Merrick from 3 feet off the ground on it rail in the parking lot, it bounced and took a licking like a manly board. NO dings, NO shatters. Channin is using a polycarbonate stringer, by its self toooooooo flexy, add wood to stiffen, the shaped blank weighs the same as a glassed board.>>> I guess half of the fun is thinking up new ways to skin the cat – fully > comprehending that everything that I come up with was probably done in the > 60’s by many folks.>>> As for Epoxy: I’ve never worked with EPS and epoxy. Frankly, I wouldn’t > know how to begin…>>> Thank you all for the insight and comments.>>> Magoo>>> p.s.>>> We got waves!>>> M
Once I’ve had a board get “worn out”, delam, what ever, I hated > it, as it had no “life”. If a board is flexing enough to feel > it, it’s over soon. Why do boards break at the fin box? When you route into a stringer and glue a stiff plastic box in you loose the flex and create a stress point…they usually snap on the front side.Offset center stringers spaced about 1 1/2 inches apart work better.By routing the box into the foam you don’t compromise the stringer flex.The wedged stringers that spread from nose to tail are also nice.Patagonia uses them a lot.
If you are going to attempt a disappearing stringer go epoxy and EPS. > Epoxy can handle a greater degree of flex prior to shear. I would taper > the stringer at an approximate 30 degree or less angle at the very end to > provide a transistion. That way the load doesn’t have as much of a hinge > point. And as was pointed out earlier a staggered lamination schedule with > an decxent overlap (say 6-12" into the stringer area. I was considering a no stringer board for my next project. Not because of flex, but because I totally f*****d up when glueing the stringer on my current EPS project. I was thinking of adding a strip of carbon fiber tap along the center of the board, since so many people argue that the main benefit of a stringer is a stiffer board. I believe it’s wrong. Think about a pipe flexing. It breaks when the compression side buckles. The stringer keeps this from happening in a surfboard. If I wanted a flexible tail I’d rather scoop away all the foam in the tail(maybe leave some along the rails) and have a ‘flat’ glassfiber structure flex instead of the tubular foam and glass structure. regards, Håvard