Just about done with my second board and my first balsa compsand. Started as a practice run with some scrap #2eps from a local shaper and before i knew it I was putting on balsa rails. Those turned out ok so decided to put the bottom and deck skins on. Forgot to adjust the rocker before I pulled vac. I learned there is no adjustments once it is under vac. So rocker is about an inch shy of what I would have wanted front and back. Made my first set of fins out of ply. Made them thick.
First skin had some issues going on. Second skin went smooth thanks to Bennys advice.
6’5" x 22 x 2.25
Thanks to all that made it possible.
Swaylocks
Bert
Greg
Benny
Daddio
Ken
and everyone else who has given so freely.
Hopefully I will learn enough to be able to return the favor
what skin issues were you having? and what was Benny’s advice? I’m about to venture into this whole sandwich thing myself…so any insights are appreciated. Thanks
I think I will wait for a few more sessions before I declare anything about the performance of the board. The lack of rocker is definitely noticeable( 2" nose 1.25 tail). The 2.25 thickness is not an issue. I am 6’3" 200lbs and it floats me well and catches waves. I do not know what I am looking for as regards to flex, but my instincts tell me a might have created a nice looking surftec ie stiff. Both top and bottom skins overlap the rails.The weight is similar to a pu maybe a little less.
balsa rails 3/16"
top and bottom skins 1/16" w/ 4oz e glass sandwich
2# eps
4oz e glass on rails
RR epoxy fast hardener
My expectations were low for my first attempt so I was not looking for the magic board. I am a very inexperience shaper and it was compounded by using a very irregular, pieced together piece of foam. I really wanted to use this as a learning experience. I had never used my vac pump (Joe woodworker) or dealt with shaping balsa and foam together.
I tried to follow Bennys checklist for doing the skins.
The bottom had some drama. I deviated from bennys list and paid for it. I wet the top and bottom glass out (first mistake). Only do one at a time. I placed the wet out glass on the blank and placed taped balsa onto blank (second mistake). I should have placed wet out glass onto balsa and then flip onto board. This will put the excess epoxy onto the balsa and not the foam and it keeps the balsa from separating once the tape is taken off. Next I tried to put wetout glass onto balsa that was not staying in place and it did not go well, epoxy was getting sticky and gooey and pulling the balsa all over the board. I managed to get the puzzle back together and I rolled the wet out glass onto a cardboard tube and got it on the best I could. I had many large air bubbles as it went into the bag. I wrapped the board with peel ply and shade cloth before putting into bag. Set it to 14hgs and pulled it out 5hours later. The vac pulled it together and spread out glass reasonably well. Not perfect but passible.
The top skin went very smoothly (used bennys checklist) with the only difference being I did not wetout glass before placing on balsa. I felt more comfortable putting the glass on the balsa and then pouring on epoxy and then using a plastic spreader to wet it out. Any excess epoxy is absorbed by the peel ply.
Super job…I’m impressed with how the board looks - you’re a brave guy going straight into this vac bagging lark…a coupla questions if I may be so bold:)
1 - How do you flip the balsa sheets onto the board after you’ve laid glass ontop of it? - Surely the sheets just fall off as you pick it up - or do I misunderstand?
2 - Did you cut the sheets perfectly to shape before you bagged the thing - or was this done kinda rough and then trimmed?
I left the cutout about 1/2" proud all around and then trim with razor knife and block plane.
The balsa has tape still on the back side when you flip to board. It is removed once it is aligned on your board properly.
If I would have known before hand that I was going to make this board a full on balsa com I would have done the bottom skin first, before I put on the rails. Benny does this before he cuts out the plan shape, but I do not think I could visualize the bottom contours without the plan shape already cut out.
I do not know if brave is the right word. I have been collecting all this stuff for over a year now so it was time to give a wirl. I think Silly’s first board was a compsand. yeah it would be nice if I had a better understanding of the shaping process but you have to start somewhere. Minus my time I think I spent about $90. Money well spent. I feel pretty comfortable taking some #1 eps and using my rocker templates to make a light strong and hopefully high performance shortboard.