I wanted to offer a thank you to all of the contributors of this forum. I shaped my first longboard this week, hot coated it yesterday and will be glossing it tomorrow morning depending on humidity. I also made a redwood fin and made up a logo. This is a backyard project done under a tarp with some plastic siding to keep out the big pieces, haha. The info here is invaluable and helped me to understand what the process more clearly before I proceeded. I still made a ton of mistakes but I am happy with the outcome so far. I appreciate the time it takes to post so thanks. 9’4" X 19" X 23" X 16" X 3 1/8" US Blanks Y 9’8" Basswood center and Redwood Stringers Redwood fin Scott
Apparently I cannot reply to due to a minimal point count so I will just reply here via the editor. Thanks for the input guys I appreciate it. I want to clarify that this is my first longboard shape, I did shape a shortboard seven years ago for my son but via a total different process., I took an old 7’ 6" Russell I had and skinned it then proceeded from there all by hand, no planer or sander. I used a UV catalyst which at the time seemed a lot easier since I had a garage. You can see in the pictures I have board stands which I made up for that process and use for ding repair. I used my 9’6" Dano to create a template for this board. The shape came out good although I had a tough time not chewing up too much foam at the outside stringer area and at one point my 9’ 6" became a 9’ 4" to keep the tail width. Shaping a triple stringer is a bitch but I wanted the strength and classic look. My very first batch on the bottom lam went off early and I nearly threw the board away. I was left with a complete disaster on the lap and proceeded to make it worse by mixing another batch and trying to fix my mess and just made it worse. I ended sanding off the mess and doing a “double lap” when I glassed the deck. It took me several tries to get the resin/catalyst mix down and not until I bought a small thermometer and laser temp gauge did things turn around for me. I gloss coated the board yesterday and will begin sanding and polishing it today. Yew!
Ah, the trials and tribulations of the first boards…not that long ago for me either. I am very happy for you too and gave you a point.
I feel a need to ask about this :
My very first batch on the bottom lam went off early and I nearly threw the board away. I was left with a complete disaster on the lap and proceeded to make it worse by mixing another batch and trying to fix my mess and just made it worse. I ended sanding off the mess and doing a “double lap” when I glassed the bottom. It took me several tries to get the resin/catalyst mix down and not until I bought a small thermometer and laser temp gauge did things turn around for me.
What do consider the ‘root causes’ of the batches going off early and other experimentations? Did you follow the manufacturer’s mix chart or technical data sheet for the resin? Did you measure both the resin and catalyst accurately? Was it hot that day or working in direct sun? Operator skill level? Combination?
I’ve done every glassing mistake at least once. The key is learning what went wrong and not doing the same wrong things over again. I think step number one is ‘read and follow label directions’ for the resin (or any chemical). A good supplier would have sent you home with a mix chart highlighted for your resin and a couple extra cups and stir sticks. The techical data sheets are usually online.
Besides doing the occasional ding repair I bake. Yes bake, haha, but good bakers measure or weigh everything and I meticulously measured catalyst and when needed styrene with a syringe and always weighed resin. IMO the problem in this case was temperature and possibly humidity or you could simply say lack of experience. I was working under a tarp and had set up plastic siding to keep particulates to a minimum. The exterior air temp was 73’ but very quickly the interior temp had became very warm near 100’ and the surface temp of the board was probably close to 110-115 as measurements taken the next day under similar conditions showed. This time iI opened the plastic slightly to allow cooler air to enter and reduced catalyst based on several charts I viewed on line. As you can imagine I was moving much faster than the day before. It all went well from there, not including sand throughs done while trying to fix my ugly lap job. I managed to laminate the deck, the fin including roving, do the hot coats and gloss coats without much drama. Thanks so much for your advice as I can use plenty and appreciate the help.
Thanks for the clarification. It sounds like you have things well in hand and that you did your own research, kudos. I never would have thought to use an off-contact thermometer to read a board before glassing. For me it’s just a wall thermometer in the glassing space.
