does anyone here have any suggestions for shaping/glassing in a small apartment? i dont have a room i can devote to shaping boards, but i do have a large/long space in my front room that i could fit a board. i was thinking of making racks and then putting eye screws through the ceiling so i could hang a drop cloth to prevent foam from getting all over everything. only problem i see with that is lighting. then glassing is my next issue. glassing indoors isn’t really an option because the smell of resin isn’t really what i want lingering around the house. then glassing outside sounded good, but i am worried about wind and stuff. thoughts, ideas?
also, where are some good places in Santa Barbara for shaping/glassing supplies?
Well shaping a surfboard means , dust, mess more dust and a lot more mess. I wouldn´t shape in your apartment cause you´ll never get it clean again. all these small dust particles get into the smallest holes etc. do yourself a favor and search for another place
Shaping in an apartment? No way, unless you had a spare room dedicated to shaping and you were VERY religious about dust collection and cleanup. Glassing - generally, no problem. Shaping/sanding - big problem! IMO and YMMV.
When I was landbased in the Navy I shaped a board in my cabin/room. It was months till I passed my first inspection again I just could not get rid of the dust. Glassing was not too much of a problem just the smell, a few of my mates complained about the smell but as far as I know they are all still living.
if you’re only planning on doing the occasional board every now and then, you might want to look into the cost of getting an air conditioned storage unit capable of accomodating your needs. it’s nice and cool, and you can get it all junked up without caring. get it for 1 month…do a board or 2…and you’re set. that is of course if it’s feasible. i’ve seen some that cost $40/month, and i’ve seen others that cost $150+/month…shop around.
I shaped a board in my spare bedroom at my house. I used EPS and Epoxy. NO smell and since I have hardwood floors simply jamming a towel under the door to keep dust out from the rest of the house and taking the shop vac to the room when I was done worked great. I just put some very heavy ply on the ground to protect the floors.
I am currently shaping a few boards in my apartment here in LA. My wife is out of town so I don’t have to worry about getting in anyone’s way. I put up plastic sheets to box in my dinning area (its only 8’ x 8’). The boards are about a 8’6” so they fit if I put them diagonal. Like the others said, even with the plastic sheets, some dust will escape.
I plan on glassing at a friend’s house. I am using poly so I won’t be trying that inside.
thanks for the replies guys. i think what i may have decided to do is shape outside in a buddies backyard a la morning of the earth. and probably glass outside first. its a pretty crummy neighborhood so we will see how bad the dust is noticeable.
you can get some tarps…wet the ground down outside and duct tape the tarps or drop cloths to the porch, then weight the drop cloths down on the bottom with some sandbags or weights. Do you poly work then lift the weights to get out. Then replace the weight to keep the seal…should work fine.
You could also try renting a storage unit for a week, alot of them have power outlets in them. Just make sure you clean it out as much as you can to keep your bond.
Bug Power has the right idea. String some wire, clothesline style. Home Depot tarps come in assorted sizes, the correct dark blue color, and have circle grommet rings for stringing them on the clothes line above. Create a room / bay by hanging the tarps like shower curtains in the size and config you want. Works great, cheap, portable, outside, on a deck, drive, or lawn. enjoy the ride!