My latest project, inspired by Mike Daniels’ concept board. I dig the idea of a tapered nose and tail as a way to build flex into the board. Thanks Mike…This board is a little bigger than what I usually ride, it is for a trip to Costa Rica in march.
It is 1.5lb eps, 6’8" x 19 x 2 3/8, I have some new stuff for glassing, but I need to carry out a few experiments first. I ordered bamboo fabric from greenlight and depending on my glassing test It will be either vac bagged or infused. glassing will be later once I have all of my supplies, I’ll keep you guys posted…
hate to spoil the party, but why spoil such a beautiful looking shape…
I think with the blank density you’ve got there that not only will you have to go absolutely bananas with you laminate schedule to insure the thing doesn’t heel dent to pieces, you’re going to end up with a WAY overly flexible board, particularly in light of the severe thinning in the foil.
Most reports thus far on bamboo lams is that they’re significantly more flexible than corresponding glass lams…
Suppose you can always surf it a few times with the bamboo lam and when you reach the inevitable “too flexi” conclusion, sand that hotcoat back and wrap it in the double 4 bottom and top with a deck patch that 1.5# foam really likes.
Babmoo, hemp, whatever; I’m not sold on these cloths; particularly when applied to a less stiff foam like relatively low density EPS. Now, if you’re talking bamboo laminate, you’ve got a completely different animal…
my experience with stringerless 1.5# indicates that you still get a nice longitudinally flexi structure with the double 4 discussed above, with a bit more torsional softness than one might like. Still dents a bit at that lam schedule, but pretty durable and unless you’re using glass-ons or lokbox you’ll need high density inserts for your fin system. Anything less isn’t gonna cut the mustard, especially in a travel board. No point in wasting cargo space and dollars just to leave a busted board behind in a foreign country…
but that board looks sick and it’s exactly the kind of shape that I (@ 6’2", 190lb) would love to hit up…glass it right and love it long time…
Yeah, I was day dreaming about that spectra board, I love the shape. That fish was sick too, that is the next board if this one doesn’t explode under vacuum.
As far as the glass work goes, this board will not be glassed lightly. The last 1.5lb board I made for myself had balsa rails, no skins, 18oz on the deck and 12 on the bottom, no problems with that combo and still lighter than a very similar pu/pe I made. I won’t decide on the bamboo cloth until I have it in hand and perform some small scale tests. My goal is to determine not only technique but also lam schedule.
From the little that I have learned about the super top secret Coil formula, it is apparent that its possible to have a lot more glass than we are used to.
Now I am not a mission to copy their tech, but I do find their accomplishments noteworthy and I tend to lean towards finding ways to increase the lamination as opposed to building with a cored skin. With simple vac bag techniques I was able to increase the lam schedule considerably without the weight penalty.
I haven’t had any fin issues with Futures or O’fishl boxes in 1.5lb, they rely on the glass cap over the box for strength, I even broke a fin out riding to close to the shore not too long ago, no damage to the box. But really I would like to try the new FCS Fusion boxes on this one. Out of the fins I already own I have a set of FCS fins that would be perfect for this board. I will let you guys know how I fair getting a set of those boxes.
Now infusion? I don’t know, many on this forum tend to think it is a waist of time and money, with very little if any benefit. I intend to find out the hard way. I don’t know if the bamboo cloth is right for this, it is a flexible,knitted fabric with a loose weave. If the tests don’t convince me then I will move on to traditional fabrics, or say to hell with it and move forward, I have more foam
By the way Mike, thanks for the tips on shaping the stringerless, I should say woodless boards. I was apprehensive with shaping the unsupported nose and tail. With the balsa railed boards and stringered boards the 1.5lb eps shapes pretty standard, but the stringerless takes a little more care. I gotta say, that was one of the fastest shapes I have ever done. Not having to constantly dial in the wood saves a lot of time. What block plane???
I’m with you on all the alternatives, especially now a days. It is indeed an exciting time to be building boards. I’m in no way in it for the business, but you have got to be excited by the advances and even the relatively open-mindedness of the surfing public.
I gotta say, that was one of the fastest shapes I have ever done. Not having to constantly dial in the wood saves a lot of time. What block plane???
I agree. So far all I’ve had to do is go slower on my stringerless boards when it comes to shaping. Not to mention making a stringerless blank is a lot cheaper than buying a stringered one.
STW, If I remember correctly, I still owe you one, so I imagine we could work something out:)
As far as the board, I received my cloth and the rest of my vac bag supplies, I need to pick up some more resin before I can do any of the small scale tests.
The bamboo cloth is way different than what I envisioned. I expected something with a much looser knit, but this fabric is a very small and flexible knit. My tests will tell me if it will work with any of my ideas, if not the next board will be a fish and I’ll use it for that. I’m stoked on it, It is very unique and of course it has that pat yourself on the back feel good factor. I am worried about the weight due to saturation. Also, the cloth is very flexible so by stretching it you are altering the weight of the cloth, 6 oz. to 3.7654 oz. or something else. I like to know if I put 18 oz. on the deck or 10 oz. maybe Greenlight could chime in on this one.
Every board has a sweet spot, if it is overly flexy it might just be a board for those big chopped up days aye?
I see its a very gunny shape and a very gunny length.
It is different…but i do dig it, def want a ride report josh…
my next build will be a gun for just the conditions described. very flexy at first to see how this relates to getting a decent ride on a big bumpy wave.
