so i'm thinking about doing my glassing myself... can anyone let me know what i'm getting myself into? list of tools, equipment, and proper area needed maybe? really any info would be GREAT.
Good for you! There's tons of info here in the archives (past posts), and lots of very qualified glassers too. I've only glassed 4 boards and 8 fins, so I'm a bigtime newbie. Only reason I felt qualified to say anything is that, like you're about to do, I just went for it. After I built my first board, I thought seriously about paying a professional glasser. After watching me struggle and struggle with my first glass job, my wife said, Why don't you just pay a professional to do that for you?
Thing is, I just really wanted to learn the whole process, start to finish. I'm not a great glasser by a long shot, but I'm here to tell you it can be done.
Its not the easiest thing to learn, not even close. But with some research, and some patience, and tenacity and determination, and a willingness to accept that goofups will occur along the way, you can glass your own boards and do a passable job. You will get better with time. Tools? Mixing cups, mixing sticks, squeegees, disposable brushes, scissors, razor blades, sandpaper (lots and lots of sandpaper!). And a dust-free environment! (as dust-free as possible, anyway!)
I have a lot to learn about glassing, but I don't regret getting started down this path.
I guess its only fair to add: its not for everyone - it can be messy and frustrating, and some people develop allergies to the materials required. And you might find there are some good and fast glassers in your area, that could get your board back to you quicker than the guys you've been using.
I've only done a few, but i prefer to glass than shape ( me+planers = bad news ). In a weird way, possibly sadistic, i prefer glassing hehe. Prep right, it'll go ok. My glass jobs are far from good, but they aren't too bad. Finish the step properly before moving to the next, best advice IMHO.
UV resin is great, but standard resin ( poly ) isn't too bad.
I was just looking at my last board the other day, and realised it actually wasn;t that bad a job. Not pro by a long shot, but shit, good enough for sure.
After this post, im sure i'll completely f&ck up the next one hahaha.
4oz wraps better than 6.
DONT put the resin container on the ground, you'll kick it over for sure!
You MUST put something on the shed/bay floor. I didn't think it'd stick to concrete, but i just spent hours chiselling it off my shed floor. That shit EXPLODES!!.
Do a dry run in your head 3 or 4 times before doing it, and have ALL tools ready to go, close at hand before starting.
Dont sweat small fold overs on the rail, you can sand them flat later.
Use more resin than the pro's do. I use another HALF the amount they suggest. Better to waste a bit than ruin the lam for the sake of a few hundred mls of resin.
Don't stress about imperfections, when you surf it the first time you'll be so f*cken stoked to be surfing your home made board you won't care
Yes to everything they said.
If you possibly can ,get someone experienced to show you what they do , or at least let you watch them glass a board or two,fly on the wall style.For my first two boards I was lucky to have the help of an ex pro and it’s invaluable.
My third ,I did on my own and narrowly avoided disaster - the fourth went a bit better so I’m getting a little confidence now.It’s really satisfying getting a new skill in your repertoire.
Be very mindful of temperature and catalyst ratio - my resin kicked too fast and it was almost my downfall.
Hey Andre The Giant,
There a bunch of us in San Diego that are glassing all the time. If you want to come down and watch or do the lamination you would be welcome anytime.
Beyond that. It's not that hard..just follow the steps and work fast.
one more thing:
real men glass ther own surfamabords
Nothing says looser better than shaping a nice shape then pulling short by letting some pro glass it. It's like flying to Hawaii........driving up to Sunset beach...it's a pefect 4-6 ft, no wind, no one out..and saying, "gee I don't know, it looks it's got a little too much west in it..and the water is a bit cold..maybe I'll pass"
You only live once..glassing isn't that scary........it not like were Saving Lives or anything here.
you haven’t had your coffee yet this morning, have you?
Glassing is great! I glassed for a hop before I got to shape. I still think glassing is way underated and just as hard as shaping or harder.
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you haven't had your coffee yet this morning, have you?
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What are you talking about....I just got in from glassing 6 boards, fitting and glassing a new armored flack jacket for my dog (new technique in Seal flushing..I will expand later when patented)... skinning 2 seals for pelts, rebuilding a short block 327.....and making pancakes for my family.
Resinhead
you crack me up
how much you want for one of them seal pelts?
do you have any stuffed seal heads? that would make a great dart board
Yes ,, I hate seals too, had one try to jump in a little skiff iI rented with my kid, beat the abomination with my fishin pole ,,I did!!!
Classic Resinhead! Hope you don;t mind if I quote you for my sig line!
I sent you an email for a glasser who doesnt shift onesey’s twoseys to the back of the line, at least not very often and your board will get done within 3 weeks at the latest if hes’ super loaded, and closer to two weeks and less on avg.
Well I shape my own boards to avoid the non-custom ‘custom’. Like a bad haircut its something to be avoided.
Dont really have bad exp. with glassers at least not often enough to want to do it myself. That all being said, its a good thing
to glass a board or two to gain that experience. I glassed my own in the beginning. Dont want to do that again! My income grew
out of it.
What are you getting into? What is there to avoid?
Scratchy clothes and beds, frequent showering, not sure if your bed is scratchy or not, and washing/changing the linens again.
Glass on fins, and getting your hands and palms totally covered in resin. Of coure, alot of these things can be avoided.
But its all a part of the first-timers exp. before you evolve into patterns habits and hazmat items to avoid these problems.
No thanks, not anymore for me, like maids, dining out and roofers, some people prefer to pay for these things if you can afford it.
Jay, that would be a surfer’s wet dream… Sunset beach…it’s a pefect 4-6 ft, no wind, no one out. I don’t think that ever happens anymore.
Plus, the money you save doing it yourself will pay for another blank, some glass, and more resin. Mike
Bud I'd be honored if you used that quote.
Sharkman...........I had a friend from New Jersey a few years back use that one on me at Sunset. Earlier that same day we were at Mokuleia across from Daystar..surfing perfect 6 ft, no wind to Kona winds..right in front of the state park. Jersey sat in the channel all morning. When it came time to paddle in, he fought the rip for no less than 40 minutes and maybe more like 1 hr. His rotorcuffs were shot for the rest of the trip....what a waste.
Loaf........what size pelt do you need, and about the dart board I have a nice Bull Seal Elephant head you can use...big target for when you're drinking too much. Just aim for that big dick nose thing.
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so i'm thinking about doing my glassing myself... can anyone let me know what i'm getting myself into? list of tools, equipment, and proper area needed maybe? really any info would be GREAT.
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"tired of paying a glasser and WAITING so long...."
How much did you pay , how long did you wait? Did you make a business deal with a delivery date? Did the shop meet the date?
..... or go with the standard 4-6 weeks.........
You can get a pro to glass your board in one week. You just have to find the right shop.
I glass my own.....it takes a long time.......well worth the wait...........
just do it.
stay up late a couple nites
an ride the board befo da gloss
color the board at little extra cost
if you are really gonna
make a surfboard and tell
bystanders that you made it
glass it too , don’t outsource
the glass job.
Yes you can glass,if anybody asks
we said so.wait till the wind
is blowing where nobody will
complain
about the smell…
…ambrose…
Proly no one here can say they were’nt intimidated before they’re first glass job.
I love glassing.
Hate sanding (mostly).
Of course, if I was a better glasser I would’nt have to sand so much.