I posted this issue as a reply in another thread, so please excuse my redundancy. I have been working on a hollow wooden surfboard, under the guidance of Paul Jenson’s website. I have had to quit working on it for a couple of weeks, and, when I pulled it out yesterday, found that, having not yet been glassed, it has twisted a bit. Do any of you mastercraftsmen have any suggestions on getting it back into shape before I glass it? My wife thinks that this particular project has already taken up enough of my time, so starting over is not a good option…
Unglassed, I’d think two sawhorses, one braced with a towell or tapered foam, weighted or strapped with tiedowns, to untwist what is twisted, leaving it there for one week, should either over untwist or straigten it out.
Jensen is probably the go to guy to offer you the besst advice. Without knowing the root of the problem, it’s hard to know what to perscribe. I assume you’ve got a rib - skeleton system as apposed to a hollowed balsa?? Wish I knew a little more about your situation as I’m a little blind here not knowing where you’re at with this, but wood can often be coaxed back from a twisted, cupped, or bowed state using water and clamping. Actually if you had a way to steam the wood it would be even better, but let’s assume no.
Assuming you’ve got a twisted frame member, you may want to consider saturating that area with hot water. First, use some measurement system to measure how twisted it is off “true”, you’ll need this later for reference. Heat a big pan on the stove to a temp you can just handle withou burning yourself. Sponge / pour it on continuously until the wood fibers are fairly saturated (a few minutes worth of soaking), then do some form of LeeDD’s suggestion to tist it back in some form of clamp procedure and let it dry. You may want to twist it back in stages instead of all at once if there’s a chance of fractureing the frame…go by feel. It’s important to twist it back to the original straight position Plus about 5 - 10%. Reason for going beyond is that once dried it will have a tendancy to spring back some.
Let it dry thouroughly before taking the clamps off which means a few days in a fairly dry area. Once out of the clamps wait a few hours and measure again to see how close you’ve come off your previous measurement. Be patient and wait another day and measure again. If it does not move further you’re there, but it may take another bath and clamp session to tweek it.
Don’t get in a hurry, you’ve come this far so don’t rush this part and be sorry for a foiled job. Take your gal to a nice dinner and don’t let her rush you. Try to spend the time to get it right. I’ll bet you can make it work. Do strongly suggest you get Jensen’s input before proceeding, as he’s likely been there done this on one of his boards, and he’ll be more familiar as to exactly what part of your system has caused the problem.
As painful as it is to look from nose to tail and see a slight twist, I’d live with it. Same thing happended on my first hollow board, it had a twist in the nose and I didnt notice any reduced performance, probably because I’m not that good a surfer. I’m onto No.3 and just being a bit more careful during the gluing process, making sure the frames are firmly secured to a surface so that it doesnt have a chance to move and warp when I’m gluing the internal rails and skins.
I really wouldnt worry about it, rectify the situation on your next board. You’ll be so stoked surfing this board you’ll forget about it. I look at my first board and realise how far I’ve come, just with changing techniques to rectify mistakes of the past. This will happen the more hollows you build.
I haven’t had to correct a twist yet…I do all my work inside and stay on the board pretty consistently until their done…
Try one of the methods offered by others…
I can see how each could work…
I agree that over-compensating the twisted frame is a good thing…If you just go for flat, I think you’ll still have a twist…
If, after your efforts to get it straight, and it’s still twisted, just glass it…I doubt you’d ever notice the difference once you ride it…We all get way to hung up on the symmetry, and appearance of our boards…The wave doesn’t care what your board looks like…
Tell your wife she’s right…But you’re becoming more in touch of the real you as you build the board…And in the end she’ll benefit from the more complete person you’ve become…
Take her to dinner and a movie…I speak from experience…
I see many guys here have built hollow surfboards. I’m curious to see other peoples work. Do you, hollow builders, have any picture of your creations? I’d love to see them and to read a little about how you build’em. Jack.
I’ve seen Jensen’s website many times before, but I’m more interested in looking other people’s boards, those who, like me, followed the explanation’s of Paul or maybe invented their own method for building hollow boards. Jack.