Does anyone have any tips on how to get your laps cured right if your using the sun to cure the resin rather than a light box? - I’ve tried it and they seem to pull off - major rucks.
Try an underside reflector made with aluminum foil.
Silverback, It worked for me but involved a bit of carrying the board in and out of the sun… I did it by wetting all the cloth out and tucking the laps, then walking the board outside into the sun for a few minutes to cure on the deck (or bottom), then bringing it back inside and letting it sit for a few more minutes to cure further, then flipping the board so the laps are on the top and did some final cleaning up of the laps (strings & drips pulled or pressed down, that can be done while moslty wet - the laps will start to partially cure with the indirect exposue received when exposing the deck) Then, when the laps where how I wanted them, carry the board outside again with the laps up and expose them. I left it out for longer on this side because I wanted the rails to cure fully also and it is harder to get direct sun on all parts of the rails as opposed to the deck - so the indirect light on the rails was allowed to ‘cook’ it longer. This worked well for me for a free-lapped board. if I were to be cutting the laps I would expose them to UV quickly after flipping the board then cut them while still only partially cured, then expose them again and let them harden up. hope that helps. EJ
Just a thought, hopefully not too complicated. If you regularly take your board out into the sun to cure, use lam rack with (locking) wheels (if you are in place where you can wheel it out into the sun) keep one or two of those cheap full length mirrors from Walmart handy and use them as your reflectors on either side underneath the board. If want to get really elaborate you can build a mobile rack mount the mirrors on either side below rack and set them up to rotate so that you can grab the sunlight and aim at the underside of the board from different angles. Should be able to cure both sides of the board at the same rate. I’m a shaper not a glasser so i might be off base here. Aloha, 808 shapes
Howzit Silverback, I just put the board in the sun til the deck is hard, flip it to kick the laps, pretty easy actually. Aloha, Kokua
One of the laminators at PSG has come up with this method, lam and walk it outside, dose the flats with sunlight. Bring’er back inside flip over on the racks, clean up any spash, drips or strings. Pull out the cloth for the second side, lam and repeat process, this time flip over for a complete cure.
SB- I put on some cheap plastic gloves, carry the board outside with the lam side exposed. I keep a 5 gallon plastic bucket handy that has a layer of wax paper or some clean plastic stretched over the top. I’ll lay the board on top of the bucket while the lam cures. The laps and underside are also curing with the reflected UV, just at a slower rate. After 10 min. or so you can flip the board upside down on top of the bucket and let the laps cure. Watch for wind gusts! Tom S.
A portable light rack with wheels on it. The rack is simple, but adjustable–both up and down, and the lights rotate.
I don’t remember the exact figures, but aluminum only reflects a fraction of a percent more light than flat white… I think its 96% compared to 95%. And white is more diffuse, less prone to small spots of higher concentration. just an FYI…
Howzit Jim, I find I can check the rail laps and tune up any problems while the deck is curing since the laps are out of direct sun light which gives me a few mins before any refracting UV affects them. Aloha, Kokua
Jim…Kokua.Remember Shawn Ambrose?He used to post around here.He was curing the flats and leaving the flipped under laps wet.Roll out the glass and go as normal just like jim said.I tried it one time and it looked like a real good system to me.It works really well on the first (bottom) lamination,it elimimates having to clean up the mess on the lap (no basting,sanding etc.)Where is Shawn Ambrose? R.B.
Hi Roger! Been super buildin a new shop, there’s no reason to commute if you work for yourself right?Jim was that Gary Chapman down at PSG? Sounds like he’s doing a modern version of his “Hawaiin flip”. I’ve pretty much been using the same method that cleanlines described for the last two years and except for cutlaps could’nt imagine having to trim another lap on the deck, nick some paint anyone? The only thing Ive been thinking about doing differently is adding a handheld uv light to spot cure trouble areas.maybe a facial tanner as sold on ebay, anyone try one of these? anyways it’s time to get back to drywalling, I’m really ready to get working in my new shop- trying really hard to keep my shaping room dust free- I guess that means no more sanding rush boards for the boy’s in there right! after all foam dust is’nt bad for you ,especially if your athsmatic --S.A.
Shawn…ever think about raising the floor of the shaping room and putting in a downdraft vacuum system?Probably can be done for around twenty grand or so unless Ol Herb figures out somthing else. R.B.