Hi there, My board just need two more layers to achieve, and I would like to seek your guys advice on fin system. Here we dont have any fin system available, I have to buy it online. I dont have any experience in such installation. I m looking for a tri-fin system for my board. For a beginner purpose, your guys must have lots of idea. Thanks for your attention. Regards, Crabie
I dont have any experience in such > installation. I m looking for a tri-fin system for my board. For a > beginner purpose, your guys must have lots of idea. FCS or the possibly thesystem from southcoast foam(FCS compatible) are propably the easiest to mount without a kit. You just need the right drillbit, a way to scribe the ‘H’ to the deck and use a set of fins to hold the plugs in place while the resin sets. On the other hand if you have access to a router and some straight bits you can mount just about every finssystem in the world. Take your pick. regards, Håvard
FCS or the possibly thesystem from southcoast foam(FCS compatible) are > propably the easiest to mount without a kit. You just need the right > drillbit, a way to scribe the ‘H’ to the deck and use a set of fins to > hold the plugs in place while the resin sets.>>> On the other hand if you have access to a router and some straight bits > you can mount just about every finssystem in the world. Take your pick.>>> regards,>>> Håvard …No offense to any of the fin systems guys,but…glassons are the easiest.Herb
Thanks Harvard, That’s great, my friend bought me a set of FCS fin plugs from Aus, I can use it to fit into my board. BTW, what’s the “H” for? sorry I have no idea about that. Regards, Crabie>>> FCS or the possibly thesystem from southcoast foam(FCS compatible) are > propably the easiest to mount without a kit. You just need the right > drillbit, a way to scribe the ‘H’ to the deck and use a set of fins to > hold the plugs in place while the resin sets.>>> On the other hand if you have access to a router and some straight bits > you can mount just about every finssystem in the world. Take your pick.>>> regards,>>> Håvard
Thanks Herb, Here are the steps I think it may work, pls. correct me if I m wrong. 1) Stick the glasson fins with resin filler in the right position on a hotcoated surface. 2) Cut two layers of fabric that most closer to the fin shape. 3) Wet the fabric and stick it into both side of the fin. 4) After it cure, sand out needlessly glass. 5) Hotcoat and gloss coat the glasson. Regards, Crabie > …No offense to any of the fin systems > guys,but…glassons are the easiest.Herb
here is a link to FCS. there is a good cutaway picture that shows the plugs when installed. http://www.fincontrol.com/fins_content.asp brian>>> Thanks Harvard, That’s great, my friend bought me a set of FCS fin plugs > from Aus, I can use it to fit into my board. BTW, what’s the “H” > for? sorry I have no idea about that.>>> Regards,>>> Crabie http://www.fincontrol.com/fins_content.asp
you need fiberglass fin rope too…can you get JCs glassing 101?I think you said once that VHS is not popular in your land? correct? Anyway, you’ve got it right,but before you lam the fins with glass you put the rope down around the base of the fins first then lam.this is done all with the same batch of resin.Cook it off slower than usual so you have some time to work with. You can either buy fin rope or make it with strands of 12 or 16oz glass.In a pinch you could use any strands even 4oz…you just have to make alot. When you mount you fins use lam resin with milled fiberglass in it.Put it in a unwaxed cup and let it set for a day to allow the stryene to evaporate out so you end up with a thick goo.When you use it ,add a little extra catalyst to heat-up the bond abit.Herb
Thanks brian, Just need something to zoom in the pic, too small. Anyway thanks~… Regards, Crabie
Thanks Herb, Great helpful info~… I’ll buy JC glassing 101 later. Yesterday night I went through the archieves of those glass+on+fins, I read some post saying that hot glue gun used to glue the base of the fin then left it for glassing. I would like to seek for your advice about it. Besides, do u think 2+2 layers glassing on fin is better or 1+1 layers is enough? And Herb, actually people here still have their VHS for recording tv programs but mine is not Y2K compliant, so I just left it beside the TV. I use computer to record the TV program then burn it into vcd. Thanks for your attention. Regards, Crabie
Hi Crabie - By “2+2” do you mean 2 layers of cloth on each side of a glass-on fin? I would say don’t stop with 2 layers. Using a combination of fin rope and/or cloth patches, build up a solid base around the bottom of your fin(s) - the last thing you need is to have one tear off while punching a bottom turn on the wave of the day. I’m sure we’ve all seen MANY boards with various fin failures due to inadequate glassing. I would say try to build up a minimum 3/8" thickness right where the base of the fin meets the board. I use small strips of cloth scraps and some larger pieces that extend up the sides of the fin and on to the bottom of the board. I glass on the fins after the lamination but before hot coating. It may work but I don’t use hot glue to set the fins - I’m not sure it’s compatible with resin (poly or epoxy) and I wouldn’t want to risk a delam under the fin. It’s pretty messy and there is a lot of careful sanding involved getting it all smooth. After all that, you might reconsider boxes or plugs!
Crabie, on http://www.suncure.com/dingrepairguide.html#fcs plug repair you can find info on how to repair or install the plugs without any special tools. The really important thing IMHO when installing FCS plugs is to have a resin column to the deckside so the plug is attatched to the deck. In the install set there is an H tool that does this(or so I’m told). I just used a 4mm drillbit grinded dull to remove the foam along the outer edge of the hole all the way to the deck(be really careful). And don’t set the resin of too hot or it will leave some brown stains (dunno how this works with epoxy) regards, Håvard