WoodFins with FCS tabs

General Discussion
1

I was checking out the homemade fins thread and got inspired. I’d read that wood tabs can be weak at the base and prone to snapping. I found a pile of examples of woodfins with fcs tabs (below):

I’m interested in tips on how to make wood fins to fit fcs set-up (e.g how many layers of glass, wood selection, anything that might be helpful. I want to experiment with fins under 4" and you can’t readily buy them, so making wood ones could work.

Thanks

Bob

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/490875#comment-490875

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/490403#comment-490403

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/465255#comment-465255

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/472634#comment-472634

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/469780#comment-469780

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/465378#comment-465378

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/452856#comment-452856

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/404117#comment-404117

http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/404121#comment-404121

 

2

hi Bob !

 

  …the few that I have made , I foiled very thin , and added HEAPS of layers of fibreglass …  at least 20 , in my case , to make the tabs strong …

 

  I hope this helps ?

 

  cheers

 

  ben

3

Hello Ben,

 

Thanks. How many layerrs each side are you calling heaps? Are you using 4 oz glass?

 

Bob

4

the 20 layers would generally be two layers inside edge , 18 layers outside edge .

 

usually whatever glass offcuts the resident board factory let me have . 6oz I prefer , personally , though …

 

I usually put down [brush on] a layer of resin to seal the wood , before putting on the first two layers of cloth. [ Nowadays , I lay up two layers of cloth at a time , to try to prevent dry spots , and air bubbles. ]

 

  cheers

 

  ben

5

Hello Ben,

Thanks again.

Do you try to squeeze as much resin out as possible when you lay down the two  layers?  I just realised that I probably didn’t capture the correct message #'s for the wood fins, but think this is one: http://www.swaylocks.com/comment/490875#comment-490875. Would you use a sharp stanley blade to cut out each fin.

I’ll go through the homemade fin thread again and see if I can find wood only fins…

Regards

Bob