Garage Works - 2/3/2024

This was yesterday's work in the garage.  I laminated a thick chunk of carbon fabric where my heels/knees will go, and the innegra mesh underneath 4.8 ounce carbon fiber nose to tail.

The carbon underlay is 8.9 ounce fabric - I always have concern over saturating this fabric...

Here is the result of nearly 23 ounces of epoxy pushed into the multiple laminate layers.

And the whole thing was still pretty darn light.

I'll sand the laps and make a determination of the fill coat (pigmented is the call right now).

Garage Works - 5/13/2024

I took a long nap after work today.  And there was a seabreeze so I thought the surf would be choppy.

After I got up but before I started cooking dinner, I went into the garage and got the window holes cut into Marvin's two prone foil boards.  I didn't take pictures of those, but I did it.

Then I sanded the laps on No.36 in preparation for laminating the top deck.

Here it is all sanded.

Then I wiped all the nonporous surfaces with alcohol to clear any dust and oils (MARLON).

I didn't take a picture of the underlayment (scrap carbon fiber pieces and a patch of innegra) - but I spent some time getting that arranged and laid out.

Then I got the cover sheet trimmed and the laps cut in.

I cut slots in all the layers where the footstrap inserts are - primarily to help the layers lay flatter and to give any trapped air a route to escape.

I used 15.4 ounces on the first pour (mainly focused on the underlayment/patch).  Then I mixed another 5.6 ounces to get the laps wetted out.

I went over the thicker areas to make sure nothing was floating.  I think doing the underlayment separately helps to keep the lamination from floating (too much epoxy) or from being to dry.

I used the extra epoxy to make a small batch of glass bubbles slurry which I poured into the top deck window holes on the two prone boards.  I may have had an ounce left over (nice!).

So far this lamination job came out really nice.  I got surprised on the bottom deck with some sneaky air bubbles on the rail.  For the top deck I stayed with the board while the epoxy was hardening.  I even placed saran wrap to get some of the stray fibers to stay down and used that opportunity to make sure the rest of the lamination was sitting tight.  

If everything turns out ok, the hard part is done.  With the seabreezes expected in the afternoons this week, I should actually get a lot of progress done - two fill coats on each side, sanding-sanding-sanding, vent and leash plug installations, and more sanding.

I'm contemplating painting tiger stripes on the bottom deck...

Tomorrow I'll sand the laps and get a layer of epoxy on to where the logos will go to get a smooth surface established.  If you've read this far you have seen this before - this is the home stretch!

Garage Works - 3/25/2024

I worked on No.35 this afternoon.  I started out by sanding the laps and routing out the slot for the SUP handle.

I used Gorilla Glue to get the handle set in place.

I taped up the handle slot and then placed the innegra layer.

Innegra layer up close.

I placed the carbon patch over the area where the rider's knees and feet will go and then draped over the nose to tail sheet.  I got the relief cuts made and got the epoxy mixed.  First pour was 16.5 resin + 6.6 ounces of hardener.  I needed a second pour and used 5.0 resin and 2.0 ounces of hardener.

And here it is all laminated up!

I'll sand the bottom laps and get the transome fill coat on.  Matt wants a pigmented fill coat on the top and bottom, so that will go on after the transome clear fill.  After the first fill sanding, I'll then laminate a carbon strip on the bottom that will double as a racing stripe.  That will need another laminate coat, followed by two fill coats.

And before the final fill coats I'll need to get the labels and the stickers he wants put on.  Definitely a few extra steps on this one.

With the wind coming up, it may be next week before this one is finished. 

Garage Works - 1/15/2024

And after all that, I got to make a run to Fiberglass Hawaii in town and grabbed some more carbon fiber.  I got 4 yards of the 4.8 ounce cloth (I needed slightly more than 2 yards for this laminate).

When I got back home, I sanded the laps from yesterday's lamination.

Next I placed 2 layers of the innegra weave I grabbed from Fiberglass Hawaii last Friday.  This stuff looks more appealing to layer in because it is in a loose weave.  I'm hoping to get the strength from the fibers, but not the weight that the full innegra cloth has.

Here's the description of what innegra this is.

Next I wanted to give the top deck some additional rigidity.  Since this will be a strapless wingboard (and a gen2 Foil Drive Max board), I wanted to place a spine on top also.  I used the remainder of the carbon tape that I used to place a long single spine on the bottom deck, split it and placed it where I expect my feet to be.

Before placing the nose to tail carbon sheet, I did move the carbon strips into a 'V' 

Here's the top laminate sheet prepared for epoxy placement.  You can also see the 'V' in the carbon tape.

And here is the board laminated using 21 ounces of aluzine epoxy.

This came out nice and tight.  Normally with innegra, I have to keep an eye on the epoxy as it is hardening to make sure nothing is floating.  I did that here as well, but after a little time, everything looked to be settling in nicely.

And this is the board after the top deck hardened.  It looks like the laminate got tighter to the deck.  Not sure how or why, but I'll take it!  This will serve as a strong foundation for the board!

I am debating using foot strap inserts or leash plugs to set up a top deck handle.  Once I figure that out, I'll get those installed and also get the epoxy fill where the logos will go in place so I can place the decals and let them set.

Surprisingly this build is going at a good pace.

Garage Works - 1/13/2023

What isn't pictured is some surgery to address three spots where I could feel the innegra did not sit flush to the deck/rail.  I just cut it open and shoved some epoxy into the slit, and used peel ply/saran wrap/tape to keep it down.

After that set, I thought the tail needed some additional thickness to level out the epoxy and fabric that had some wonkiness to it.  To knock out two birds with one stone, I used scrap innegra to build up the thinkness without adding more weight while also making the tail stronger.

These builds always look bad until near the finished product.

Lots of epoxy work coming up...

Garage Works - 1/12/2023

I sanded out the burrs on the nose ding Marlon got on his shortboard and filled it with epoxy.

And I got the top deck on the asymmetric laminated. 

I used saran wrap to get the innegra to stick to the rails and make that top deck to rail curve.

Garage Works - 1/11/2023

After running errands, I sanded the spots on the asymmetric prone foil board where there was excess resin built up (the middle of the mast tracks and the nose).

After getting those spots addressed, I went ahead and got the top deck laminate laid out.  Under my feet will be three layers of this innegra - a patch, a nose to tail underlayment, and a nose to tail overlap to protect the rails.

I cut the laps, so when I add the epoxy, everything should go smoothly.  I am targeting tomorrow after work to get this laminated (now I just have to pick a color).

Garage Works - 11/26/2022

I went ahead and laminated No.28 this morning.  I first mixed up a smaller batch of epoxy and poured that over the 3rd layer patches (heel placement).  While that was soaking in (to ensure saturation and contact with the blank below), I went and mixed up the big batch.  I added the pink pigment and laid it up.

Here it is post top deck lamination.

I already grinded down the burrs and the errant epoxy.  Tomorrow I'll set the mast track boxes in place, place the box reinforcement layers on and then the nose to tail cover layer of carbon fiber.  If I can get to this point tomorrow, I'm still ahead of schedule.

I'd like to get the rail tape on and the first fill coat on the top deck on Monday.

It's coming together!

Garage Works - 9/25/2022

I got some work done in the garage today.  I didn't get a picture of it, but I got the carbon sheet cut out, the mast track boxes epoxied in, carbon patches placed and the carbon bottom sheet laminated.  This was mid morning.  By the afternoon, the epoxy was nice and cured, so I sanded the burrs off and got that board ready for the carbon rail tape.

With that work done, I shifted to the other board.  This one I wanted to glass like the other recent boards.  I cut out the innegra deck sheet, placed patches in the high load areas, then placed some of the innegra/carbon I used on the top deck of the other board as heel patches.  Then I cut the lap reliefs, mixed epoxy, added the pale blue tint.

The innegra up by the nose wasn't sitting down, so I went ahead and added a layer of peel ply and got the kids to help me get it tacked down.

Also in this picture, you can see No.26 perched up across the other boards.

I guess if I had set it up prior to laminating, I could have stuffed this into a vacuum bag.  

Tonight, I'll check on how much rail tape I have (I'll need enough for these two boards and Prayot's wing board).

Tomorrow, I'll get the peel ply off, setup the bottom deck laminate, epoxy in the track boxes, and laminate the bottom deck.  

If I have enough time, I may try and get the rail tape on No.26

Garage Works - 9/24/2022

Got some work done in the garage once the afternoon heat let off.  First up was Marlon's longboard - he had some spots that needed to be touched up.

Best way to learn is to do.  Or maybe that is to watch Youtube...

Anyways - we got the fiberglass patches on and the epoxy is curing.  He'll sand and paint tomorrow - then he says he wants to try out the Turbo Tunnel fin he bought on Maui.

I went ahead and cut out the template from the blank for Prayot's wingboard.  I needed to clear the rack so I could get to the next thing...

The next thing is laminating the top deck on to #26.  For this one I decided to use the combo carbon fiber - innegra cloth that I got a while back.  I used a nose to tail patch under a full sheet that had rail wrap, then a small heel patch for my left heel.

I'm laminating it with the pro resin and I'll fill with the FGH Aluzine (I am debating about using blue sparklies in the fill coat...).

Tomorrow will be the bottom lamination on this one to include the mast tracks.  I think I'll also try to get on the top laminate on #27.  Still debating on the tint for that one... maybe half deep blue and half light blue.  Or maybe all yellow (brilliant).  Or maybe I won't laminate...

Progress on No.25

I've been slowly working on this board over the past several days.  Yesterday I got the top laminate on.  It is a full nose to tail layer of innegra over a patch that covers the areas where my feet could possibly end up, on top of smaller patches where my heels will likely go.

I used about half of the blue pigment (in the little jar) along with 28.7 ounces of epoxy.

It cured pretty quickly in the afternoon heat.

Today I got the handle installed (since it is not load bearing, I used gorilla glue (like on No.24).  Then I lined up a strip of carbon along the spine where I'll likely land, and it'll also stiffen the centerline.  I cut out the area on top of the handle, then placed a nose to tail layer of carbon.

I trimmed the excess off, and cut in the laps.  I opened up the handle area and the slots on the tracks.

I cut the lap edge short of the top deck so the rail tape can be used to clean this up.

I did not place the epoxy, because I need to sand a few rough spots down - and I don't want to be rushed.  I'll likely get the sanding done tomorrow while the sun is up - then I'll pour the epoxy in the evening once the temperature starts to fall.

That'll mean the rail tape will get epoxied on on Saturday evening.

Labels and fill coat are on Sunday - and maybe the leash plug and vent.

That'll make Monday the final fill day and Tuesday the final sanding day.

Once it's all done, I'll let it rest for a few days, so that'll make the anointment likely on for next weekend.