Laminating with fiberglassing is HARD

[CrisVA]

No pics just yet, but I just tried laminating with fiberglass in between birch, and weight on the end trying to press a kick. A few things I learned:

1) Premeasure the hardener, and have more resin then you think you need. Don't get paranoid, and just squirt a whole bunch of hardener in a amount of resin after you run out. It doesn't work.

2) Grab some friends. Don't try to jam the still wet sandwich of wood and sticky resin into the press by yourself, especially when you neglect to wear gloves.

3)Pressing a kick takes a LOT of weight. I have around 150lbs on the 12in I left hanging out of the press, and it still didn't bend that much of a kick. Maybe a 1.5in high kick.

Oi, so I undershot the resin and it's going to take a while to harden to the point I can take it out of the press. Pics tomorrow when it dries.

Oi!

[silversurfer]

I can't wait to see the finished product.

Is this your contest entry?

[CrisVA]

If all goes well, yes. Otherwise, I have enough wood to make another full sized board and 2 minis

I am just worried about the glass hardening correctly, and the tail laminating correctly. It's out in the 34 degree garage, with less hardener then recommended. I think it will turn out fine though. It says normally it hardens in 2 hours, and I am leaving it for a good 12. before I even think about taking it out of the press. The tail is hanging out of the press and the only laminating weight on it is the 150lbs I have stacked on the tail. This way the tail is flat but the rest is concave with some camber.

It will be cool though Wide, flexy, and strong with a kick. Mainly inspired by riding Brians boards around on the outlaw cone stomping session we had.

[silversurfer]

Sounds cool man.

Post pics whether you enter it the contest or not.

I'm very interested.

[CrisVA]

Sounds cool man.

Post pics whether you enter it the contest or not.

I'm very interested.

Oh, there wll be many pics. This is the experiment board, since my friend is coming over tomorrow to do the same thing, except with my experience :P So there will be pics of 2 boards.

[Staffan]

My experiences tell me this:

Be REALLY anal when it comes to mixing resin and hardener, you want the raito between them to be exact. Be really anal about mixing it well too. Once you've started to apply the epoxy, stir around a little everytime you dip your brush.

Be sure that the temperature of your working enviroment is not off the recommended limits, and be careful about the humidity of the air (dont' build boards in the rainforest).

Before pressing, it's a good idea to put a nail in a corner of the sandwich, so that the plies doesn't slip around.

Be careful, the resin is nasty. Wear gloves, dont get epoxy on your skin, and if your resin/hardener mix starts smoking, don't inhale the fumes, take it outside and step away.

[CrisVA]

Thanks for the tips.

I undershot the hardener but it still hardened up just fine. I used too much resin, and when I pressed the board, it seeped out onto the front and back of the board. This is fine, it just means more cleanup. Better too much then too little.

It was still a wee bit tacky, but this is probably because of the 30 degree weather outside right now. I have it inside fully drying now.

[CrisVA]

Well, here are some pics of the build. The resin was a bitch to get off, and as a result of it pulling up some wood and having to sand through a veneer, I had to stain the bottom. The top will be gripped, but is still ugly.

It's SO stiff, even under my 190lbs. It rides smooth too, and silent, as I had a set of 150's and fumanchus on it earlier. It's getting lots of thane, grip, and graphics tomorrow. SHould be done by sunday.

[Bushman]

thats not ugly dude!!!! thats a dman fine effort!!!

[plummet]

a tip for mixing resin.
if you dont have the pumps that automatically mix the right amount.

go to a vet surgery and buy some realy big seringes (spelling?). that way your can exacty suck out the amount you need.

[Bushman]

a tip for mixing resin.
if you dont have the pumps that automatically mix the right amount.

go to a vet surgery and buy some realy big seringes (spelling?). that way your can exacty suck out the amount you need.

good call!!! ask for 60cc irrigation syringes

[Jax]

The concave looks very nice, as does the shape.

[CrisVA]

The concave looks very nice, as does the shape.

The shape was inspired by this:
http://www.silverfishlongboarding.co...ic.php?t=18862

The only real difference is the kick and placement of the trucks.