Fixing a delam

**skatingkeepsmesane** · 01-25-2007 01:15 PM

Okay, so I got a killer deal today on a 9-ply Evo. The reason I got such a good deal was that there is some delam on one of the sides. My camera sucks, so I took a pretty bad picture of it. I was looking for a few suggestions as to how to fix it. The guy at the skateshop said to get some wood glue and a few c-clamps. My idea was to fill the plys with some glue, and then screw some "rat-nuts" along the edge to reinforce. I have a whole bag of them and I seem to remember them being marketed to fix delams. Anybody do this before? Any and all suggestions are appreciated.

**nsc1120** · 01-25-2007 01:33 PM

I would eject epoxy with one of the epoxy syringes into as much of it as I could and then just used what I had to clamp it evenly throughout the whole delam, then just sand off whatever came out. but if you do this put the board on its side so the epoxy that leaks out will just drip off rather than run down the whole edge.

**chicagolongboards** · 01-25-2007 01:36 PM

Follow what nsc stated above. You might want to wrap the side in wax paper to keep the epoxy from getting all over your clamps also. Just go to the hardware store and buy some 5 minute epoxy, and make sure to mix it very thoroughly, or it won't harden.

**skatingkeepsmesane** · 01-25-2007 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by chicagolongboards

Follow what nsc stated above. You might want to wrap the side in wax paper to keep the epoxy from getting all over your clamps also. Just go to the hardware store and buy some 5 minute epoxy, and make sure to mix it very thoroughly, or it won't harden.

Thanks, sounds good.
About how long does it have to dry before I can sand off the excess?
Do you think it would still be a good idea to put the rat nuts there to make sure that it doesn't come apart again?

**mc99david** · 01-25-2007 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by skatingkeepsmesane

Thanks, sounds good.
About how long does it have to dry before I can sand off the excess?
Do you think it would still be a good idea to put the rat nuts there to make sure that it doesn't come apart again?

i did this recently with the epoxy and clamps. it took 24 hours to dry and sand and it worked great.

**Mulletsorf** · 01-25-2007 03:58 PM

Ya a 24 Hour cure would be your best bet before sanding. You dont want to rush it and have a weak bond thats just going to de-lam again. Good luck.

**nuhtowel** · 01-25-2007 05:18 PM

i remember reading somewhere to heat up the epoxy with a heat gun or someting, that way itll go deeper into the wood

**daveydynamite** · 01-26-2007 04:53 PM

Originally Posted by chicagolongboards

Follow what nsc stated above. You might want to wrap the side in wax paper to keep the epoxy from getting all over your clamps also. Just go to the hardware store and buy some 5 minute epoxy, and make sure to mix it very thoroughly, or it won't harden.

sorry could you explain this wax paper to me?

as in cooking wax paper?

dave

**dcphotos** · 01-26-2007 05:09 PM

I remember back in the day we used to fix them with wood glue and t-bolts like you mount rails with, I assume that's what you mean by rat-nuts.

**dwd** · 01-26-2007 05:11 PM

one thing i tried that might help (cant hurt ?) is after syringing in the glue but before clamping, run a strip of packing tape across the edge basically sealing it up. when you clamp it the glue cant all squirt out so presumably it goes the other way deeper into the lam. anyway so far so good.

**lettucefresh** · 01-26-2007 05:28 PM

get long-cure epoxy and and a heat gun, you're going to want to mix the epoxy extremely well in a cup or something, then with a screwdriver or a blade, you want to pry the de-lam apart while you pour epoxy into the crack. Then hit it with the heat gun to get rid of air bubbles, repeat until it looks like it has more than enough epoxy. Then clamp with c-lamps every 2 inches. No need for screw or anything.

**Cann0n** · 11-10-2009 07:48 PM

I'm bumping this because I I just got my hands on a sweet carveboard setup for 30 bucks. The guy I got it from obviously didn't love his skateboards like I do because it was apparently left outside for 6 months and de-lammed pretty hardcore. It's still sturdy because I jumped on it. It did bottom out, but it didn't crack.

I'm going to inject 30min epoxy tomorrow and fill in the missing chucks with wood filler.

I'm wondering if anyone has fixed a major delam without using screws.

**loadeddancah** · 11-10-2009 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by Cann0n

I'm bumping this because I I just got my hands on a sweet carveboard setup for 30 bucks. The guy I got it from obviously didn't love his skateboards like I do because it was apparently left outside for 6 months and de-lammed pretty hardcore. It's still sturdy because I jumped on it. It did bottom out, but it didn't crack.

I'm going to inject 30min epoxy tomorrow and fill in the missing chucks with wood filler.

I'm wondering if anyone has fixed a major delam without using screws.

in my past experiences with delams i squirted some gurilla glue between the delamed plys and put it in a vacuum press although you could clamp the board too but that seems to work nicely

**Cann0n** · 11-10-2009 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by loadeddancah

in my past experiences with delams i squirted some gurilla glue between the delamed plys and put it in a vacuum press although you could clamp the board too but that seems to work nicely

Nice. Thanks for the input. The more I get success stories, the more hope I have to restore this... I'm going to take before and after pictures. I should have tooken pics of the trucks before I took them apart and cleaned them. My jar of mineral spirits turned BLACK as night and left about 2 teaspoons of sand on the bottom.

**mini_matt** · 11-11-2009 04:34 PM

i was just thinkin wht mite be a bit better to clamp down the delam to squeze out the air thenexoxy over the hole and cary on quirting it in there while you undo the clamps (what im thinking is that it will help suck the epoxy into the gap like when u squeeze abottle and it sucks back in when u let go) then put some tape over the delam bit and clamp back down then that gap should be nice and filled!

**Cann0n** · 11-13-2009 12:53 AM

Went to my Uncle's house with my Carveboard I bought from a dude for 30 bones.

It was pretty weathered, like I stated in my previous posts.

We sanded it, spread the plies that came apart, forced epoxy down the gaps, and clamped the balls out of it.

Seems to work pretty well. The overall integrity before was still strong enough to ride without hearing creaking or cracking. It seems like the board will come out almost just as good as new. My Uncle said he'd work on it while I was up in GA visiting fam. We are gonna stain it deep orange.

I will keep the results posted in time.

EDIT: I'll post pictures of the initial delam when I get back. Only 2 came out clear. Gotta love auto focus on small, close up target!

**JackRabbit** · 04-06-2010 08:13 AM

I'm trying to fix a tiny delam (board hit a lamp post last week and made about a 1cm crack in the nose), just wondering if a glue gun will sort this out, or at least stop it getting any bigger. I don't know where to get decent glue from around so I'm hoping a glue gun will work... anyone tried one?

**neuros** · 04-06-2010 08:19 AM

No a "hot glue" gun will not work.
Go buy some 5-minute epoxy or simple wood glue. Both should be available at any hardware store, US or UK.

If you need help finding something, ask when you walk in.

**Cann0n** · 04-06-2010 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by JackRabbit

I'm trying to fix a tiny delam (board hit a lamp post last week and made about a 1cm crack in the nose), just wondering if a glue gun will sort this out, or at least stop it getting any bigger. I don't know where to get decent glue from around so I'm hoping a glue gun will work... anyone tried one?

Get 2 part epoxy from a hardware store. It comes in two tubes or a two-in-one injector looking thing. Some average cheap epoxy will run me about $5 USD.

Mix them according to the ratio on the back of the package. Normally, it's 50% resin, 50% hardener. Mix it up with a paperclip, spread the crack, get as much down in there as possible, and clamp it.

Hot Glue won't settle down into the pores of the wood. It would stop it from getting bigger, but epoxy is the way to go.

If you want some gnarly results, when you finish, sand the areas smooth. You can actually rebuild the crunched in part with epoxy. Just use some sawdust and mix epoxy with it so it makes a super filler for milling parts of wood. I don't have immediate pictures of what I have done like that, but it will provide that extra protection if it was to happen again.

**masterochicken** · 10-03-2010 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by neuros

No a "hot glue" gun will not work.
Go buy some 5-minute epoxy or simple wood glue. Both should be available at any hardware store, US or UK.

If you need help finding something, ask when you walk in.

I know this is old< but I just thought this would be worth mentioning. If your budget is tight you can actually get away with using white school glue if you clamp it. It just won't be as water resistant. Also, superglue will form a strong but brittle bond.