What is surfboard foam?

[Dec]

Urgh! I have been searching and searching, because I can't buy blanks here, for some surfboard foam.

I really don't know exactly what I am searching for though. I've looked at some sites and they say that it's EPS, some say just high density foam (doesn't specify what type..grr), and others have mentioned divinycell.

Kitey, Tomcat, Deathfrog..whoever...help!

[Dec]

ooh...i've just foud polyurethane. Ring anybells?

[Jimi]

Traditional boards are made from polyurethane foam (it's an isocyanate curing foam containing Toluene among other things).

It was invented in the 60s by Clark (of clark blanks) and Hobie (same name as the surf catamarans). Shortly after it's development, it replaced Balsa as the favoured material for shaping.

There are new types of foam out there, but if you want to buy a blank, you're looking for closed cell polyurethane foam.

Typically you'd use polyester resin and fibreglass woven roving to coat your blank, to give a "typical" surfboard.

If you are in an area where exotic materials are available, you can use epoxy resin instead of polyester, to give a stronger, stiffer and more durable shell, while keeping the weight the same as in a polyester lay up.

Finally, in my pipedreams, i'd love to make a composite board, using a normal blank, but instead of using fibreglass woven roving, I'd try a shell of carbon fibre (the workmanship is almost identical for carbon fibre as for fibreglass) using epoxy resin.

[FishKid Wales]

Im sure black and white made a (or still make) a carbon fibre (with kevlar woven in) board.

[Jimi]

I really don't know exactly what I am searching for though. I've looked at some sites and they say that it's EPS, some say just high density foam (doesn't specify what type..grr), and others have mentioned divinycell.

divinycell is a boatbuilding foam, and I assume it would be as good as or better than polyurethane. EPS is used in some temperature insulation roles, and in some surfboards, and gives much better flex properties than polyurethane.

You may also come across Klegecell (maybe) They make a bunch of foams for boatbuilding similar to divinycell.

All of these are more costly to produce than polyurethane foam, but might be cheaper if you can't get polyurethane. The boatbuilding-type foams are designed not to flex greatly and are easy to sand into shape.

I don't know about EPS for sanding.

[Jimi]

Im sure black and white made a (or still make) a carbon fibre (with kevlar woven in) board.

do you know if it was any good?

[northswell]

Hi Dec, When i shaped my own board I got all the stuff i needed from here. They have agents in South Africa and US

http://www.homeblown.co.uk/

[Dec]

shame they won't ship to thailand?!

I am hoping that when some relatives come over from australia they will bring some.

I am fairly short in cash because of buisness and ____head partners, so i can't afford a ton to ship it and stuff.

[northswell]

Maybe not but on the site it tells you about the composistion of the foam that they use so you'll know what your hunting for.

[tomcat360]

Traditionally, they used polyurethane foam (exactly like jman said), but lots of people are doing EPS now, which is attainable pretty much anywhere.

But I didn't really like shaping EPS, it's really chunky.

[goatboy]

I know Seabase ship worldwide and they use US Blanks surfboard foam http://www.seabase.eu/products/cat/Blanks/ - this is what I have in my bookmarks for them. They used to sell Clark Foam when that was going. So far I've had a good service for overseas shipping and the surfboard blanks have always held up well so I'd rate the US Blanks foam - its good stuff.

[kitesurfer]

This has to be a record! Someone resurrecting a 3 year old thread!

KS

[naniekso]

i dont mean to spam, but i heard some surfers talking the other day and went to check it out.

try http://www.usblanks.com

and here is a guide im reading right now acctually. http://www.usblanks.com/pdf/US.Blanks.P ... y.2009.pdf

i'm looking to make one myself someday lol.

[Roy Stewart]

Traditional boards are made from polyurethane foam (it's an isocyanate curing foam containing Toluene among other things).

Traditional boards are made from wood.

.

[esonscar]

Traditional boards are made from polyurethane foam (it's an isocyanate curing foam containing Toluene among other things).

Traditional boards are made from wood.

.

I agree Roy - but what made then moisture proof ? ..... ( I am ill uninformed !)

[ edits for grammer - in a one liner - dang ! ]

[esonscar]

Traditional boards are made from polyurethane foam (it's an isocyanate curing foam containing Toluene among other things).

Traditional boards are made from wood.

.

I agree Roy - but what made them moisture proof ? ..... ( I am ill informed !)

[ edits for grammer - in a one liner - dang ! ]

[ another edit - 'ill' replaced the 'un'. This is such a bad reply - I am ashamed !! OMG !! ].

[Real Pol]

You're brining the site down from its usual high-brow stature Esonscar!
Hang your head, hang your head.