How do you go about making a surfboard?

[kitesurfer]

I used a clear polyester laminating and lay-up resin.

I thought thats what you meant. In my experiences and from what ive researched into with regards to building kiteboards using carbon, polyester resin doesn't mechanically bond with carbon. When ive used it to try to make carbon fins the carbon just peels off. Obviously the resin will set and go off. You had no problems with delamination then?
Interesting.

KS

[esonscar]

^ Reply One

Carbon fins can be made - you need to layer the carbon. For example, fiberglass fins may require 40 layers or more (for fin boxes) then shape and foil .
The same for carbon fins which are going into fin boxes, just less layers.
Most retail carbon fins appear to contain just one layer, for aesthesis imho.

I have made foam core fin box carbon fiber fins (sexxxxyyyyy) that float so if you decide to move then during a session they won’t sink if you drop them !

I look on the CF as a (lighter) substitute for fiberglass, using it in a similar manner.

Kiteboards are currently vac bagged epoxy composites at the moment I think. I am considering making one as a practical experience lesson, though it seems to me once you know the layers and shape, the rest is comparatively plain sailing really.

My smallest carbon fiber board has had a pasting – being blown into railings in storm shoreline winds, max UK temp direct sunlight all day, sat on upside down as a dry bench on a wet seat, dropped into rock fall, fallen from an upright 6ft ish into a chair, banged into curbs while carrying it, banged on rocks while sitting on it in the shallows when no surf, dragged across barnacles and had a minor pasting during it’s first proper time in the water (my in the field test board).

I have spent a lot of time experimenting with resin ratios and application times along with differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon Fiber. I have tested some samples to destruction and have looked at different surface finish possibilities, so I have a reasonable non- novice understanding – yes this has cost me some bucks !

I see no delamination yet !



^ Reply Two

No.

[kitesurfer]

My smallest carbon fiber board has had a pasting – being blown into railings in storm shoreline winds, max UK temp direct sunlight all day, sat on upside down as a dry bench on a wet seat, dropped into rock fall, fallen from an upright 6ft ish into a chair, banged into curbs while carrying it, banged on rocks while sitting on it in the shallows when no surf, dragged across barnacles and had a minor pasting during it’s first proper time in the water (my in the field test board).

I have spent a lot of time experimenting with resin ratios and application times along with differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon Fiber. I have tested some samples to destruction and have looked at different surface finish possibilities, so I have a reasonable non- novice understanding – yes this has cost me some bucks !

I see no delamination yet !

And this is made using polyester resin the type used on most of the custom surfboards made in the world which dings and cracks very easily the second you drop it onto anything?

KS

[jethrodog]

How do you go about making a surfboard?

Work some extra hours at the office and get Kitey to make one for you.

[xswind]

Kiteboards are currently vac bagged epoxy composites at the moment I think..

Correct

I am considering making one as a practical experience lesson, though it seems to me once you know the layers and shape, the rest is comparatively plain sailing really.

lol, way hard to get a real professional finish.

I have spent a lot of time experimenting with resin ratios and application times along with differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon Fiber..

You mention "differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon"!!!!
I can only guess you mean how you saturate the carbon to get it to confirm to the bends?

[esonscar]

“And this is made using polyester resin the type used on most of the custom surfboards made in the world which dings and cracks very easily the second you drop it onto anything?” KS

Yes- but what on earth would possess you to drop it on anything ? besides people who don’t have the entire pop out surfboard range to hand look after theirs

If you had the custom cash I’m I could try to make you one out of matrix ceramic if you like, or wood, and there is this really soft stuff that bounces off swimmers too and it don't crack !

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“lol, way harder than you could ever imagine.” XS

noooo – I’ve seen it on YouTube

I'll have a browse and post it later
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“You mention "differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon"!!!!
I can only guess you mean how you saturate the carbon to get it to confirm to the bends?” XS

‘differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon’ is correct as you cannot “saturate the carbon” since interstitial doping is not possible.
It bends around the bends – It’s a carbon cloth that bends, around bends.

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Your bold “correct” implies you think I am talking crap elsewhere ?

What do you advocate

[gixer]

keep it nice fella's....all info is good,kind of the point of the net/forumns isnt it

[xswind]

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“You mention "differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon"!!!!
I can only guess you mean how you saturate the carbon to get it to confirm to the bends?” XS

‘differing techniques of applying the resin to the Carbon’ is correct as you cannot “saturate the carbon” since interstitial doping is not possible.
It bends around the bends – It’s a carbon cloth that bends, around bends.

Help I don't understand what you are telling me:?:
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Your bold “correct” implies you think I am talking crap elsewhere ?
oops, simple accident.

What do you advocate
I would suggest that poly is not the right option when using carbon, it is a cheapskate solution and can not be considered even a Compromise.

The best deserves the best when it is as expensive as it is.

I know epoxy is expensive when compared to poly but if you are using the best carbon, and are after the lightest and strongest board then Poly is not your friend, it is weak, does not really bond and basically is inferior

Have you thought out of the box a little?
What about using 100% black glass fibre or you can get carbon/glass hybrids to, carbon in the weave and glass as the weft.

Or you can really impress me and use some of this truely bling, bling, bling, oh hell so much bling it makes Rex on big brother look like a down and out Carbon.

So nice, so nice, nice, nice.....
Hmm Dognuts!!!!






Your boards do look very different though, have you had much interest?
Regards

[essex sucks]

your boards just look mad to me i just can't see them rideing that well get some pics of them in the water or vid would be even better.

it would be intesting to see cause at the mo i just do not see the point of them

[esonscar]

Some !

Gonna advertise at the world record attempt in South Wales.

I do intend looking at other materials - I need to make test panels of everything for load vs deflection, impulse effects, composite delamination, tensile testing, strand strengths and soooo on for differing cloths and bonding stuffs !

Technically the carbon doesn’t get saturated – the bond substance surrounds the cloth and sticks to the outside surfaces of all the fibers.

Interstitial doping is when another substance actually becomes an integral part of the whole, bonding inside the molecules of the other substance, almost changing it to something else.

[esonscar]

your boards just look mad to me i just can't see them rideing that well get some pics of them in the water or vid would be even better.

it would be intesting to see cause at the mo i just do not see the point of them

It's a bonkers little board to ride as something different from the quiver you ride all day long and do the same old stuff with.

That's it.

Something different, and difficult (?) to keep you entertained

Plus it looks awesome in the lounge and takes up no space and fits in the boot of the car or on the bus

I am looking to get some action pics but the lifeguards have been hoggin’ the beach breaks lately

It duck dives a dream, paddles well, is twitchable with you quads while laying on it and scares the crap out of the spongers when they realise it a solid carbon board coming at then and not a cushion

[kitesurfer]

“And this is made using polyester resin the type used on most of the custom surfboards made in the world which dings and cracks very easily the second you drop it onto anything?” KS


Yes- but what on earth would possess you to drop it on anything ?


“lol, way harder than you could ever imagine.” XS

noooo – I’ve seen it on YouTube

I'll have a browse and post it later
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I asked as im interested as in my experience polyeaster is brittle chips and dings easily and doesn't chemically bond with carbon.

Accidents happen all the time thats why boards get dinged, i doubt very much people do it on purpose and i was using it as an example just to make sure we were talking about exactly the same resin and not getting any crossed wires.


LOL ive seen 60ft waves riden on youtube therefore its easy.

KS

[tomcat360]

I haven't seen any of your boards, link?

[essex sucks]

its on the first page of this thread tom they look like body boards with fins

[tomcat360]

Hehe, whoops

[isaluteyou]

its on the first page of this thread tom they look like body boards with fins

They remind me of those big bully bodyboards. They are quite fun prone but couldnt imagine surfing it. Although i have on many ocations done stand up bodyboarding which is hilarious. But the whole point was just to piss around.

Different they are

[essex sucks]

haha yeah i agree with u there isaluteyou they different i will have to bring one to one of the uk meets so we can have ago

[LegendByDay]

dude that is the weirdest surf board I've ever seen.
is it a bodyboard with fins?

[esonscar]

Nope, it really is an ultra short carbon fiber surfboard .

I wanted to have a play with carbon fiber, and the shorter the board the less carbon fiber and so the cheaper the experiment !

You can also see in the link video I have changed the graphics from the orange text, to the red metallic Pocketboard text in the YT channel picture. Now that was fun (not !) .

I spent so long on it last summer (too cold for me in winter – I don’t have a working wetsuit at the moment) I badly reef rashed all my stomach, and nipples, on the deck grip!

A good laugh though.

I also paddled out on it for the world record Surfers Chain .

I haven’t mastered it yet mind you, way too tricky – but it feels awesome in the water.

My own method of determining fin angles just feels so good on this board (I’m an applied physicist by education - ex professional development engineer and am now a professional process analyst – but most importantly I’m a surfer !).
I have a long board fin in the middle and my own specially developed side fins.
Alas for me I am not used to its length so I keep putting my rear foot into the water !

This is not meant to be something easy to ride – it is meant to be a change from being able to catch and surf any wave on any board in my current quiver.

I think my next project for my own use is going to be a replica of a narrow big wave gun – I ride the poly one now – incredibly fast and furious – but I’ll do one in carbon for the shock and awe factor!

I also have some unseen ideas I would like try building into other ‘normal’ short / long boards I am going to make.

I’ll let you all know if I actually do, and how they go !