The Kleb's Custom Board Building Project
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Robert Netsch, Mary, and Dean Norris slaving in
Tyvek suits and respirators to remove excess epoxy from the
bottom layup.
This is a chronical of our most recent board building
experience using the classic urethane (Clark) foam method.
As far as we understand, Hobart "Hobie" Alter
developed the technique of using wood-stringered chunks of foam
with fiberglass and polyester resin to create the modern,
lightweight surfboard back in 1968. This method is still in
use today by most surfboard manufacturers (although some use
epoxy in place of the traditional polyester--which is what
we have chosen to do this time around).
Why Build?
Why not? You definitely have to like building things. Also,
along the way you will pick up an intimate knowledge of board
shaping and you'll learn techniques that will aid you in
repairing other boards. Beware, however, that you won't
necessarily save a lot of money, you may not be terribly pleased
with your first board, and that building a board is a long,
gruling, messy process. Without accounting for all the
supporting tools and equipment necessary to build a board, you'll
most likely spend a minimum of $US300 for the raw materials that
go into a board (a blank, fiberglass, epoxy, paint, inserts,
boxes, footstraps, screws, washers, pads, etc.). Considering
that you can sometimes find a decent used board for that price,
you need to ask yourself if you really want to tackle this 60 to
80 hour project just to save money.
The Steps
In summary, one typically buys a "blank" of foam that is roughly
the right size in terms of rocker profile, thickness,
length, and planform outline. This blank is then shaped,
painted, and laminated. Next the holes for the finbox, mastbox,
and the footstrap inserts are made. After installing the boxes
and inserts, more laminating is done over these areas. The whole
mess is then sanded, and the bottom receives a final coat
of resin which is polished before texturing the top deck.
Finally the box and inserts are detailed, the footstraps and
fin are installed, and then you're on the water.
Note: we also maintained a list of sources for our materials.
Related Sites
Psounis Konstantinos has
a
very brief description of his boardbuilding experience, while
Rough
Sea has a few images of their shaping process.
Anthony Boesen has recently put his massive collection of
board building links online.
Also, Sailboards Maui has
a nice online tour of their factory.
Sandwich Construction
Beginning in the late 1980's sailboard manufacturers have
gradually begun to shift toward sandwich construction. This
method of construction uses a stringerless, lighter-weight
polystrene foam core that is encased in fiber-foam-fiber
sandwich using vacuum bagging. For more information on this
type of construction see
Immo
Heino's Custom board-building page or get a copy of
Tom Sullivan's
video.
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Last modified: Wed Aug 26 07:32:18 EDT 1998
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