Building a 5ft 2" Hydro Simmons - EPS core , Paulownia skins.

This is the whole process of building an EPS core board that I have designed in AKU so that I know the volume of the board and that what I end up with is accurate and true. I design the board and then design a blank file to suit each design and board.  From this I get the VH grade EPS blank hot wired out of block foam. This the outline of the board minus the thickness of the intended wooden rail laminates. Depending on the board that is between 10mm - 20mm of rail. The blank is made thicker to give the machine operator plenty to work with.

 

 The hot wired blanks is ready to have the first rail band templated ready to cut out and glue onto the blank.

The 3mm Paulownia strips are glued on with polyurethane foaming glue and high quality masking tape.

 All ready to go off the be profiled on the AKU machine.

 The AKU machine operator is given the blank with the first rail band on. The file I give him to cut with has the combined thickness of the top and bottom skins deducted from the design. And due to the cutting file being wider than the blank the machine cuts the rail band and foils it to the foil of the board design all  at once. So when I get it back there is very little to do to it . After profiling , I set up a level bench and screw down blocks to fit the natural rocker of the board design to cradle it on the table. The middle or there abouts of the board is flat on the table top.

A centre line on the blank and the table help line everything up and keep it true and square.

 

The 4mm deck and 3mm bottom skins are marked out and cut about 5mm oversize. Glue is spread onto the EPS blank with a squeegee and a mist of water is sprayed onto the skins prior to positioning them on the blank with masking tape.

 The blank with the skin attached top and bottom are loaded into the .7mm PVC bag and located on the blocks I set up earlier to hold the rocker.Once everything is lined up , I tape the bag closed with masking tape and start the pump.

As the air is sucked out of the bag I push down on the centre of the board to hold it against the table and the blocks under the board. This holds the rocker and with all the contact surface area , nothing is going anywhere.The shade cloth allows the the air to be taken out without the bag sucking onto itself.

 

After 2 hours in the bag under pressure the glue has gone off. Now it is a matter of cleaning up the edges and excess top and bottom skins that over hang the rail bands. Now the EPS core is encapsulated in wood and sealed.

 Glue a couple of 5mm rail bands down each side and mark out the double diamond but crack.

 Get the Japanese saw in there and cut out the shape.

 Clean it up if you have to with a rub of sandpaper and glue the laminates on

 Then laminate the last of 3 x 5mm strips down the rails each side.

You will be amazed at the holding power of good quality masking tape. It just conforms to all shapes and angles like no clamp can. Or not that I have ever found.

 All looks a bit rough and ready in the raw state with glue dags and all.

 Nose laminates are all added as well.

 Get the freshly sharpened hand plane out, load up the board with a weight and get into cleaning this lot up.

 Get all those glue dags and excess wood honed down to the foil of the board

 It helps to have a nice good quality hand plane and know how to sharpen it. Add some wax to the sole of the plane and she will cut through this Paulownia like butter and slide over the surface like a beauty.

Now you get to see that outcome.

You can end up with a few shavings in no time at all.

Mark out the centre line and fin placement. I get someone else who has a jig to route out the install the fin boxes for me. 

When you get your fin boxes routed in , it is best to put a clear coat of resinaround the edges to seal the raw wood before setting the boxes with the black tinted epoxy.As the black epoxy will bleed down the grain of the timber and not look the best. Something you learn the hard way.Same with the leash plug as well. It is interesting to note that with experimenting with this process even with the VH ( very hard ) grade EPS the epoxy will bleed through the beads and connect with the deck skin giving a good bond for the boxes. If you use lighter grades of EPS you might want to consider a heavier grade of foam as an insert to put the boxes in.

 Well "Mo" has put the fin boxes in and I have hired his shaping bay to start shaping the rails. The 15kg weight is great for holding things in place while I get a start on things.

 I have found good quality and sharp tools is the answer to getting the job done without a lot of stress.

 The lights help big time with getting an even flow to your efforts. They cast shadows and allow you to see your progress as you blend. You need to plan ahead take it easy as you really get one shot at it.

Steady as you go.

 I find that 80 grit emery cloth which is a fabric backed metal workers sand paper is strong flexible and tough enough not to tear and break down. You can get a good grip on it and pull it across the planer lines to smooth and blend your rails very easily. Very handy and very simple.

 You can then go back to a lot lighter sand paper and go through the grades up to 240grit to smooth it right up to a great finish.

 Round things off up at the nose and blend all the curves looking at them from all sorts of angles. The lights help here as well.

 Just the but crack to deal with. I use a fine Japanese saw to cut a line and curve that I intend to work to in the middle and then use a rasp and sand paper to clean it up and blend all together.

I have a small orbital sander to fine sand the surface lightly as the sheets came well sanded and true.

Lots of hand sanding to fine tune the finish. If you have any knots or small gaps you can fill them with a putty made from fine Paulownia dust from your sander and polyurethane glue. Sand it off and it will just about disappear.

I use a rubber stamp and a good quality solvent ink to brand my boards which seems to work fine. You can get a branding iron logo made for some serious bucks. But it would depend on your logo as to the suitability for this. Fine type would just burn out literally.

Looking good and nice and smooth finish all round.

These are the tools I use to build a board.

A small orbital sander with a range of sandpaper

A small sanding block.

80 and 120 grit Emery cloth for sanding the rails is a great help.

You will need a good mask as this fine dust will get into everything.

I have a small hand plan and a really small hand plane , both really sharp.

Get yourself a Veritas honing guide and water stones for sharpening your tools.

I have a spoke shave for tight curves , concaves.

A Japanese pull saw, very handy.

I use Fix it Mate polyurethane glue which I fine great for what I do. A bottle goes a long way.

You will need some cheap plastic spreaders. These ones are great the glue won't stick to it.

A small spray bottle is handy to mist water onto you timber before clamping as the glue is moisture activated.

Good quality masking tape is important as it has the right amount of stickiness and strength in the paper backing. Experiment, you will be amazed at the hold you can get with it and all the angles to do the job right. Lesser quality will let go or snap when the glue foams and expands , just when you have left the workshop. You don't need the surprises for the cost of a few dollars.

The odd spring clamp is handy.

I also have a small band saw which is very useful. I get all my Paulownia supplied dressed , thicknessed and glued up in sheets as I need. It all means you don't need to invest in expensive machines that will get little use.

I also have the vacuum pump and a PVC bag for it. You could share the cost with a mate.

The Lanolin I use is the General Purpose lanolin from Lanotec. Lanolin in the natural wareproof grease extracted from sheep's wool. It is all natural and about as environmental as you could get if that is what you are after. It will waterproof and nourish timber, stop it from drying out. The added advantage is when it hits salt water it becomes stickier than any wax you have used. Yet when it dries out it is touch dry again. It last a fair old while between coats.

Just brush it on and let it soak in. You will know when it is saturated as it will not dry out and leaves a film on the surface.

Turn it over and do the other side.

Just sit it out in the sun and let it soak in before laying up another coat.

5ft 2" x 21" x 2 1/2" - 36 litres

surfboardsbygrantnewby.blogspot.com.au

Full size plans available from Grain now.

"You’ve asked for them. For all you home builders that would rather start from scratch then a box, you can now buy any of the shapes we offer as a kit as full-size paper plans. Paper plans include all frames and keel, templates and instructions to help you through the process. This is the least expensive way to buy a Grain shape, and if you don’t mind some extra work, it’s a great way to see the process from start to finish. Fall is here, clean out that basement and get started."
Click HERE to link up and find out more.
Grain have a great range of boards and this will be a great way to get started on your first board. You will also need to understand their building method so scan around their site for more details.

Byron Bay Surf Festival a great weekend to be a part of.

BYRON BAY SURF FESTIVAL

 2013 October 25 -27th

The festival is blossoming to its byronesque best, flowering a newly renovated program that's stacked, packed and budding with cool. The three-day event is a unique intersection between surf, art, music, film and the local Byron Bay community lifestyle. The festival kicks off with a free Friday night film premiere under the stars, followed by the Saturday all-day gypsy surf art market/ pop up tipi precinct, colorful Sunday surfing events and demos at Wategos beach and film, music, party and panel events scheduled each evening. Creative film is a strong feature this year with two major film premieres; Bella Vita featuring Chris Del Moro and Unchartered waters featuring Wayne Lynch, and the surf shorts film comps comprising of local and international entries. Patagonia surfer Keith Malloy will be introducing The Plight of the Torpedo People bodysurfing presentation at the community center, alongside the loggin’ panel with Belinda Baggs and a controversial live dissertation on ‘the state of the art of surfing’ by Derek Hynd. Up on Main beach, bear witness to Surf Yoga sessions, Helidrone demos and handplane/skateboard/bellyboard workshops amongst an art and photography show saturated with unconventional art pieces, live music, surfboard shaper exhibits, vintage motor delights, gourmet food and surf literature stalls with book launches where you can gaze, mingle, read, obtain, listen, dance, eat or just chill. Corona hands out $1000 cash prize money on Sunday at Wategos beach Party Wave Invitational (open to all) alongside Malloy’s body surf jazz, style based contests, tandem exhibition and what was last years most applauded event, the Surf Swap Meet. On top of all this comes a stellar lineup of music, headlined by Wolf & Cub’s new album release at the Beach Hotel, after parties with The Delta Riggs and tons of magical acoustic market musicians. Keep an eye on new announcements and go feast on the program now @ www.byronbaysurffestival.com/program/

Prono Paradiso - come slide a few at the Alley

 

The ancient Polynesians recognised differing forms of riding waves...from lying on small boards, to standing on 16 foot Olo boards, to surfing with nothing more than ones own body! One common thread linked all these diverse forms of surfing...the Ancients were all STOKED!

Today, there are small pockets of folks who embrace these modes of surfing, not because they can't rip on a modern board, but because it's great fun! Diversity is a fantastic laugh!

Prono Paradiso aims to bring together all types of people who like wave riding on their bellies, and folk who think they might like to have a go. Even if you've never tried surfing, you're bound to enjoy the diversity of wave riding found at Prono Paradiso!

Grab your surfcraft and fins -- or just bring your wettie or budgie-smugglers -- and enjoy the party-wave at Prono Paradiso!!!

Wooden surfboard day slideshow 2013

A little show put together by Craig Cater to share with you.

The Italian Green Burrito - Cuttlebone 4

Valerio sent me some shots of his latest project to share...

" Hi Dude, this is my last creation from mini simmons green-burrito Italy,YOU LIKE IT?
THIS MODEL NAME IS "CUTTLEBONE 4" and it's a restyle of a hybrid outline, mixed with a mini simmons tail and a performer board."

" I have bring it with a new system of reinforcement in the middle of balsa square empty space and so result more strong for big and faster maneuver."

 THIS IS A 5'1 21"1/2 2"5/8 QUAD PLY WOOD.

"I have just tested it and I'm very happy for the result, it's fast and good turn, easy take off, funny very funny and ... eco green.

Thanks for all , Valerio G."

Patagonia Burleigh and Dovetail Surfboards get together for a DIY handplane clinic

"A beautiful Saturday afternoon, clear skies and absolutely no waves within a 3 hour drive. Fortunately, The crew at Patagonia Burleigh Heads we were getting woody. Our group was stoked to be creating and reinventing the handplane with Geoff Moase at Dovetail Surfboards HQ.

 This was our follow up DIY to last year’s piapo day, again with Dovetail. Because of continued interest from customers and friends, we wanted to get a bigger class and spend some time in the workshop. That coupled with an organic sizzle and a few cold ones, our second wood event went wonderfully.

After general housekeeping info, (and showing off his quiver of wood boards) Geoff took us through the step by step’s. Everyone had a pretty good understanding of what they wanted to do. Channel bottoms, hydro foil bottoms, bat and moon tails, sharp swallows. WOW!! The imagination was intense and we could tell, this was about to get fun. A group of 18 was larger than expected, and the work stations were chock a block of sandpaper, pencils, clamps and jig’s. When the tools fired up you could hardly hear what your mate next to you was going on about, but you just couldn’t stop smiling.
When we got lunch going, most of the guys had finished their channels, jigged out outlines, and were getting into the sanders. Grant and I did a walk around to get people around the food table, lunch was ready. But they were so stoked and just wanted to keep at it. I peered over at Geoff and he was wiping sweat from his brow from running between tables and assisting where he could, Geoff was in his total element helping people out. Luckily their stomachs won out and we broke for a 20 minute feed and chat. It was great to see a group that were all very happy to participate and join in.
Nearing the end of the day, everyone had completed their rails , hand inserts and straps, and finish sanding. Some dyed their planes and Ruben, oh Ruben, he took the blow torch to his. It turned out sick! We slowly gathered around, had a quick debrief, special thanks to Geoff for his time and help, and shared stories of recent travels and fun. Another great day with great people. Thanks for your support of Patagonia Burleigh Heads and looking forward to doing this DIY thing again!"

The Wooden Budda's 9’1” Foam Core Mal

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Torsten Kofler (a.k.a. Wood Buddha) has been at it again. This year’s Wooden Board Day got him all fired up and he’s made a start on his latest woody.

The board is a foam core 9’1” mal loosely based on an old PU board he’s had for a few years now.

“It’s an old favourite. It’s had a hard life, and it’s time to retire it to the pool room and replace it with a woody” He explained.

The new board is constructed using plantation grown paulownia laminated over an EPS core. It will have solid laminated rails and finished with either lanolin or an epoxy hot coat.

Part 1 of the board build is available :   thewoodbuddha.blogspot.com.au

I am sure you will find it very entertaining and very informative . He has designed the board in AKU and had it cut from EPS and then takes you step by step through the whole process as only he can.

The Italian wooden Vangard

 I have just been sent these from Simone Sivieri in Italy. "5’3" x 18” 2 1/2" mono concave to double, eps core, 3 mm paulownia skin, no fiber, resin hotcoat, home made cork pad, 5 fin with Mckee  M5 Formula… so at the end a Tomo shape, your construction, and Mckee fin position, nothing from my mind J but as I told you I’m not a shaper. I built even other 3 mini simmons for 3 friends but I have no pictures.
By the way boards looks solid like my old HWS I built, but weight less, and seems very strong!"

Great looking board

Grain Surfboards Teams Up with Patagonia Cardiff

Since Grain Surfboards' successful Kickstarter project in spring of 2013, they have been dialing in a plan for a new west coast mobile classroom so that they can share the process of building wooden surfboards with even more people. With the new rig in the fabrication process they will be mobile soon.

The staff at Grain Surfboards is now focused on joining forces with other like-minded businesses and individuals to bring their board building experience to destinations up and down the west coast.

Grain is proud to announce a collaboration with Patagonia Surf in Cardiff California. Two instructors from Grains headquarters in Maine will be travelling west to teach a 4-day class right behind Patagonia’s Cardiff location. Not only that, but Patagonia ambassador and pro surfer Keith Malloy will be joining the class and will build his own board alongside the students.

The class begins Friday October 18th and runs through Monday October 21st and each student builds their own board and takes it home with them at the end of the class.

Grain has always admired Patagonia for its practices, values and overall approach to the world we live in and is so proud to have one of their first mobile classes held at the Cardiff location.

Registration is open now and is filling quickly, please visit Grain's class site for more information and to sign up.  The class is open to a total of 6 students.