Thanks: 0
Likes: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Balsa SUP
-
24th October 2011, 11:29 AM #1New Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 2
Balsa SUP
Hey all,
Im in year 12 in Sydney and have decided to undertake a pretty difficult (in my mind) Project. I have made a pretty basic Wooden surfboard before from pine, but i wanted to elaborate and completely up size the project. For my year 12 major work i am looking at putting together a SUP (Stand Up Paddle-board) and constructing it from Balsa wood. any thoughts or tips for me? cheers
-
24th October 2011 11:29 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
24th October 2011, 04:53 PM #2
-
25th October 2011, 07:59 AM #3SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- Arundel Qld 4214
- Age
- 86
- Posts
- 701
Stand up paddle board
Surfinkid
If you don't get a practical solution from Riley Surfboards consider using Paulownia. It is just over double the weight but a hell of a lot stronger for a SUP. I think the actual Paulownia planks are cheaper and you would need less timber because they are stronger. If you use Balsa then you'll need a lot of glass and this will tend to offset some of the weight advantage. . Balsa will be easier to work with but then so is Paulownia.
Whitewood
-
28th October 2011, 10:02 AM #4New Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Sydney
- Posts
- 2
Thanks guys,
Its a big board and i think your right about using Paulownia instead of balsa. Im also pretty stuck on the glassing process. I have been told that i don't need to glass it, and several coats of a polyurethane type gloss would be sufficient, but i am doubtful that this will do the trick...
Surfinkid
-
29th October 2011, 08:25 AM #5SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- Arundel Qld 4214
- Age
- 86
- Posts
- 701
Paulownia for SUP
Surfinkid
I sell Paulownia to a lot of guys and the a few gals, to build their own HWS some have been SUP's. I believe that most of them cover the board with fibre glass. They do this as much to protect the timber as to give the board strength. However if you you get the balance between the spacing of the frames and the thickness of the outer strips right i don't think the absence of fibre glass would compromise the function of the board.
Whitewood
-
24th November 2011, 06:15 PM #6Novice
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
- Torquay, Victoria
- Age
- 50
- Posts
- 11
As a SUP it would need to be a really solid build to avoid glassing it and not totally sure it would be possible anyway. As far as material is concerned it would probably need to be paulownia. If you're glassing it then you can use what you want. If it's a hollow timber board then 6-8mm thickness for the frames(ideally marine grade ply for cost and durability), 4-6mm thickness for the 'skin' and then glass.
Some links that are a must for your research include:
Mark Riley, for balsa boards of any type.
Tom Wegener, for paulownia boards.
Check out Tree to Sea Wooden Surfboard Builders Forum - Index page for everything you want to know about board building
Also Swaylocks.
BUT........ Beware!!!!!!!!!!!!! Board building is soooooo hopelessly addictive you may NEVER see daylight again............... ooohhhhhhh,.................
Similar Threads
-
Strengthening Balsa
By oges in forum TIMBERReplies: 4Last Post: 28th January 2011, 09:03 AM -
How To Machine Balsa Wood
By Metal Head in forum WOODTURNING - GENERALReplies: 4Last Post: 14th May 2007, 11:46 PM -
Where to get balsa
By Wild Dingo in forum BOAT RESOURCES / PRODUCT SEARCHReplies: 8Last Post: 17th February 2007, 02:52 AM -
Balsa ply availability
By gundam in forum TIMBERReplies: 3Last Post: 11th March 2005, 12:16 AM