Thread: Surfboard

is it hoop pine or huon pine ? looks like huon to me., i have never seen birdseye hoop pine .........bob

Whatever it is, it looks sure nice.

And I even somewhat dislike pine!

Wow. That's awesome man. Love ya skill.

nice one crex,
love to see how it was made,
what does it weigh?

Crex.

It is a work of art and a credit to you. Don't know about designs but it looks good. What does it weigh?

John

The top layer is King billy pine or king wiliam pine timber from tasie that is harder to find than the beloved huon pine.

Crex,

Underfoot and I were both interested in the weight but you have not mentioned it. Is it a problem, a secret or an oversight? It seems some wooden surfboards are successfully competing with the 'foam' ones in the weight area as well as in the surf and I was wondering how yours stacked up against them.

It is about 5kgs which is about 2kgs more than i liked probably the combination of using a little to much epoxy one or two too many layers of wood, fin blocks probably a bit to big and the use of solid timber tail and nose. There are a few more factors that come into it like using cross linking PVAs but dont really want to write an essay. plus some things are better left for people to work out them selves mistakes lead to better development. I also had three weeks to make the board for an exhibition which lead to some quick decisions lets say winging it so ten 8 hr days later it was done. Now i am working out how to make the next one better as you do and hopefully should be able to make one in a week, thats five days.
As for how it surfs compared to other foam boards i dont know never ridden a foam board the same dimensions so cant tell you. But i can say that is goes way better than expected. Due to the fact of the timber and air void or lets say air bubble. It floates very well and paddles into waves like a mini mal would. Once on the wave it just goes due mostly to the design and the use of timber. The weight really is not that important unless you are on the pro tour and considering that timber is far more bouyant than pu foam and glass you can afford the timber boards to be heaver. And it is one more board out there thats not using as much toxic materials. All i can say is that it is F****** great and should be surfed not hung on a wall.

Crex
Thanks for the prompt and detailed reply. It was more than I expected.
My interest was not as a rider but as some one who supplies timber to build wooden surf boards. I am puzzled as to how you got it to be as light as it is given the timber you used. I sell a kit of paulownia to build a 6 foot hallow fish that weighs approx 12 kg for the timer alone. I realise that a lot is shaved off during construction but I douubt more half would be lost. One of my customers has built a hollow 8 foot board the exact same dimensions as his 'foam' board and he thinks it will just slightly heavier at 8 kg. He used Paulownia, kevlar skin on the inside and the lightest cloth etc. on the outside. He was a fanatic about saving weight but making it strong.

There is a fair bit of interest in wooden boards and just about every one who has bought my timber has a slightly different method of construction. I suppose in a few years time there will be a 'best' way and most boards will be built using that method.

Anyway good luck with your endeavours. I agree boards should be built to surf and not to show. If plantation timber is used then the enviorment is also a winner.

John