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El Cheapo Surfboard Build

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JakeFarley
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Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:54 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Weight: 92kg
Local Beach: Florida Left Coast, USA
Favorite Beaches: Any that are not crowded.
Style: Dinosaur style (Velociraptor)
Gear: Kites: Flysurfer Speed5 21m, Soul 12m, Cabrinha 16m Xbow, 11m Xbow, Best 14m HP Nemesis, 9m Yarga C Hybrid
Boards: Crazyfly 135 x 46 Pro, Cabrinha Spoiler 140, 6' custom surfboard, 122 x 46 custom twintip
Wing foil: Naish Hover 110l, Slingwing 6.4m, F-One CWC Strike 8m, Slingshot Hover Glide Fwing (Infinity 99), Slingshot Phantasm 926 and E 990
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El Cheapo Surfboard Build

Postby JakeFarley » Mon Jan 23, 2017 4:29 am

When I retired from work I had a EPS blank that I had been shaping by hand over the last year or so on a shelf in my garage. Now I had the time to complete the build.

The materials used are as follows:
Core/blank - EPS 2" thick (Home Depot)
Bottom and stringer - Hardwood underlayment around 1/8" thick (Home Depot)
Fins - Birch plywood 1/4" (Home Depot)
Fiberglass Cloth - 6 oz. surfboard cloth (Fiberglass Coatings)
Epoxy/Hardener 2:1 (Fiberglass Coatings)
Microbaloons and colloidal silica (Fiberglass Coatings)
Leash Cup (Culprit Surf USA)
Paint - Appliance epoxy spray paint (Home Depot)
Traction Pad (Agenda Surf)

I first glued the bottom underlayment to the blank with epoxy (with microballoons/silica)to set the rocker. I then cut a notch in the top of the blank down the center (completely through the blank to the bottom) for the stringer. I poured some epoxy in the notch and placed the stringer wrapped with fiberglass cloth in the notch and completely filled the notch with epoxy to the top of the board. I had to sand some of the stringer down to the top of the board as it stuck out about 1/8". I placed the surfboard leash next to the stringer and epoxied it in. Filled in the leash cup with flour. Laminated three layers of 6 oz. cloth to the top. In between the first and second layer I cut several circles of cloth and overlapped them laminated them where I would be standing on the board. Shaped the fins from the birch plywood using a production surfboard/kiteboard fin as a pattern. Epoxied the fins to the bottom/underlayment using 5 minute epoxy. Laminated 3 layers of 6 oz. cloth to both sides of each fin with about 2" of additional cloth at the base of each fin to firmly fix it to the bottom. Laminated 1 layer of cloth to the bottom of the board with an additional layer around the fins. Sanding and sanding, adding a smoothing layer of epoxy with microballons/silica, and more sanding to get everything smooth. Cut out the inside of the leash cup. Then painted the entire board with white appliance epoxy and added the design to the top front of the board. After a few days to allow the paint to cure I added the traction pad.

I've ridden this board for over 30 kiting sessions several in heavy chop (no wave riding yet or surfing). I've ollied the board many times and have put it through some pretty heavy stresses and It has held up exceptionally well, no heel dents or dings at all. It is a bit heavy but I built it to be "bomb proof". The cost of the materials invested is around $120 US (The traction pad was the most expensive part $59 US).

If anyone has any questions about the build I will try to answer them promptly.

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Lokihel
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Re: El Cheapo Surfboard Build

Postby Lokihel » Fri Jan 27, 2017 12:16 pm

What happens when you hit a rock and one of your fins decides to part?

Do you remove the deck pad and build a new board for $61?

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juandesooka
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Posts: 1193
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 8:05 pm
Kiting since: 2011
Local Beach: Sooke, BC, Canada
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Re: El Cheapo Surfboard Build

Postby juandesooka » Fri Jan 27, 2017 6:05 pm

awesome to diy it on the cheap! I think fins are the one place you may consider modifying on the next one. FCS plugs are cheap, then get knock offs from China. Probably ends up costing much the same as the layers of fibreglass to lay up yours, but with a lot less work. More importantly, less likely to lose a fin when you hit it and also more easy to repair when you inevitably bust onen. Fins can be re-glassed on, but it's a major hassle.

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JakeFarley
Very Frequent Poster
Posts: 919
Joined: Sun Nov 27, 2016 11:54 pm
Kiting since: 2001
Weight: 92kg
Local Beach: Florida Left Coast, USA
Favorite Beaches: Any that are not crowded.
Style: Dinosaur style (Velociraptor)
Gear: Kites: Flysurfer Speed5 21m, Soul 12m, Cabrinha 16m Xbow, 11m Xbow, Best 14m HP Nemesis, 9m Yarga C Hybrid
Boards: Crazyfly 135 x 46 Pro, Cabrinha Spoiler 140, 6' custom surfboard, 122 x 46 custom twintip
Wing foil: Naish Hover 110l, Slingwing 6.4m, F-One CWC Strike 8m, Slingshot Hover Glide Fwing (Infinity 99), Slingshot Phantasm 926 and E 990
Brand Affiliation: None
Location: Pearl City
Has thanked: 187 times
Been thanked: 144 times

Re: El Cheapo Surfboard Build

Postby JakeFarley » Sat Jan 28, 2017 2:34 am

Lokihel wrote:What happens when you hit a rock and one of your fins decides to part?

Do you remove the deck pad and build a new board for $61?
Not very likely where I kite. But if I break a fin, I would either repair it or replace all the fins with FCS fins.

TomW
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Local Beach: Vejbystrand, Lomma
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Re: El Cheapo Surfboard Build

Postby TomW » Sat Jan 28, 2017 11:52 pm

I've shopped around and use futures, boxes cost 5-7 euros each. Not cheap.
Then the cheapest quad set costs 35 euros. So I'm looking at 55 euros just for boxes and fins.


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