Cowboy Foil Experiment Thread

[surfcowboy]

Totally got it about the carbon tape. I'm actually putting full carbon cloth down on top, but I get that if it was going to be glass it would be good to put a strip across the box.

I'm assuming the carbon patch will do it up. I will mention that I've been following the foil box thread and this one will be set with glass underneath wrapping up onto the deck and then carbon and a layer of 4 oz glass over the top so it should make a really solid unit. I'm assuming that I'll make the carbon patch go pretty much side to side as I believe in spreading that stress way out across the board.

I am stunned at some of the small patches I see, including the little one on Kai's surfboard. I guess that this stuff is stronger than we know, but I don't wanna find the limits.

[supuk]

So I drew this up. I have done two different options for the slider, one for use with a large router and the other for use with a trim router that normally have a smaller base plate, this version would require you to flip the plate over to get the opposite side. If anyone has any suggestions to add to it I will happily try and include it and then publish a pdf that can be printed and cut out for the diy'er.

I have now made the pdf file for this so if anyone wants it just drop me a message

[surfcowboy]

Put the cassette in today, waiting to see how the glass laid in. I think I could have used a bit more resin around it but with the glass I'm sure it's good.

It went in a bit below the level I want so I added a layer of 6oz under it but it's still a bit low so I'll probably drop a layer of 6oz on top to bring the top up to level with the skin and then put the carbon and glass over that. I love additive processes, you can always add a little more.

The front mount goes on tomorrow and then I'll start aligning the wing and get that all glassed. It seems like it will never end but they all feel like that about this time in the project. But it's starting to look like "a thing" now.

Hilariously a friend today asked me where I got the plans from and I realized that I just have been winging it (pun intended). I told him, "I know these guys on the internet and there's this guy from England who kinda tell me what to do."

As I said it, I realized that it must sound crazy to him but this has been a blast.

[supuk]

So I drew this up. I have done two different options for the slider, one for use with a large router and the other for use with a trim router that normally have a smaller base plate, this version would require you to flip the plate over to get the opposite side. If anyone has any suggestions to add to it I will happily try and include it and then publish a pdf that can be printed and cut out for the diy'er.

tested the jig today, I machined it out of a peace of ply but it would have been better in good mdf. My intension is that when cutting it out by hand you do it in two layers of wood so you have a nice smooth surface for the plates to slide on. At some point I will probably do a nice one in ali but ether way it made cutting the pocket very easy and a lot less dangerous than my previous jig.

[surfcowboy]

That's awesome. I'll have to make one for the next install. I'm probably going to mod a prone board if I can actually ride a foil.

[surfcowboy]

Shout out to Beasho for the Gorilla Glue tip. Those corners got filled up nicely with some whipped GG and water. Super easy way to fill a small void and no thermal issues either.



The cassette is in, need to add a couple of layers of 6oz to bring the level up to the deck of the board and then I’ll bag the carbon over it all this weekend if I can stay off the beach after this stormy week.

Hoping to get the wing mount aligned as well so I can glass and bag my wing too. The fuselage mount worked great. If this works I’ll have a poor man’s Armstrong mount, though I’m now investigating Square carbon mating pieces as well for my next rig if I don’t just settle into a Liquid Force fuselage for the next one.

Seems like 3D printing an adapter like UK did for the LF fuselages might be a good idea for future systems.  Might even buy the masts and mounts.

Though now that I’m in it, I’ve come to see that a carbon mast is the way to go for stiffness and strength. This project has opened my eyes to structural carbon fiber reinforcement. So if I can make a mast that works I’ll consider staying with those. If I can 3D print the plug I think that’s the way to go for a bombproof mast but still, it’s hard to justify the time when the LF aluminum is so cheap and you can just get another if you tweak one. Lots to consider.

[surfcowboy]

I glassed a couple of layers over the box to fill it in a bit as I set the cassette in about 1/8” too deep. Rather than sit around poking at the edges around the boxes I tried my new low budget bagging rig and it worked perfectly. I”ll make a thread about it but here’s the shot of in progress and finished.

Bagging with aquarium pump, putty weather stripping, and spare plastic.



And then the result. I wouldn’t do a full board with this but I’ll never do ding repair without it again.



Boxes are in, not much to sand and everything is tight to the sides. I love it. No wonder you guys do this. Sooo easy.

Oh and check the angle of attack thread for some shots of testing my angles. So. Many. Angles.

[jrandy]

Looking good B!

I like to cut a slit into the glass (long ways down the taped opening with a little V on the ends) over the boxes to allow it to go into the corners and release air bubbles a little easier. Same goes for installing side fin boxes.

If you liked this, try some peel ply or perf ply over the resin next time and you'll end up with an even smoother surface as extra resin can go through the ply.

[surfcowboy]

Jrandy, I tried that cut but couldn't get it to cut well. Do you do pre lam, before the resin?

Also, hilariously, I have peel ply and stretchalon but got into this one and only realized I should bag after the resin was on lol.

I grabbed this plastic from my plastic bin where I keep stuff to use for bench protection and made it happen last minute. I can see now that the real stuff is going to be amazing. But this was a low risk way to test as there is more cloth coming over the top of this.

I'm thinking that I'll cut the top carbon and glass the way you describe for sure.

[jrandy]

I normally make the cuts post-resin so the cloth doesn't slide as much but before I soak the box area in resin. Big shears and no worries about neatness as it all gets covered and/or filled in the end.

I have done a couple capped ones where the box gets trimmed to height first before the fabric is lammed.
I have yet to do a carbon fiber cap over a fin or mast box. If others have tips I am all ears as well.
I think I did one where I used a panel trim bit on a router to open the box.

Nice job on switching to vacuum mid-lam and pulling it off with common materials.
Your project is getting me inspired to go after some of mine.

[supuk]

+1 for cutting the cloth around the boxes however It’s the last thing I do when laminateing a board and just use a new blade each time, I don’t have any problem cutting through 3 or 4 layers of cloth, just try do the cut In a single swipe each side over leaping at the ends so you cut all the strands then you can lift the unwanted glass of giving less to grind down.

[PonoBill]

Single edge razor blades when the glass stops being tacky but isn't hard. If you miss the timing then it's a router job. I've tried trimming with a multitool and screwed up the end of a mast box, accidentally cutting into it. A bit for trimming laminate that has a bearing on the bottom works fine if you get the box emptied out by rough-cutting and picking the foam out.

[surfcowboy]

Thx guys. To make my life easier I'm going to grind off the caps today and retape the boxes before doing the carbon later this week. I think I might lam a test piece outside the bagging film too just so I can know when to pull the film and trim the carbon. I want as little of that black dust as I can get around the place.

I'm waiting on some real sealing tape to do the carbon layup.

Jrandy, it's funny, when you're new, there's never enough time before the resin kicks. Once you've done these a few times (and the temp is not too high) you can be calmer and adapt as you need to.

[jrandy]

Pono, the bit I used is called a panel-pilot, see pic below. Requires a little clean-up in the 6 inside corners of a Bahne box as the radius of the bit is too large to square them up. As much as I like routers, a proper cutlap is easier on the mind.

If I want to trim a box, I tape off the area and cut the excess off to about 1/32" [.8mm] proud using a hand saw (Japanese pull or flush-cut) or multi-tool (angled up) riding on the tape. Then I remove the tape and begin sanding it flush with the 7" hard backer and 80 grit.

Looking forward to more progress B. The bagging mastic is a superior product to masking and duct tapes.

[surfcowboy]

Oh I forgot to mention, what actually sealed the bag was weatherstripping putty which does a pretty decent job. I used the tape to help hold the plastic down til it "bit" and stuck to the tape, but yes, the right materials will be a blessing.