It's in the bag

[dingbat]

My first go at making my own. Keeping my fingers crossed that it comes out well.:biggthump

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/neclassic/snowboard/snowboard009-1.jpg

Anyone else here build at home?


:D

[xxguitarist]

No breather cloth is needed? just some perf ply?

I vacuum press skateboards, a bit simpler.

[dingbat]

That red mesh stuff is like a breather. I'll let you know how it worked in a couple days.
This may end up as a skateboard. :rolleyes:

[xxguitarist]

d'oh, I thought it had a red texalium topsheet!

[csquared]

but you might find this interesting.

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/building_coiler.cfm

I think I could now do about 90% of the steps myself. However, I still feel like the apprentice.

Hope yours turns out. Mine has been amazing.

[clebner]

Wow, I have always wanted to try.
Hope it turns out well!

Here's a link on how to.
http://www.grafsnowboards.com/index.php?url=Home

[Chubz]

Good luck with it.

I went press and now have a bag to do some of my downhill skateboards. My first alpine board attempt is about 95% done just havent had the nuts to put it all in the press.

What did you use to make the oversized bag?

[MUD]

I'm still in the design and collection of supplies stage. I will have a couple of boards hitting the snow next season. BUT, for right now, it's baby time. My wife is due soon.

[dingbat]

Red Texalium,....hmmm.:rolleyes: Maybe the next one.

csquared,
Thanks for the link. I've skimmed that article twice now and have to take some time to read it thoroughly. looks like there's alot of good stuff in there.

clebner,
The sooner you start, the sooner you'll get done.:D
I used Dan's snowcad to make the shape for this board. Have you seen the skibuilders.com site? I found it a little more helpfull than the Graph forum.

Chubz,
It's a 12' x 4' urethane vacuum bag. I didn't make it, just borrowing it from work. The layup went easier than I thought it would. Just give yourself plenty of work area and go through the whole thing step-by-step out loud first. Having someone to mix epoxy and hand you things is a big time saver too. Are you on skibuilders? I'd love to see some pics of your work.

Same goes for you MUD. Good luck with your kid.

-Mark

[pebu]

Cleb, if you're ever actually makin a board I'd sure like to see that. I've been interested in building one (I'm sure it'd end up being an addiction) but I don't really have the capitol to get through a project like that. Mostly time would be the issue. But if somebody were to have the press or vacuum equip needed, I might plunk down a little cash for some materials.

[MUD]

So Dingbat,
WOuld you like to tell us about your board? Spec? Anything special in the layup??

[dingbat]

So Dingbat,
WOuld you like to tell us about your board? Spec? Anything special in the layup??

Specs are very Donnek Axxes/Prior 4WD -ish. The layup is pretty standard 22oz triax glass. I put a uni-directional glass "X" on the tip and tail area to add some tortional stiffness and uni-directional glass at 90* in the binding areas above and below the core for a little insurance against splitting the board. I like to call this "Mono-Linear Edge Support Technology" and anyone who ends up using this board would be a "Mono-Linear Edge Support Technology Enhanced Rider":rolleyes:

Here's a link to my Journal at Skibuilders:
http://www.skibuilders.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=992

And yes, I'm now aware that the stance is too wide.....ooops.

[dingbat]

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/neclassic/snowboard/snowboard014-1.jpg

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/neclassic/snowboard/snowboard012-1.jpg

:D:D:D:D

[pebu]

Nice! Turned out beautiful. Got a chance to ride it yet?

[Furi]

sweet looking board! Thanks for the link to the journal - I love reading/seeing the step-by-step stuff. I don't think I could never attempt building my own board...it would be all messed up I'm terrible at these types of projects heh

Are you going to try applying topsheets next? Or keep practicing? What did you find was the hardest part of the process?

[Chubz]

I will see if I can get some core pics taken. I had some somewhee but cannot locate them, nice turn out, good work, very clean.

All I can say is that building a board takes much more work than could be expected, so be proud of what you have done. Unless one has one thru the process, it is hard to appreciate what goes into making a board especially if you are doing it solo from your house or garage.

I use skibuilders as my main guide.

[dingbat]

Nice! Turned out beautiful. Got a chance to ride it yet?

Thanks. Not yet, still have some work to do to it and needs at least a week for the epoxy to fully cure.



sweet looking board! Thanks for the link to the journal - I love reading/seeing the step-by-step stuff. I don't think I could never attempt building my own board...it would be all messed up I'm terrible at these types of projects heh

Are you going to try applying topsheets next? Or keep practicing? What did you find was the hardest part of the process?

Thanks. I plan on doing top sheets on boards once I am sure of the soundness of my layups. Untill then I plan on using clear bases and no topsheet so I can keep an eye on my layup and improve build quality. The hardest part of the process was getting the nerve up to do the layup. A lot of time and effort can go south real quick if anything goes wrong.


I will see if I can get some core pics taken. I had some somewhee but cannot locate them, nice turn out, good work, very clean.


Cool, I'd love to see them. You got anything up on skibuilders?

[Chubz]

Not yet, nor do I think I will post, at least not until I actually carve on it. If it explodes the first run down, it back to the drawing board.

I held up on snowboard buildng until I get a large , more efficient are to do the builds. Every step I take I have to rearrange stuff in the garage, royal PITA. there is not flow to the process.

I have not been into any way, my main focus has been building skateboards, thats where my guts are at right now.

I couple I have done.

[dingbat]

That was you with the video on the highway in PA wasn't it?:D

[Chubz]

Penn View??

Yea, it was me. I plan to go back in the summer and bomb it from the top. That was the first big hill I did. Its a great run but you need a chase car to cover you back.

I wanted to do that hill since being a kid, but never had a board that aws right to do it. So why not build one.

Its my avatar

[willywhit]

My first go at making my own. Keeping my fingers crossed that it comes out well.:biggthump

http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i99/neclassic/snowboard/snowboard009-1.jpg

Anyone else here build at home?


:D

I've seen some garage kiteboards come out pretty nice but no edges or flex involved.They just tend to be a bit heavier than something you'd pay $500 for. Banker made some sweet boards for awhile.
Nice work mang!:biggthump

[Chubz]

Who are you using for your epoxy and composite supply?

I found a great guy out of NH, Jon Soller

www.sollercomposites.com

He has most everything in composites you could imagine, plus Jon is very infomrative on helping out with different materials.

I am looking to get some material in the near future, if you are interested, maybe we could go in on a larger sum of material to get his discounts.

I am looking to get some triax CF and some other stuff, but prices of CF have gone thru the roof since I last bought from him.

[dingbat]

Sweet! His prices on carbon tape look great.

Thanks for the link.:biggthump

[Chubz]

Ding

Here is my first go of it. I have some lessons learned ,but I hope to get this in the bag by the end of season. I am in process of getting my next batch of CF. I used most of what I had in my skateboard builds.

The black strips were theorhetical torsion strips, but I may just sand them off. The core was made of hard maple and poplar. I resawed it from a resawed block I expoxied together, so the center stringer on the left is from the same piece of wood as the one on the right. If you numbered them l1=r1, l2=r2 and so on. this allows similar flex characteristics on each side of the board, rayther than just epoxying a bunch of stringers together. The shadows are excess epoxy that stained the wood.

The nose is capped base material over wood and the shot with the pencil shows camber I cut into the core, rather than molding it during pressing. two pencil;s can fit under the camber. Although challenging, cutting the camber was one of my most satisfying items during the work. Resawing the core was pretty satisfying too. Keep in mind, while doing this in a fairly rudamentary shop. I have a rib cage press built like the one on skibuilders, but I may just bag it, if my forms fit in the bag. Other wise I need to make some fixings to my pneumatic bladder I made form roofing material. I can find any cheap 4" hose.

[Chubz]

Ding
a few more questions.

What material did you use on the top sheet that gives it that ashen/dry look? I figured the epoxy would seep right thru what ever top layer that is put on it.

Did you reinforce the tail and tip with any plastics or is it just the composties to wood?

What are the blocks taht can be seen under the bag along the edges in the first pic?

Would your work be willling to sell a 12x4 bag?

I may need to give you a call.

[dingbat]

I've seen some garage kiteboards come out pretty nice but no edges or flex involved.They just tend to be a bit heavier than something you'd pay $500 for. Banker made some sweet boards for awhile.
Nice work mang!:biggthump


Willy!

I missed this earlier. Thanks man!
I'm a big fan of Zero Prestige kite boards and bars.;):D
Supposedly the home built snowboards tend to come out lighter than factory stuff when you do it right. One of the things that gives boards from the likes of Coiler and Donek an edge and worth the price tag. Just judging by hand, this board isn't too far off from my Renn Tiger.

[dingbat]

Chubz,

That thing looks like it's going to be a rocket!:eek:

As far as reinforcements go, I am lamenting my decision to put them in on my first build. Should have stuck with tri-ax glass only layed with the 0* layer facing out on the top of the board. I added an "X" of uni-directional glass to the tip and tail for additional tortional rigidity. I underestimated how much linear rigidity they would add so now I've got it back in the basement with more glass and epoxy curring on the mid section to try and even up the flex. It's gonna be a monster.
On the up side, it held together really well when I beat it up on some clumpy half frozen snow Saturday afternoon and evening. The shape seems like a winner too. It rode O.K. in the groom where the flex pattern wasn't such an issue and the tail seemed to be just the right amount of playfull for what I was shooting for with this board. If I can get the mid-section stiffened up, I'll be able to get it out on some hard stuff to see how well it carves and know if I'm really there yet.

That resawing thing you're talking about is what we call "book matching" in the trades. I did my core the same way.

The blocks you see under the bag are there to keep the core aligned while pressing and the "ashen" look is mostly from the matte texture left by the peel ply I used when pressing. The glass is a little cloudy as well. I didn't wet it out as well as I should have. Don't think it's going to be a problem as far as short term longevity goes, but I don't expect running out of base to grind is going to be the reason I retire this board.

The tip and tail transition to cap construction at the end of the running length. This way I didn't need to use a spacer and was able to avoid any bonding isues. The end grain of the wood core is also protected from the elements. I'm extreemely pleased with the way the tip and tail came out. I think this is a design element I will surely keep.

Can't sell you a bag. You can buy a bag like this new for $450-$500. A big roll of builder's plastic and some tape would work just as well though. The beauty of this bag is more its size than the material it's made of.

PM me your phone # if you'd like to talk shop.

-Mark

[Chubz]

HEre is the press, a touch rusty from sitting in the garage corner, but a little steel wool and a fresk coat of rustoleum will address that. I followed directions fromskibuilders but it left me a touch too narrow.

I would not be able to press wider freestyle boards in it. It is held together using all thread and bolts which was a PITA. I plan to weld 3/4 of the sides, remove one side, add some width and make it a side feed press. Much easier to get layers in and out of press.