next »

[Kit Sidwell]

Hey all,
Just thought i'd share my best method of removing water from the core.

I was down having a surf with Paul, and my vent plug failed...
My fault, I had modified it, then cracked the housing by doing it up too tight.
It's the only vent failure i've had.

To get the water out I hooked up the vacuum pump to the vent.
I drilled about a 1/4" hole in the very tip of the nose, and the very tip of the tail, drilling right through the tail block and into the EPS.
Then the board went into the postcure oven, and the heat was turned up.
I use a mason jar as a water trap, to save water getting into my pump.

6 hours later, my board is perfectly dry.
I know this because I weighed the board  just before the surf, and it's an accurate digital scale.

To repair the drilled holes, I proceeded as follows:
Cut a square stick of paulownia, inserted it into my drill, then used it like a lathe with a sanding block, to make a piece of paulownia dowling.
Then I smeared epoxy onto the dowling, and tapped a piece into each hole.
I used the left over dowling like a nail set/punch to tap the inserts just slightly below flush.
Then I filled it up to flush with resin, and sand it smooth.

I feel confident that I can dry out a waterlogged board overnight, providing that the wood is not wet from the inside.
No more blowing up boards from using compressed air.....
Safe and effective.
The trick is to drill as large holes in the nose and tail as possible, to maximise air flow.
Water is no longer an issue!

[huie]

you are cheif compsand repairer in n z

    you can fly over & do mine as well                        haaaaaa'

[soulvoid]

I could have done with this about 6 weeks ago... That's about how long it took to dry out my longboard.

[Kit Sidwell]

I hear ya man, it's a bummer.
The combination of constant air flow through the core and the elevated temperature really speeds thing up.
In the past I've left a board with the vent open, in a warm place, and it there has been pretty much zero change in 2 weeks.... they just don't seem to dry like that at all

[mark venn]

Nice one Kit, I am sure that will come in very handy for many on here.

[RoyStewart]

  A good idea, presumably it could be done without the post cure oven ? Maybe a heater next to the air inlet .

 On the occasions when I have had a holed board (  the only time they have ever leaked) it's taken about a year for the board to dry out just using the vent. 

.

[Kit Sidwell]

I actually had it on the vac for about four or five hours at Paul's place first, without any heat.
The bulk of the liquid came out then nothing.
It was only when I got home and cranked up the heat that I started to make progress.
I'm sure you would get there eventually with solely airflow, it makes sense, but the heat vastly improved things.

I'm not sure if it's worth going the next step and having a dessicant for the incoming air to flow through...

[RoyStewart]

 I see,  could the air be heated without a post cure oven somehow ?

 Presumably a hair dryer wouldn't be hot enough,  just wondering.

 .

[bobmarley]

how are you attaching vacuum fittings to your vent plug? 

i recently had a board take on some water and this sounds like a great way to get it out..

[bobmarley]

well guys a 400 watt grow light in a closet with a shop vac works wonders.. i just got a hose that fit into the hole tightly and smashed it in there..

[Kit Sidwell]

Good to hear it worked for ya!
I seal round the hole with bagging tacky tape - the black mastic stuff. But some plastercine or similar would do the trick.
It's definitely a good feeling when the weight of your board goes back to normal!

[Kapuna]

Why not use a simple connection like a suction cup?

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=3775&familyName=WEST+System+Vacuum+Cups

http://www.anver.com/document/vacuum%20components/vacuum%20cups/cups-flat.htm