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[hunterb]

Hey everyone, it's been awhile.  I've built a few more compsands lately, but nothing post-worthy.  Most of the compsands I've done have been more cosmetic and durability oriented... mainly stubby and fishy shapes, pretty thick, balsa everything, lotsa glass, poly glossing.  These sell and hold up.

I'm planning a freshie for myself right now and wanted some more performance oriented feedback, if possible.

I've templated a 6'3'' poodlespanker type board (to use paul's colloquialism), the outline is based on the CI Taylor Knox model which I've ridden and really dig. 

I need some help in re foil distribution and tail thickness. 

My material plan at present is...

1 lb EPS

1/40'' bamboo veneer skins

1/2'' thick balsa rails

4 oz inside and out, top and bottom

I'm planning on 2'' max thickness in the front foot area.  How thin can I make the tail without snappage?  (oh and glass on fins so don't fret over plugs)

Thanks boyos

Hunter

[paul cannon]

ive often though to route in small areas of 2.5 pound eps in high wear areas
about 10mm thick maybe just as an experiment

i think your bamboos will be pretty useless as a sandwich skin over one pound foam
but then again ive never used it so maybe it will work for you
the timberflex method with veneers is not really a true compsand because its the skin thickness which draws out the desirable properties of comp sand.
not saying it isnt a valid method because it IS
but they seems to be using a denser eps with thin skin

it seems to go like this

dense eps ----thin skins
light eps----- thick skins

so with regards to your concept. i was thinking by routing in 2 pound eps inserts in high wear areas on the deck side. you are effectively creating a tophat which will stiffen the overall structure and resist denting in footwells

[Kit Sidwell]

Really good explanation there Paul.

Hunter, if you go with your original schedule, you will almost certainly have to add a deck patch either under or over the skin, or you will get foot dents at best, and at worst, crack the deck skin.
Duckdiving knee holes are what I get if I go too light on the deck glass.
I tend to reinforce under the deck skin, which ensures the deck lam comes out cosmetically perfect cos you only have the one layer of glass over the top.

[hunterb]

good tips there, eh. 

I just got the bamboo shipment, so perhaps I can cobble something together over the next few days and we might learn something out of this one! 

As suggested, I shall beef up the glassing in strategic spots.

hunter

[Jarrod]

I've done some test panels with veneers and 1lb and here's my very unscientific opinion...

A bamboo veneer with 3 layers of 4oz cloth and a single layer of CF cloth is still not stiff enough over 1lb core.

There is a solution, however.

Make a deckpatch out of balsa.  I used 1/8 thick because I had it.   I think this would probably actually work better with 1/16".   Trace the deckpatch onto the deck foam, and use a router to cut a 1/8 cavity for the deckpatch to lay into.   when you vac on the deck, go glass/balsa deckpatch/glass/bamboo.  Done right (I did it right once, wrong the first time) it will lay flat and be nearly invisible under the bamboo.  Since the bamboo  veneer is slightly translucent, you will be able to see the deck patch.  Even dark marks on the foam are visible, so keep that in mind.   Some white corecell/rohacell/whatevercell would be the bees knees in this application.

Now, this technique will definitely make the flex patterns different.   I did it on a stubby board that I didn't expect to flex at all.   If you want to get flex, I would plan on tapering the ends of the deckpatch so there isn't an abrupt line where it ends and begins...  That would be just asking for snappage right at that line.


This all probably sounds like a lot of hassle.  And it is.   But if you want to use a veneer thickness material over 1lb EPS, it absolutely has to be beefed up in some way or another.

[RoyStewart]

 Would a double layer of bamboo veneer be feasible ?

[hunterb]

Interesting thoughts.  I like your deckpatch idea Jarrod.  That sounds feasible.

I could do two layers of bamboo as well, Roy. 

I'm not fully sold on the 1lb, it's just that my previous 1lb board has sweet flex (The balsa/hemp one).

[wouter]

Would a double layer of bamboo veneer be feasible ?

Expensive
but feasible
what isnt?
depron looked nice, then forex, then came back to corecell airex and such
still have to make it though, so this is a good thread to share!
wouter

[Jarrod]

I think you could get away with two layers of bamboo, if you alternated layers of glass and bamboo, and oriented the bottom layer with the fibers running perpendicular to the top layer.     It would still be better to have a thicker sandwich layer underneath, however.

[Kit Sidwell]

I think the stiffness would be dramatically increased by gluing 2 sheets of bamboo together.
Sounds like Bamboo is stiff as hell anyway.
And you'd immediately lose all the weight you saved by using 1# foam!

I think Paul's idea of inlaying a 1/2 inch thick deck patch of 2# foam could be the best option.
It might be a bit of work, but would be cost effective.
It would make for a light board, with strength where it is needed.

Let me know what you think, and we'll throw around ideas for the best way to do the inlay.

[Jarrod]

Damn, I missed that one!   Yeah, if you have some sheet 2lb it'd actually be a pretty simple matter to route in a cavity for it and go that way.   That would probably work pretty well.

[Kit Sidwell]

Yeah, just leave the EPS inlay a little proud of the surface, then shape it down to how you want it.
Just make sure no glue oozes up at the edges of the inlay, that will make it easy to blend the two densities of foam together with sandpaper.