Anyone used 3mm corecell for making boards? Just wondering if it responds well to bending around the rails with the application of heat

I've got some here ready to use on my next board, but I haven't actually used any yet.
However I've done a test and it seems to have very similar heat bending characteristics to the herex I have been using.
I don't think you'll have any problems.

I also have a feeling they make 2 sorts of foam, "linear linked" and "cross linked".
Similar to "herex" and "airex".
Airex will bend fine without heating, is much tougher than herex, but not quite as stiff, ie doesn't crack or split, but does dent.

Not sure which way round the "link" thing is, but if you can get both, the stiffer stuff is better for the bottom and the more flexible, tougher stuff better for the deck.

sorry forgot the link

What a freaky looking board, I prefer to put the Dcell on the inside.

ok i must admit this stuff is from the 80's but the core is on about a 1oz k glass backing, and by useing a dry bog ov microballoons (not Q cells) to fill the open cell before bagging
that makes a glass sandwitch not a foam sandwtch
so tell me decrepit how much glass have you got under your solid sheet

hey mr no one that freeky looking board is one of those freeky looking boards like i used to make in the 80's, you know a 94lt slalom board that jibe's like a freestyle and weigh's less than 6kgs thank god for NZ ,if you want to see something freeky have a look at my revamped rrd in keefs pics, 40knt screamer:)

so the question was "
Anyone used 3mm corecell for making boards? Just wondering if it responds well to bending around the rails with the application of heat
and my answer is, why make one from scratch when you can revamp an old one:)

because foam,glass,divinicell,glass

im with you guys its a foam sanwitch, it just depends on what you like in between your sandwitch:)
so tell me decrepit how do you lay your first layer of glass and keep the weight down , 4oz is heavy stuff under your core mat or is it 4oz just in the stress areas

sorry decrepit its a play on words, i ment the mat as beeing the divimat that goes over the foam "core", theres no need for any extra glass when laying the mat just wet it out with epoxy and stick it on, i use to use a couple of blankets as pressure
you would be supprised how little bog you need ( as in brown balloons) the only major cracks to fill are on the rails,and with a fine dry layer ove bog over the whole board just enough to fill the cells and cracks and seal the core mat and after sanding, the board is sealed and ready to laminate, now if you prepreg your top laminate there is less resin sinking into the mat(cos its sealled) then vac
i havent made any boards for about 15 years the only reason i made them was cos they were to heavy and not a great range to choose from, these days i dont need to make them i have a CA55, RRD125 advantglide, and my chopped rrd
getting back to the question of the post, smithers asked,Anyone used 3mm corecell for making boards? Just wondering if it responds well to bending around the rails with the application of heat, well with this stuff you dont need heat
hey im just trying to help out here and let you young wipper snippers know how we did it in the olden days :)

keef said...

>>>>, theres no need for any extra glass when laying the mat just wet it out with epoxy and stick it on, >>>>>

So I take it the fiberglass on the back is bonded to the foam somehow without being wet out?
For some reason I had imagined it had already been wet out, but I guess then it would crack when you bent it.

This stuff saves the pre-bending step but has the extra bog and sanding stage. Swings and roundabouts really, depends on preference, thing I'll stick to pre-bending unless my heat gun packs up.

Decrepit, just checked out your posts on ozwind, nice looking boards. Strong carbon you got there.
I haven't used corecell on a board yet but it feels similar to airex. I go 4oz inside and 3x4oz outside plus carbon with 5mm Dcell as the meat top and bottom with coremat on the tips. It may sound like a heavy lay up but this board came out at 5.1kg with pads and deck grip. Pre-preg is the key. Have posted these pics back in spring when built (a couple more on my profile).



Revamping oldies is much easier but you don't get that stiff 'new board' feel, and if you have the know how, it would seem a waste not to use it.

Mr. No-one said...
]
Revamping oldies is much easier but you don't get that stiff 'new board' feel,

sorry i dont agree my rrd is a 04 and has a full layup of carbon/kevlar compercit, as well i layed up 4 clegecell+4ozcarbon stringers 8mmx60mmx800mm from front of the mastback to the front of the fin box, now the way i see it is how long does it take to break,or fracture a new board,if a board is 4 years old with no fractures im sure its pasted the test,
maybe someone can do some research and find out how long it takes for epoxy resin to cure,i'm led to believe it keeps cureing for months if you dont bake it,most production boards are baked so im told correct me if im wrong

Making a new one has to be better doesnt it? Sanding old glass is when youstart to get itchy.the other thing is you have no idea whats going on under the glass whith old boards. It's pretty satisfying building one of your own shapes and sailing it for the first time.
Oh and Keef, mast track fin box and plugs will cost you $60.00. If your paying $25.00 for a glass roller then you need to shop somewhere else.
Nice board No-one. Is it still going strong?

Thanks for sharing the link Decrepit, you have done a fantastic job with the pics and explanation at every stage of the process. VERY IMPRESSIVE and a great looking product as well. How many boards do you think yo've made over the years?
Thanks to Mr No One also, it looks like you produce a fine board as well.
Keef, total cost to make the board will be about $500. I'll save a few bucks by reusing fin boxes from a board I made a few years ago. As for the tuttle powerbox thing, I reckon I'll go with the powerbox, i'm too lazy to do up two bolts and I can use fins that i've already got.

keef said...

hey smithers its not about the $$$$$s when your sailing the stuff you have made yourself, just remember the golden rule when your shapeing , just keep everything cemetrical, this was my race board 20 years ago i did from a square block or foam, and had to bend the rocker make a dagerboard case,it came out at 16kg's all up,back in those days you couldnt get a board with sharp rails and a flat rocker for light winds, and straps that weighed the same wet as dry
if seabreeze was around 20 years ago with guys like decrepit and mr no-one to give me some advice i would be still makeing them:) all the best of luck theres more pics in keef pics

Hey Keef,

nice raceboard. reminds me a little of the "SPEED" race boards in the late 80's, except from memory the tail was different. sweet board to sail, very fast, and light. the one i used also had the vynil straps i think.

nice

Mr No one, that's a very good weight, what size is the board?
And what density core foam do you use?
Back in 2000 I bought a big block of 24kg/m3, thought higher density would be better for wave boards, but now I'm thinking it doesn't need to be quite as heavy, especially for my 70kg.

keef said...

>>>
hey decrepit and mr no-one how do you laminate the bottom layer of glass do you laminate the whole board and let it cure, or is it layed up with the dcell and heat bent with your heat gun wet, im getting excited ive got heeps of stuff i mite make a board
<<<<<<<

The high density foam is heat pre-formed, then vacuumed on with the underneath layer/s of cloth.

smithers said...

Thanks for sharing the link Decrepit, you have done a fantastic job with the pics and explanation at every stage of the process. VERY IMPRESSIVE and a great looking product as well. How many boards do you think yo've made over the years?
<<<<<<

Thanks smithers, my old man gave me a hand to build my first solid balsa surfboard back in 1961. I've totally lost track of how many surfboards I've made since then, I've only purchased 3 boards since then. And in the late 60s when boards where going from 9ft to 6ft I was making a new board almost every month.

Made my first windsurfer about 86/87 about another 12 for myself since plus a few for mates.
went from polyester/urethane to polystyrene/epoxy about 1998, that's about 9 windsurfers and 3 surfboards since then.