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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 12, 2003 10:40 am Post subject: Building a wakeskate? |
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Ok, I think I'm going to attempt to build my own wakeskate, not for the money saving aspect (if there is any in the long run), but for the fun that it should provide. Anyway, I went to Lowes today to check on prices and the most expensive it should cost is $48.47 (plus tax and minus fins). I will be making it 43" x 15.5" with a 2.5" 3-stage rocker. I have a few questions for some of you:
1) I can fit 3 cut-outs on a 4'x4' sheet of wood, how convient since I wanted it 3 layers thick. Anyway, for the 1/4" thick 4'x4' sheets the price was $15.86 (Birch), $17.60 (Oak), and $11.85 (Sand Plywood exterior). Which of these woods would be the best for a wakeskate? I couldn't find Maple at Lowes, but I could find it someplace else, if anyone recommends that over these 3.
2) How much resin is probably needed? The Bondo fiberglass resin was $9.97/quart or $23.87/gallon. Also, would this kind of resin work?
3) I was thinking of putting a layer of fiberglass cloth between the layers to add a little stiffness, strength, and to help the board keep its rocker. I realize that fiberglass might not be a fun thing if the board were to break on me, but I'm hoping that the fiberglass will help prevent this in the first place. Would this be a good idea? Would the dangers of getting fiberglass splinters from a broken board and possible weight increase out-weight the pros?
4) What are the tail widths of the cassettes and hyperlites around the 43" size? I was thinking of making the tip/tail wide enough so my toes/heels wouldn't hang off if I had my feet all the way back, but that would make for a very wide tip/tail. So, I'd like to know what a good width is.
I think that's all I have for now. Any other advice would be great. Thanks! |
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Gbgonzal138 Addict
Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 887
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pooser Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738
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Posted: May 15, 2003 5:17 am Post subject: |
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wow we havent had one of these threads on here for almost a year now, anyways to answer your first question DONT GO WITH SAND PLYWOOD. this wood requires a lot of sanding to make it smooth and it would be paper thin by the time you got it that way. but if you dont mind having a crappy skate build it with that wood. id personally go wtih birch im pretty sure thats what i made my skimboard out of but im not sure. but as far as birch goes its a decent wood and you should be able to make a good skate out of it plus its reasonbly cheap so go with that. to answer question number 2 im pretty sure any type of fiberglass resin would work in making a skate. I used some fiberglass resin to make an indo board and a skim board and i am oretty hapy with the results. Question number 3 i probly wouldnt add a layer of fiberglass/fiberglass cloth bettween layers. this could posiibly add to much weight to your board. id save the fiberglass and the cloth for either the top or the bottom or you could do it on both. this should add enough strength without all the extra weight. i cant really help you with the last wuestion id just reccomend going to the nearest board shop with measuring tape. |
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M-Dolla Newbie
Joined: 04 Apr 2003 Posts: 29 City: Minnesota
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Posted: May 17, 2003 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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definitely use some fiberglass man, last winter a bunch of us made a couple wakeskates and they are already rocker-less. _________________ X-Factor! Ya got to holla at a playa. |
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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 18, 2003 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Do you guys think that maple or birch would be better? _________________ A successful person is a dreamer who someone believed in |
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pooser Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 4738
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Posted: May 19, 2003 7:59 pm Post subject: |
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i was happy with birch when i made a skimboard. im sure either would turn out good tho. base it on looks too and price. but from my experiences id go with birch |
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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 20, 2003 3:00 am Post subject: |
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Thanks _________________ A successful person is a dreamer who someone believed in |
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Dave W Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 3216 City: Rochester
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Posted: May 20, 2003 9:47 am Post subject: |
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There was a thread about this not so long ago. The title was something like "1/4" or 1/8" inch plywood?". You might want to check it out.
As far as what kind of wood to use. The birch and oak plywood you are seeing at Lowes are most likely just veneers. That means that the majority of the wood in each sheet of plywood is probably pine. So basically just pick whatever you think looks coolest. All of them will have roughly the same weight and durability characteristics.
About the fiberglass cloth. If you are going to make a wakeskate that is 3/4" thick then trust me, you won't have to worry about stiffness or strength. It will be rock solid if you build it right.
Good luck with the three stage rocker. It could be a little hard to create because bending a single 1/4" sheet to that shape is pretty difficult. Doing it with two is darn near impossible as far as I can tell. If you can figure out how to do it I'm sure everyone would like to hear about it though. So let us know how it goes.
I'd be a little wary of the "Bondo" resin. Try to see if the label tells you what it really is. Selecting the correct resin can make a huge difference. There are all kinds of things that can be considered "fiberglass resin". There's Epoxy Resins, Polyester Resins, and Vynilester Resins just to name a few. All of them have different characteristics. I think as a gereral rule epoxy is more durable but it flexes more. This might make it hard for you to get your rocker to stay in shape. I'd recommend going to a boating store where they have a larger selection and all their products are made for use in the marine environment. They probably would have more useful info on each too.
Good luck and be sure to post some pics of the finished product. _________________ How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough. |
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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 20, 2003 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks...I'll try and check out more resins. That was the only kind Lowes had and that is the only place I have looked so far.
I've heard that Polyester resin is good for wakeskates because of the stiffness. Do you feel that that is true?
Let's say I would use some fiberglass cloth (it's only $5 for 9 sq. ft.)...if I would do this, could I get away with just using 2 sheets, making the board a 1/2" thick?
As far as the rocker goes...I think I have a way of making it work. I'm going to make a press style jig. We'll see I guess.
Well it looks like Birch it is then...it's cheaper.
Have you made any wakeskates yourself? If so, any tips you could give me would be great. _________________ A successful person is a dreamer who someone believed in |
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Dave W Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 3216 City: Rochester
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Posted: May 21, 2003 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, I made one a couple years ago when I was too broke and unemployed to be able to buy a new wakeboard. Needed something else to ride so I could ride doubles with my girlfriend.
I'm pretty sure I used epoxy resin on the wakeskate I built. Before I built it I was assuming it would flex a lot like one of the CWB wakeskates I had seen. Since I figured it would flex, I was worried that the final sealing coat of resin would crack if the resin was too stiff and the board flexed a lot. For that reason I went with the epoxy. After I finished the wakeskate I discovered it had hardly any flex to it at all, so I was probably worried over nothing. It did however spring back a bit from the form I made. I had actually planned on that to some extent. I built the form with more rocker than I wanted in the board because I figured it would spring back. 2 full inches of rocker is actually quite a bit of flex in a 1/4 inch sheet of plywood that is only 45 inches long. Then when you try to put that flex in two sheets at the same time so you can glue them together..... I ended up piling just about everything that wasn't tied down on top of it to get it to stay. I think my original plan may have been to bond all three layers together at the same time to get it done faster. There was pretty much no way that was going to happen.
So if you want to go the safe route, I can vouch for the epoxy. It worked for me and you shouldn't have any problem with it. But, if you want to try something that I didn't, you could try the polyester resin. It's cheaper than epoxy, and since it cures stiffer you may end up with a wakeskate that more closely resembles the form you made it in. That could be helpful if you're trying to create a three stage rocker.
You can defanitely make a wakeskate that is only half an inch thick. It's just a question of whether or not you can get a decent amount of rocker to stay in it with only two layers of wood. Who knows, maybe if you used the polyester resin you would get the rocker you wanted in just two layers. When I built mine, I glued the first two layers together and they sprung back like 1.5 inches. When I added the third layer it reinforced the rocker enough that I think it sprung back like 1/2 or 3/4. I think I ended up with a wakeskate with about 2 inches of rocker out of a form with about 2.5 inches of continuous rocker. So...... I'm just guessing, but if you placed a layer of fiberglass cloth between the two layers of wood and another layer on top, it would probably help reinforce the rocker and add some strength. A layer of glass on the bottom wouldn't really be adding much strength. It would be quite the sandwich to be gluing together all at once though. You would probably need to put a layer of polyethylene (or something else that the resin won't bond to) on top of the top layer of fiberglass and then place a form that has a nice smooth (plywood?) surface on top of that to press it all together nice and even.
Defanitely let us all know what you decide to try and how it turns out. _________________ How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough. |
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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 21, 2003 4:22 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks Dave for all your help...I'm really glad you wnet into detail about your experience...it is very helpful. If I do get everything together and I'm able to make it, I'll definately post my results... thanks again! _________________ A successful person is a dreamer who someone believed in |
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Dave W Wakeboarder.com Freak
Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 3216 City: Rochester
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Posted: May 22, 2003 5:04 am Post subject: |
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I'll try to remember to borrow my roomate's digital camera next time I go home. I'll take a couple pics of the wakeskate I made and post them here. That way you can decide whether or not I'm worth listening to. _________________ How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough. |
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drifter136 Soul Rider
Joined: 03 Feb 2003 Posts: 290 City: Thornville (home) and Athens (school)
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Posted: May 22, 2003 5:15 am Post subject: |
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Thanks Dave! _________________ A successful person is a dreamer who someone believed in |
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earlygrace Newbie
Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 21 City: Parry Sound
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Posted: Jun 09, 2003 9:56 am Post subject: |
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I gotta take some shots of my wakeskate and post em here too, It turned out pretty good, it was fun to make and I enjoy riding it, I am not sure how it compairs to a real board cause I have never been on one, but it works for me. _________________ -EarlyGrace |
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hc_zer0skater Criminal
Joined: 14 Jun 2003 Posts: 71 City: Green Cove Springs, Florida
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Posted: Jun 27, 2003 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Are yall gonna put up those pics still? Im interested in making a wakeskate of my own.
I have a question: Skateboards are made of maple, so would maple be better than birch?
Also: Would offsetting the flow of the grain make the wakeskate stronger? For example: on the first layer, the grain is this way: |, the second one: --, etc. _________________ Forget 'Go big or go home,' go big or don't come!!!
Never sellout, never surrender. |
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mattweino Newbie
Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Posts: 11 City: Canada
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Posted: Aug 24, 2003 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Dave W, So do you use glue to harden the cloth or does the epoxy glue the two boards together alone and harden the fiberglass at the same time if dried? _________________ Got Wake? |
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scooter Addict
Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 633
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Posted: Aug 24, 2003 5:00 pm Post subject: |
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check my gallery for my friends homemade wakeskates. comments please
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COLORADO MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARY
Last edited by scooter on Mar 08, 2011 12:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mattweino Newbie
Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Posts: 11 City: Canada
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Posted: Aug 24, 2003 9:02 pm Post subject: |
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Did you use any fiberglass in the middle does anyone know if feiberglass and the epoxy in the middle of two piesces of plywood will it bond? or do you need glue to _________________ Got Wake? |
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mattweino Newbie
Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Posts: 11 City: Canada
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Posted: Aug 25, 2003 9:39 am Post subject: |
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hey guys i just talked to the guy at this auto body shop if you put the fibergalss and the special fiberglass resin then it will dry rock hard and bond to the wood with out any glue at all im goin to try this and ill post some pics when im done _________________ Got Wake? |
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mattweino Newbie
Joined: 24 Aug 2003 Posts: 11 City: Canada
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Posted: Aug 25, 2003 9:47 am Post subject: |
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_________________ Got Wake? |
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scooter Addict
Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 633
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Posted: Aug 25, 2003 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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just used 3/4" plywood, we didnt use seperate sheets , are there any advantages of using different shetts and gluing them together?
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CHILEAN COOKING
Last edited by scooter on Feb 23, 2011 8:38 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Joey P Newbie
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 6 City: USA
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Posted: Aug 28, 2003 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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ok first - scooter - i like ir wakeskate and all but im am upset with ur very first pic in your gallery, that person, prob u, deff did not do a wake to wake jump, u or whoever it is just jumped off the end of the wake cuz u can see the track from cutting across the wake. i no this is a stupid thing to get all pissed off at but i am sick of kids puttin on pictures of something that they say is something else. 2nd - Dave W - YOUR THE MAN, yeah u seem like a kool guy (im not guy don't worry), just that u went into great detail thanks and damnit i forgot ur name sorry bud, but the person who startted this "discussion" and wanted to build it, your a kool kid to, excellent research u did and great imagination. sorry to screw you scooter but its not just you lol im talkin to all the kids who do that....
board for fun |
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Joey P Newbie
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 6 City: USA
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Posted: Aug 28, 2003 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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drifter136 sorry i forgot your name lol wow i made a lot of typos in that last reply sorry if u can't read it |
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Joey P Newbie
Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 6 City: USA
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Posted: Aug 28, 2003 5:10 pm Post subject: |
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in my first reply to dave when im sayin im no guy don't worry its im not gay gay, not im not a guy |
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scooter Addict
Joined: 15 Jul 2003 Posts: 633
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Posted: Aug 29, 2003 5:27 pm Post subject: moron |
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ok first - scooter - i like ir wakeskate and all but im am upset with ur very first pic in your gallery, that person, prob u, deff did not do a wake to wake jump, u or whoever it is just jumped off the end of the wake cuz u can see the track from cutting across the wake. maybe thats the spray from the boat or the spray for the board
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333 sp
Last edited by scooter on Feb 23, 2011 8:39 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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dev Newbie
Joined: 30 Aug 2003 Posts: 13 City: NZ
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Posted: Aug 30, 2003 4:32 am Post subject: |
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have made a couple of wskates as a project as its winter over here at the mo, have put some pics of them on:
www.geocities.com/devzon
am trying to build one with moulded fins, so if you want ideas let me know and ill email you the steps we used |
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a_fire_inside Newbie
Joined: 31 Aug 2003 Posts: 3 City: Canada
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Posted: Aug 31, 2003 10:06 pm Post subject: |
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main thing i need are templates, i dunno how to make a accurate one, im waitin for a response from earlygrace to get his illustrator template, if nay one else has it could they e-mail it to me? dev how did u create ur templates? |
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dev Newbie
Joined: 30 Aug 2003 Posts: 13 City: NZ
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Posted: Sep 01, 2003 5:06 pm Post subject: |
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i found it easier to get the most accurate and even board shape by making one quarter of the board in a template then just rotating it round a centreline. getting the shape for the template was a bit time consuming, i drew the shape about 1/10 the size using a compass, then took measurements along the curve and increased each measurement by 10. the good thing about only doing a quarter of the board is that atleast the shape will be even. Alternatively, just go to a board shop and tell them your going to make a board and just trace a quarter of one of the boards in the shop, the people working in board shops are normally pretty laid back. _________________ Home made wakeskates and boatless Wakeskating
http://www.geocities.com/devzon |
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a_fire_inside Newbie
Joined: 31 Aug 2003 Posts: 3 City: Canada
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Posted: Sep 01, 2003 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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ok cool thanx, i have a picture of a mutiny outline and i think i might be able to do it that way but i need to enlarge it to the right size...thanx ofr the tips tho it might help in the future. |
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wakeboarder_dude22 Soul Rider
Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 409 City: Australia
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Posted: Sep 16, 2003 1:45 am Post subject: |
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Should I glue two pieces of ply together and bend it, then glue the third piece on and bend? Or should I just glue them all and bend at once? |
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dev Newbie
Joined: 30 Aug 2003 Posts: 13 City: NZ
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Posted: Sep 16, 2003 4:07 am Post subject: |
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I have tried both ways and just glueing the three layers together at once then bending it is quicker and both have giving the same results _________________ Home made wakeskates and boatless Wakeskating
http://www.geocities.com/devzon |
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murph Newbie
Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Posts: 6 City: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Sep 20, 2003 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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A friend and I made a sandboard once (kindof in a snowboard shape) for using on the dunes on a island not too far from where I live. I know it's not a wakeskate, but the principal is the same. We used 2 layers of ply and we bent and glued at the same time. There is a good reason for doing it this way. The top layer of ply is actually going to be slightly smaller and have a slightly tighter bend (rocker) than the bottom layer. So if they're glued together right your shouldn't actually lose any of your rocker because the very ends of the board are stuck together, but the top layer is shorter, so the glue and the forces of the board wanting to "un-bend" actually keep the board bent.
We built this thing about 8 years ago and it still has the exact bends in it now as it did then. Just don't be impatient, let the glue/resin dry good and proper keeping the board clamped in place the whole time.
Hope this makes sense and also helps. |
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murph Newbie
Joined: 15 Aug 2003 Posts: 6 City: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Posted: Sep 20, 2003 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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Have a look here, looks like a sound approach.
http://www.wakeskating.com/showarticle.php?id=6
They don't actually recomend ply, they recommend multiple thin sheets (just like making your own ply). |
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wakeboarder_dude22 Soul Rider
Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 409 City: Australia
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Posted: Sep 21, 2003 1:22 am Post subject: |
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Ok, one last question. What is the best type of water proofer and should I coat the griptape with it or just the wood? |
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wakeboarder_dude22 Soul Rider
Joined: 28 Mar 2003 Posts: 409 City: Australia
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Posted: Sep 28, 2003 2:50 am Post subject: |
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Another question: I'm thinking about making some fins out of acrylic. The only problem is that they will be attached permently and if they snap it will take forever to fix. I was just wondering is a finless wakeskate really really really loose to ride because my board has pretty big fins and I'm worried I won't be able to adjust very well. What do you guys think I should do? |
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