| ozwest |
09-28-2006 9:52 AM |
James, <BR> <BR>My Integrity NT 39.75 is has a hybrid closed cell CNC machined foam core with center weight stringer system and reinforced fin blocks with a polyethylene slider base. You are correct about glass. Mine has 22 oz. triaxial weave glass (the reinforced stringer patch) that is applied during lay-up. The bottom has a total of 44 oz. of glass (the industry standard is 16 oz. bottom and top according to Integrity’s website). My NT has 22 oz. on the top and 44 oz. on the bottom. By the way…this does not make this a heavy board by any means. Way lighter than my wood deck. Keep in mind that other manufacturers might use different materials for theirs. <BR> <BR>Compression molding is a process of applying heat and pressure to a plastic resin. The resin melts due to the heat, and then the pressure causes it to form into a desired shape. This is done in a compression molding press. Usually one would use a compression molding machine and set it to the appropriate pressure and temperature. <BR> <BR>You could try to make a wakeskate surfboard style buy purchasing a foam blank (molded poyuveance foam (softer in the middle w/harder crust on the outside). These blanks come with a piece of wood (called the stringer) down the middle that gives the board strength and locks in the rocker shape. Then just draw your pattern onto the blank to form the curves on the board, giving the overall shape to the board. You can use a hand saw to cut the outline of the board from the foam blank. It’s easy to cut and then you can use an electric planer to smooth the surface of the blank. Next you’d smooth out the bottom and shape the rocker. This is where you can check and make corrections to your outline shape. If you get one side right, you can then take a piece of paper and trace the shape to do the other side. Next comes the top of the board where you shape the thickness into the blank. Time for the rails…Keep in mind that a good surfboard shaper (yes, I know a wakeskate’s smaller so it most likely would take less time) takes about 3 hours to work the rails. Shape the rails a bit, take a break, come back to check it out, shape it a bit more, take a break…make sure it’s right before you glass it. Use some sandpaper to smooth out the rough edges (planers leave cuts that need smoothing out). Paint your blank first and glass clear or add color to the resin. Take sheets of fiberglass and lay them over the blank. Mix the resin w/the catalyst or hardener and pour it over the glass. The resin hardens in about an hour. Turn the board over and glass the other side (be sure to overlap the edges). On a surfboard, this is when you’d add the fins. As for your wakeskate…time to get creative. <BR> <BR>Keep in mind that making a wakeskate “surfboard” style might be a HUGE expense and waste of time as I’ve never tried to make a wakeskate. That being said, making a wood wakeskate might be a lot easier (even if it doesn’t last as long). <BR> <BR>Good luck to you in whatever you choose to try. <BR> <BR>~M~
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