EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
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EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
Had a buddy give me some carbon to try out - built this board this weekend.
2 lb eps - i dont know the specs on the carbon.
6'0 x 18.5 x 2.25 
appears to be unidirectional - looks like a weave till you look up close - the cross weave is not carbon.......
feels like snake skin! 
tape off the blank top and bottom rails and sprayed a dust of adhesive spray for the carbon to stick to (thanks greg loehr in the swaylocks archive!). when i laminated them, i folded the carbon up on the deck and brushed on resin to the foam rail, then folded the carbon back down and brushed some resin on top, then squeegee 
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Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
cut the laps....man was this a bitch! the carbon actually cut really well but it was really hard to get it to bend for me to put my razor blade in the crease between the foam and the tape. i tried to put multiple layers of tape to build up a ridge to use as a 'blind' guide but it was not thick enough to show through. a lap cutter would be the ticket, but i like to taper my cuts so that wouldnt work for me.......
sink some boxes....bottom cut lap got gnarled up some because i taped it off right on the bottom rail edge.....
laminate.....2x4oz bottom 3x4oz deck only lap one layer each side (already plenty strength/stiffness from carbon rail)
http://grasshoppersurfboards.blogspot.com/
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
hot coat sand and pinline over my jagged up cut
voila!
carbon rail looks pretty sweet! holographic in the sun! lets hope it give a sweet sweet ride - good flex with loads of springback - thats the idea! i think this carbon tape might be a little bulky - board may be kinda stiff - only one way to tell! i will give a ride report in a couple weeks hopefully!
http://grasshoppersurfboards.blogspot.com/
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
Looks sick - was thinking of giving something like this a go. Do you have finished pics? I also thought of maybe tapping the carbon in place then cutting it to rail shape before glassing so as to skip cutting after lam when it is so hard???? Could this work? Aloha
Re: [chrisupp] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
you could do that - but it would be really hard to get a clean edge - the carbon seemed to fray very easily and then the fray mixes with the resin to leave nice black smudges. this was my first attempt so i am no expert - anyone else try something like this with/without tape off and want to share some tips?
Quote:
Looks sick - was thinking of giving something like this a go. Do you have finished pics? I also thought of maybe tapping the carbon in place then cutting it to rail shape before glassing so as to skip cutting after lam when it is so hard???? Could this work? Aloha
http://grasshoppersurfboards.blogspot.com/
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
After much frustration with several solid pigmented cut laps I now use my rail band marker and adjust for the thickness of the lam. Your board looks sweet! Can't wait to hear how it rides.
Aloha, Mahana
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
Very cool looking. Nice shape. What glassing schedule did you go with? what was the final weight?
Re: [llilibel03] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
laminate.....2x4oz bottom 3x4oz deck. only lap one layer each side (already plenty strength/stiffness from carbon rail)
no scale - probably about same weight as really lightweight poly. carbon rails added about as much weight as a single stringer would have.
came out a good bit lighter than a perimeter stringer with same foam and glass job and similar volume - but the perimeter stringers were 1/8 ply and it was a quad (extra fin) and i used proboxes -and those things are heavy as a mother......
Quote:
Very cool looking. Nice shape. What glassing schedule did you go with? what was the final weight?
http://grasshoppersurfboards.blogspot.com/
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
Great looking board GH. So, whaddya think? Want to do another one? I've made three CF railed boards, and am pretty sure I have that out of my system! I think you'll love the way it rides though.
Re: [surfthis] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
Looks great, and I'll ditto about cutlapping carbon being a bitch. I didn't have any trouble lifting and cutting it, just did it at the right time in the cure cycle, but MAN was it hard staying on that tapeline!
www.compsand.com
Re: [grasshopper] EPS/Carbon Rail Build Photos
thanks guys for the compliments.
i am more excited to ride this new one than any other board i have made in a while.
i have a feeling that when all my buddies see this one, they are going to want one too...........
going out west next week - going to spend some time in the big sur wilderness and hope to catch a few waves on this one!
http://grasshoppersurfboards.blogspot.com/