Technology
twin tips
With modern-style tt’s ABS pressed boards are the only way to go,And when i say pressed i mean in a snowboard press not by vacuum.If you vacuum press you can only get one atmosphere of pressure this is rubbish,The board will have a low peel strength and delimitation is guarantied.With a snowboard press you are looking at a minimum of four time the amount of pressure.
With the core there are so many Materials that can be use but predominantly it will be PVC and wood.There are so many different types of these materials with varying characteristics that it is only from massive amounts of R&D that an appropriate construction can be developed.With most production boards coming out now the big hype is ‘FULL WOOD CORE’ this is great as warranties will be low, Mass production is easy and the core cost is down.The only problem with this is the boards are usually to heavy and way to soft. It is with a combination of core materials that a true performance board is created,So the construction would be selected depending on the standard and weight of the rider .
When The core has been selected and shaped be it by hand or machine the tips and sidewall materials are glued on.The inserts for fins and straps are added,Now the board is ready to laminate.
The laminate is arguably the most important stage on the board.With so many high grade materials around it is only with massive amounts of R&D that a killer laminate can be found for the selected core matirial and the riders ability and weight.With the chosen layup the board is then laminated and pressed.
With most production boards the external shell of the board will be pbt or top-sheet this will give the board an instant finish and good durability.The only down side to this method is that because the laminates are sandwiched between to plastic sheets any excess resin will be trapped giving the board unnecessary excess weight.With my high end boards i Remove the deck top-sheet and use peel-ply and breather ,This removes any excess resin .The down side for me is that the board will have to be finished by hand.
Surfboards
In the last 10 years we have seen kite-boards go from being converted surfboard back to being converted surfboards ?
For me epoxy foam sandwich is the only way forward.They are stronger,Lighter and way more durable compared to PU classic surfboards.Classic surfboards are fantastic for surfing but after two sessions using a kite look like they have been attacked by a hammer unless the deck has been overloaded with glass.With EPS & PVC foams the board can be tailored to the riders weight and style,This Combined with Carbon and other top grade materials will give the rider the ultimate confidence to push his board to a new level.
I have been making sandwich boards for well over 10 years i have used all types of materials in many different construction methods.I pretty much know all the problems that go with this construction and have worked out what will work .For my process I will Vacuum each board four times to reduce any unwanted weight and to ensure delimitation will not happen.All fittings are mounted in PVC for strength and peace of mind, The nose and tail are solid pvc for resistance against real world abuse.The board can be fitted with any fin system but i tend to go for FCS,Future or Lock-box.The board can be finished in many different ways from clear woodies to conventional spray Finnish all the boards are clear-coated and polished.