I set my futures boxes too deep post lamination…

I was a bit tired when I got to routing out my fins. I ended up setting them and couldn’t get the bulk of the resin out so now my fins are locked in with a bit of epoxy over the box. Now I can’t get that clean look of black box with color resin.

 

anyway, I filled the lamination with epoxy about 2" around the boxes and was going to attempt grinding out as much resin as I can to then add some reinforcement patches.

I wanted to see what others thought I should do beforehand?

 

I also seem to do this quite a bit and most of the time can’t achieve a clean installation.  I probably need to add tape to my Malaya router to have a more solid stopping point and do test batches.

 

 

Pictures???   Are you using a Futures Install Jig with shims?   Also;  anytime you rout the hole too deep, you don’t have to set your box all the way down into the too deep hole.  Put enough resin or resin and Cabosil in the bottom of the hole to “float” the box.   Why do you have to “fill” 2" around the box.   You’re not gonna get much without pics.  You can get the clean look of a black box if you “post lamination” install done correctly.  You need to learn to set the depth properly on that Makita.

Use the jig to set the depth and then check it by routing a test hole in an old board.

I read this to mean you did the install post-lamination.   If you’re routing too deep it’s because your bit is set too long.   This is where using a piece of scrap foam to test your rout before you apply it to your project comes in.  You can fine tune your adjustment on the bit with a little trial and error.   As they say, measure twice, cut once.  

The next time this happens you can float the box like McDing said; that’s the fastest and easiest way.    Or you can do it the hard way by build up the deckplate of the boxes with a couple layers of 6oz before installing them.   It’s a pain in the ass but it does strengthen the box and make it less prone to twisting under torque.   

From where you’re at now you can do some grinding but you definitely want to stay out of the lamination - don’t grind too much.   You can use a palm sander held at an angle to trace the box but you might actually do a little better with a small sanding block and some #36 grit, sanding down the outline of the box itself without getting into the lamination.   

 

After removing the excess resin you can tape around the box and the slot, fill the dent with a couple layers of cloth (basically building the thickness of the flange up) and when it sets up you can cut the outline of your patch out like you would with a cutlap.  Now your box install is flush with the lamination.  From there a normal patch like you would if the install had gone perfectly in the first place.   

This is for when you have more time than common sense.   

It’s an added exspense and not for the guy who does only an occasional board;  But many installers in factory settings have a second router.  One router for side boxes and one for center.  I’m set up that way but still check my router before use.

Really simple.  Build up the bottom of your boxes front and rear with pieces of masking tape until you achieve the desired height.  I stick the small pieces of tape about half an inch in from the front and rear of the box.  Basically you’re creating bushings to get the box to the desired height.  Then just proceed as normal using dummy fins.

They were laminated too deep. I rushed and mixed resin instead of being smart and getting it to proper height first.  I’ll likely be grinding the resin out and doing my best to not hit any of the lam.

 

Well I’m not expecting a clean install anymore. Just a functional one at least.  I’ll do all what you recommended on the next round.

 

Yes, I have the shims and one pass install kit.  I can try to get a picture, but just imagine the fin boxes without being able to see the plastic on the box itself. The depth of the cut made it too hard to try to pull out excess resin so a lot of resin is caked over the box and I couldn’t squeegee any resin and did what I could with a paint brush.  I’ve done clean installs in the past but only at a proper glass shop so I’m sure it’s my tools not being setup right as you mentioned. Either that or the concaves In my tail are too deep.  In fact, if I just did clear resin, I’m sure it wouldn’t have been too big an issue in terms of looks.

 

 

Pics!  Because I don’t have much imagination.  I can’t imagine someone setting a box so deep you can’t see the flange.

Boy!  Like I said;  I just don’t have enough imagination to envision what you are saying.

Pics.  A picture is worth a thousand words.

If you had pulled the boxes up (ie float the box) there would not be an excess of resin.

 

Yup… lesson learned. I just dremeled out the box to the flange and put a patch that will color match my rails.

 

I’ll post back with a final result.  From here on out, if I route too deep for any reason, I’ll definitely float the boxes from now on.  I’ve done it before but for some reason I thought this would work out.

Haha, now I feel bad for not taking a before picture.  They were set too deep and I used a dark purple pigment over the black box and couldn’t see the flange as the box was fully under the resin.  Only the top of the box was visible.  But lesson learned. Every time I rush, I tend to end up having to do more work and take up more time.

We all have experience with making that mistake.  At least you didn’t get hurt with your mistake.   

According to the futures direction I read 20+ years ago you should test fit your box which allows the fin to score the sides of the foam so when you pour epoxy you get better adhesion to the cut foam. If too deep with test fit, don’t panic, you can place a small wood insert in center botton to make up difference. I make my cut 1mm deeper than necessary to allow top flange to sit below foam by a mm or less for stronger boxes… Next trick is to use MILLED FIBERGLASS mixing your resin for box placement tooth paste consistency. Have every thing ready prior to mixing resin and milled fiber. Plug fins in boxes, Cant angle jig ready to use with side fins. Slop in milled fiber/resin to bottom and flange.  Press in box with plug fin in place. If tooth paste like resin starts coming out of holes control excess with anything practicle to scrap away. Eventually you will know how much is enough without messing around with excess. Set cant with your cant jig When resin partially set up I careffully remove fin jigs, Mixup clear resin and carefully fill in recess at flang depression on bottom if necessary. 











Popsicle sticks work good for under the box in the slot.  Trim and shave.  Gives you about 1/8" per stick.

@bb30 Festool for the win! And what I’d do for a separate shaping & lamination room.  I used to go to Shaper Studios to glass to be separate and my jobs came out so much better with a clean and proper setup.

 

That was my first thought.  It’s been about two years since I last shaped and glassed a board so I was going by muscle memory and failed.  Next time!  I think I saved it after grinding resin down to give a lip for adding more cloth patches.  For my rails, I did a black / dark purple cheater coat then sanded down for a distressed look, and I’m going to be now doing that with the box patches to hide the F’k up.  :P. It’s turning out pretty good none-the-less.  Will post pictures later.

actually my shaping room is my lamination room. The pics in last post are my vac bagging room. I have three tables. the one in pic and two in my shaping laminating room. Look at Josh Martin’s IG site. He does everything in the same room. It takes patience and can be a pain when building multiple boards at a time. but totally doable. I can full on sand inside my vac bag room.especially at night. sound proof to all neighbors.  It’s not cutting corners but more like cutting cattle. I think you can sort something out on your own with some inspiration with a visit to Josh Martin’s IG account. I have had this set up for 14 years. It works for me