tblank:
I promised Wouter to make a XPS Build Tread a while back.
Its been some time since I was building XPS on a regular basics.
When CLARK FOAM shut their doors we were all scrambling for blank material and looking for alternate builds.
EPS/EPOXY was displayed at CERRITOS COLLEGE by Greg Lohr.
In the SURF GHETTOS of HB there were blanks popping up in XPS.
Since everyone in the board building business was used to a certain way of building a board there was a learning curve of adjustments to make.
XPS was so difficult (GASSING, DELAM - actually is was SHEARING, MELTING) for CNC they would melt and clog the cutter-head.
So with all the production difficulty XPS production died a quick death.
I gambled in the beginning and bought several truck loads of billets to make blanks.
We built hundreds of them and they were selling at first to various board builders on a regular basis in the begining.
However most shops could not manage XPS. (Slowed down production)
JAVIER (XTR) does a fantastic job of laminating XPS. (He knows how to deal with it)
He may be the last shop still making them (OCEANSIDE)?
I have a few of the original SURF CORE XPS Billets in my storage unit and a few construction grade XPS in my CNC room.
As promised I will document a XPS build with photographs of the progression.
The following 9 STEPS are what I’m thinking?
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Design
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Blank Build
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Stringer and Rocker
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Shaping
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Glassing
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Fin Box Installation
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Hot Coat
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Sanding
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CARE
If I missed something just let me know?
I will start putting something together today for the next two weeks.
It’s been a while since I use to build them however it’s worth the re-visit.
If you respect a few of the nuances you can make a nice board.
Kind regards,
surfding