Hey LMG

[Scotty]

I do not know if you are willing to give up some trade secrets, but seeing I have some Russian Ply hanging around, could i use it to make a board out of. And if I can, what would I use to seal it? I have three routers, assorted bits and a grinder.

[elli]

Depends on the type of wood and the layout of the ply. Generally you should be able to, but ply boards can end up easily too stiff or too flexible. It also requires work to get the flex only in the tips like most commercial boards. Having a router is very useful.

Seal you can go a few ways:
Cheap ñ Polyurethane or Urethane.
Fancier ñ Marine Varnish
The works ñ Epoxy or Epoxy with fabric.

Big issue with wood boards is that if not properly sealed, they suck water, become soft, distort and so on. The softer finishes are very vulnerable to scratches and dings that let the water go in.

What's interesting about the light wind wood boards is that they all work somehow for planning in light wind and even going upwind, but if you want to make them good in any other aspect then it starts being a lot of work, trial and error. If you basically take a square piece of wood and put straps, it will go. That's actually was my first proto, plain square with slightly rounded corners. They are called doors for a reason :)

Picture of version 3, version 4 is now in process: https://www.bayareakiteboarding.com/alb ... ?pic_id=12

[knyfe]

... but handle already on ...

The best seal is Epoxy form my experience. Make your board flexible and then stiff it up with one layer of glass on the bottom and top. I ended up with two layers of thin wood with glass around.

G

btw I would give away my old plywood door if you are light and on the plan of a light wind board.

[elli]

... but handle already on ...

Good eye :)
V3 I actually built from V2, so I left the handle on in the process. Makes things easier to handle when its wet and sticky or when there is a lot of dust. You can mount the hardware in the beginning or the end, I like the handle to be on from the beginning to make handling easier.

So you got a real door? How do you like it?

[knyfe]

So you got a real door? How do you like it?

Lighter, thats the biggest +, otherwise I removed the 2 out of the 4 fins right away as it was like a board I did years ago with an aluminum L-profile as fin throughout the hole board... like on "on tracks". Dont like the pads and straps that much as I also bought a wonderful 130 from skywalker with perfect everything. I am sure we will meet us in the wintertime in Alameda. You are always welcome to take a ride. G

[Scotty]

It appears that you have two layers of plywood on top of each other. The bottom piece appears to have a rounded bevel to it. The top piece really has a sharp edge and appears to sit inside the profile of the bottom piece. The bottom piece appears to be 1/2" ply the type you make drawers out of. The top piece is 1/4"? But that seems too thin to make such a sweet edge as you have done.

[Scotty]

Actually, I think I have it backwards. The bottom is 1/4" and the top is 1/2" After you soak it to bend it, how long do you usually wait until you seal it?

[elli]

Actually the whole thing is one piece of 1/2 inch 9 ply sheet that was thinned using a router. I had to build a jig that hold the router above it and move it on rails, so I can carve plain and even surfaces. You can get similar results by gluing thinner pieces of ply together on top of each other with less work.

The lengthwise rails are routed to 4mm to get thin rail. Thinner rail will have better grip, but also tend to skip more when you are powered and when you slide the board. Big round rail slides cleaner, but has less bite.

The surface close to the tip is about 1/8 inch. It is very flexible. The board is made of Baltic birch, which is very stiff. With other types of wood like pine and fir I would not go that thin. I think with fir or marine ply (which is I think okume) you should be around 1/4 inch, but no first hand experience.

I think I went just a little bit too far with the flex tips, they should probably be 1/2mm thicker.

There is also a gradual slope from the footpad to the tip. You can see in the picture the layers of ply in the slope as different colors.

After the rocker comes out OK one or two hot days in direct sun will dry the wood. Unfortunately San Francisco is not as hot as the rest of the area, everything takes more time. You can also avoid rocker altogether and speed construction up a lot.

PM me with email address if you want more pictures.

[Scotty]

The rails in that picture definitely look like my new board by Aggression "Barn Door". It has the same characteristics you described. A nice thin rail with bite!! It looks like you tapered the tip because it tapers from 1/2" to 1/8" by using part router then part grinder/sander? Baltic birch is what I use to Dovetail drawers.

[elli]

I built a jig that the router slides on above the board. When the router slides on the jig right/left or front/back, its moving on a surface. This way I move it across the board and it carves a straight even surface. This is how I do the angle from 12mm to 4mm, and the 3mm thin rail. It makes accurate surface and all you need to do is finish sand. It sounds complex, but its so primitive you will laugh when you see it.

@ thin rails ñ thinner toward the tip better, so the center of the board looses grip before the tail. But if you really have to squeeze every bit of bite for the light wind ability, it has to be thin all the way. Keep in mind that thin rails from wood are fragile.

Out of curiosity, why do you need another board like that if you already have a barn door?