Can any board repair gurus out there advise if this heel compression repair is likely to work - any tips before i fk it up completely?






The plan is to set it in place with a thick epoxy/ glass powder mix, sand it flat and put 1 or two layers of 6 oz glass over the top with ~2 or 3 inch overlap around the hole

I suspect the plug is just gonna push straight through the bottom of the board first jump.

(The bottom skin is undamaged and plug is about half the thickness of the board)

I guess i need a weak resin mix otherwise the whole thing will melt into a sorry mess... not too sure on this

Cheers folks

having been through a few of these boards myself I can only say live with the heel dents as strengthening one part of the board weakens the rest,

Heel dents arnt that much of a big deal. If it was delaminating, better to drill some anchors.

Anyway, may as well go ahead with your plan and see what happens. Get your epoxy mix correct, maybe do a test batch if you have enough. Don't use solarez for a job like this.

Make sure you get all the air out. Find someone with a vacuum setup? Bubbles are bad.

Cheers guys. Cosmetic Heel dents werent the problem, it was more heel crush through the top deck plus mashed foam / waterlogging underneath.

Good point on the air bubbles ill read up on this

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beefarmer said..


The plan is to set it in place with a thick epoxy/ glass powder mix, sand it flat and put 1 or two layers of 6 oz glass over the top with ~2 or 3 inch overlap around the hole

I suspect the plug is just gonna push straight through the bottom of the board first jump.

(The bottom skin is undamaged and plug is about half the thickness of the board)

I guess i need a weak resin mix otherwise the whole thing will melt into a sorry mess... not too sure on this

Cheers folks

Are you gonna put a pad back on it?

You could just fill up the hole with PU foam (2 pack isocyanate and polyol that you will find at Kirkside in Osborne Park) let it expand and sand it down, then laminate on top. Density is quite high so I don't think compression will re-appear on patched up area.

Not sure what you mean by a weak resin mix? The ratios are the ratios, you can't change them without compromising the polymerisation. You want to avoid exothermic reaction which could occur if you leave your resin in the pot for too long or if you pour a large qty to fill up a large hole or gap.

You could also secure that plug using gorilla glue. It will expand and fill up the voids. Plenty of shapers use this for installing pvc reinforcements into lighter cores.

Let us know how you go.

Cheers livit

yes ill stick a pad back on it so wont see it crack haha

you're exposing how little i know about epoxy mixes, i thought you could put less catlyst in to get a slower reaction and less heat generated. but i guess not.

gorilla glue sounds good, might give it a shot

Beefarmer...
JIC .....
To avoid v.hi exothermic results, you want to use less of the epoxy resin in the volume you need - check out Q-cell or its equivalent... this is a v.fine powder of glass balls (Wear a mask do not want to breath it is very light) you can double or triple (and more) the volume. When using this mix in well to wet the surface of the Q-cell. This cuts down on the exothermic reaction - it does not stop it but spreads it out so it does not get as hot. Result is still strong but much lighter - I have used multiple times on nippers paddle boards - the perfect filler.
Cheers
AP

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AquaPlow said..
Beefarmer...
JIC .....
To avoid v.hi exothermic results, you want to use less of the epoxy resin in the volume you need - check out Q-cell or its equivalent... this is a v.fine powder of glass balls (Wear a mask do not want to breath it is very light) you can double or triple (and more) the volume. When using this mix in well to wet the surface of the Q-cell. This cuts down on the exothermic reaction - it does not stop it but spreads it out so it does not get as hot. Result is still strong but much lighter - I have used multiple times on nippers paddle boards - the perfect filler.
Cheers
AP

Plus 1 for Q-Cell, I've used it to repair nipper boards and surf boards.
Beefarmer: I'd mix a batch of Q-Cell & Resin using the manufactures ratios, pour it into the hole and push your plug in so the Q-Cell paste comes out the sides, smooth out with spatula then let it dry. Follow up by sanding back into shape and reinforce with a couple layers of glass patches in increasing size.

Sweet as, i was planning on using qcell but couldnt remember what it was called

Ill make it a thick mix to keep the heat down

Cheers

+1 for qcell.

You also should have a larger piece of high density foam in top, and feather out about an inch around the hole then stick the hd down over the top (ideally under vacuum, but clamps will do).

Then sand it back flat, then glass over the top ( again overlapping about an inch).
Check out boardlady.com/repairmenu.htm for more...

Hi mate
In regards to the Qcell mix and foam block all good but I have had the block lifting up as it's curing.
Counter weight or place the board on a bench and wedge a piece of timber above to prevent the foam block rising.

If its styro always always do it on a falling temp so air escaping is not an issue. ie: sunset

No need for vac on small repairs, and the air bubbles will rise thru the resin mix anyway. Plus the stryro is full of air between balls so who gives a crap if the q-cell and resin mix has a few bubbles. If it blows your skirt up, pop them after half an hour ish with a stick and let it settle again.

You will get a way better result if you use a piece of corecell / divinycell about twice that size and feather it out as far as you can.... at least an inch of scarf joint. Should be bigger than the styro you replaced. Then, glassing over is bigger again and also feathered in.

Use the slowest hardener you can get for that first inserting stryro with q-cell butter ..... it can till get hot on cure with a slow resin and warm temps. If you can feel any heat at all after 30 - 90min throw a bag of frozen peas on it - might just save your board if you have a runaway hot cure.
Biggest tip there is to minimise void filling - nice fit all around. Looks like you aced that

Glass over with a plastic squeege scraper not a paintbrush.

Never ever listen to Bunnings people as soon as you say fibreglass or surfboard they will advise you incorrectly