Guys,
I am currently putting some US fin boxes in a board for foiling & repairing a soft deck (non kiwi) and have a question for the experts.
How do I keep resin out of the foot-strap screw holes?
I am putting a couple of layers of glass over some of them during the repair.

Sometimes the simple stuff is the hardest

"And repairing a soft deck (non kiwi)"

sorry, can't provide any advice but that cracked me up, thanks, I needed a good chuckle.

" Glassing tip required"

When first smashing the schooner glass or bottle, hold on to the bottom of the vessel, not the top,
as this will give you a stronger piece to hold onto and give you more purchase and less chance of breaking in your hand injuring yourself.

Hope this helps.

Could you insert some some plastic/timber dowell into holes and have them protrude just above deck then work the weave around the protrusions then pull or drill out once cured.

I put tooth picks in the holes

I use board wax.
But a US box for a foil???????? how are you going to stop it from rolling? Don't trust those pegs in a Chinook strong box, I've snapped them off with a wave fin.

Don't do anything. just drill them out after. Easy !

^^^hoops being hoops im sure its sound advice, but what we do at work is stick earplugs in the hole. Let them expand, cut off the excess.

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hoop said..
Don't do anything. just drill them out after. Easy !

That was my first thought, using a centre drill.
Had a brand new Exocet board once where they drilled right through the plugs in the factory, first outing she was fooked.

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decrepit said..
I use board wax.
But a US box for a foil???????? how are you going to stop it from rolling? Don't trust those pegs in a Chinook strong box, I've snapped them off with a wave fin.

Mike, 2 US boxes boxes, one either side of the Power Box for a flange mount on the foil.

I was considering the wax but was worried about not cleaning it off the deck properly.

Just realised I will have the same problem with the boxes, keeping resin out of the slots.
If the glass is not too wet maybe not an issue & just router the slots after.

Or you masking/painter tape the slot and cut it as the resin gets hard, but while it's still tacky.

Footstrap holes, if they're machine, you plug them. I'd they're sheetmetal, resin won't drip in enough to affect inserting sheetmetal screw due to pressure inside the hole.

Wax for the straps, painters tape for the boxes.

I use nails in strap holes , pull out when jelled.
Stuff eps into slot box just under full level . Pour expanda foam to overfill . Cut and sand excess off to perfect level. That way when glassing over it leaves a perfect finish over the box. Make sure you reinforce , ( a lot ) , with hard foam around and under the boxes.

Some good ideas there. I'd be weary about using any kind of wax though.
The EPS in the fin box slots is a good idea. But again you can just leave it open . if any resin does get in it's easy to chip it out with a fine chisel.

Thanks guys, I might try the EPS in the boxes, just below face level.
Tape won't work as I want full coverage of the box faces.
As I'm using glass not carbon I can probably stick nails in the foot strap holes after layup & pull them out when gelled.
I'm reinforcing with laminated plywood between the bottom & the deck, boxes pre-glued to ply prior to installation.

Remember to chamfered the glass at the openings of each finbox.

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decrepit said..
I use board wax.
But a US box for a foil???????? how are you going to stop it from rolling? Don't trust those pegs in a Chinook strong box, I've snapped them off with a wave fin.

Even better to use some silicone sealant. It will completely seal the thread forming a plug, and then it will pop out in one piece when the resin has cured. Seal, then cover with a strip of tape. When the resin is partly cured take off the tape (you might need to use a razor blade to do so). When completely cured take off the silicon plug.

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duzzi said..

decrepit said..
I use board wax.
But a US box for a foil???????? how are you going to stop it from rolling? Don't trust those pegs in a Chinook strong box, I've snapped them off with a wave fin.

Even better to use some silicone sealant. It will completely seal the thread forming a plug, and then it will pop out in one piece when the resin has cured. Seal, then cover with a strip of tape. When the resin is partly cured take off the tape (you might need to use a razor blade to do so). When completely cured take off the silicon plug.

Nah, I wouldn't use anything that can leave a residue like wax or silicone. It's too easy to get a little bit of it somewhere you don't realise. You will then be guaranteed of a delam.

chalk

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decrepit said..
I use board wax.
But a US box for a foil???????? how are you going to stop it from rolling? Don't trust those pegs in a Chinook strong box, I've snapped them off with a wave fin.

Naish use a pair of US boxes to support their foils.

Blu-tac in the foot strap holes, doesn't react to epoxy and when you drill it with a small bit it all comes out, then counter sink the deck. Just roll up small pieces and poke them in, easy and clean!

Yeah , but the problem is finding the holes after being glassed over.

I fill all my footstrap holes and boxes with foam, then glass straight over. Easy to see the white holes then for drilling.

Love stoney's method - simple tips are great

If not in a hurry though, with a squeegee it is possible the wet out glass right up to the box slot and not have resin dribble in. Just don't pour too close, and move it slowly and carefully when squeegeeing it out....

As an aside, I do some surfboards where they want an extra layer of glass on the bottom, so going over the fin boxes requires some care. The above method of just being careful is all good - until you have to hotcoat / flowcoat with lots of resin, its gonna get in there.
So I filled Futures boxes with 2 part silicone first (being really careful on the perimeter as you don't wanna make a non-stick area!!!!)
Advantage is with careful removal later, I can use them as plugs again :)
However for a US box that's a basic shape, Stoney's foam slab jammed in is perfect. Wish I thought of it

1) Just rip up some junk mail and pack it in with a screwdriver until it's tight.

2)Install masking tape over the paper just below the the top of the boxso the tape is sticking to the side of the box thenn razor off the excess tape stick out.

3) glass over it.

4) drill hole after it dries and roter it out file the edge and your done.

In the second pic you can see that I slipped with the router ( not drilling a hole first).

I build my boxes from scratch

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stonesurf said..
I fill all my footstrap holes and boxes with foam, then glass straight over. Easy to see the white holes then for drilling.

That's what I figured, if it was carbon then it would be harder.

I'm with Hoop on the silicon, every time I use that shiz it gets on every bit of clothing, in your hair and weeks later it's still showing up everywhere

Thanks for the tips guys.
See here for the results

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/General/What-windsurfing-stuff-have-you-done-during-social-distancing?page=1#10

Surface tension is your friend when glassing over Finboxes, Mast boxes, and footstrap inserts.