WAX

With the cardboard all in place its time I sealed the board. I paint hot wax onto the board. I then go over the wax with a hot paint stripper. This makes the wax seep right into the cardboard. Hopefully this will actually enable me to at least catch one wave with the board.

Some one mentioned to me about the story of Icarus, I like the analogy with this.

I have finally got round to covering the board with the rest of cardboard. I decided to put two layers on the bottom section to give it some more strength. Check out the Reeses pieces fins!!

I’m getting pretty excited as the sea is warming up and I had three weeks surfing over Easter so I feel the day the board touches water will be soon!!!!

I only have one more task to do before we are ready...

the skin is added

I lay the bottom of the board first. I figured this would give it some strength. But after it was glued it still felt a little to flexible so I decided to use some expanding foam to give it more strength and float.

When this dried I sanded it back to the wooden ribs. It feels a lot more stable now. And now its time for the top covering of cardboard.

Maybe I should ask Apple for sponsorship. The board is starting to feel more rigid, to the point that I wish I didn't use the foam. At least using the foam will give some float if the board turns to mush.

And the skeleton is founded and to the skin...

So this is the bones of the experiment, I'm happy with the structure. It is a little to flexible but I hope this will become more stiff with the skin....

The underside of the board is glued first, each piece is experimentally placed and then cut and then glued.

The B Box Board experiment begins...

After laser cutting the plans for a 6'5 fish the ribs are glued together...

A thin slither of pine is cut and inlaid in to edge of the ribs...

Extra pine slithers are added for extra support, I have to mention i am mostly making this up as I go along.