Composite Balsa Sandwich build.

[surfdad]

Hey Ed, I'd like to show my composite balsa sandwich build. I'm building this board for the first annual charity backyard board build off. You folks don't mind if I use up some of your bandwidth with the build pictures?

Just a sample of what I hope to have my submission come out as. This is the last one I built:

[spyder]

Wow, good work!

That looks fun to ride

[deerfield]

Hey, surfdad - Please tell us more about the handmade wakesurf board. What exactly makes it a "composite balsa sandwich?" How do you glue the pieces together and shape the board? What keeps the wood from getting water logged? Is this something anyone can do with basic tools or do I need a wood shop? I think it's pretty cool that you made this. Thanks. - Deerfield

[surfdad]

Hey deerfield,

I'll be sure to post up the entire build so that you can follow along.

In the surfboard world there is a term: "compsand" It's short for composite sandwich. The concept is that all surfboards are composite, either with foam and fiberglass as the materials or as in the case of this board eps at the core, fiberglass sandwiched between the EPS foam core and the Balsa skin and then more fiberglass on the outside.

The way this board was made is that inside is EPS foam that is shaped - so that part is just like any other surfboard. Then, I attached balsa strips along the rails.

The skins - which look a LOT like pergo flooring are arranged by hand and then a layer of 2 oz fiberglass connects it to the foam core.

Now I use a vacuum bag to connected the skin, so that's pretty advanced but I would bet that it could be done with weights and clamps so that the entire surface had uniform pressure. But the vacuum press is pretty cheap also, if a person wanted to make a few boards - I would recommend it.

Give me a few days and I'll post up some pictures of my build thread. Thanks for the interest!

[deerfield]

surfdad - Thanks for the explanation. Pictures would be great. Again, thanks! - Deerfield

[surfdad]

Hey deerfield,

I haven't forgotten about you, I just have to migrate all the pics over to photobucket so that I can post them here. Thanks for your patience!

[surfdad]

I would have pegged you for a "mitten's" kind of guy, Ed.