Forums > Stand Up Paddle Foiling

Making epoxy foil wedge

Reply
Created by Seajuice > 9 months ago, 16 Apr 2019
Seajuice
NSW, 907 posts
16 Apr 2019 1:49PM
Thumbs Up

I was going to make a mold out of plasticine then thought I could make one easy out of cardboard.
I found a sheet of that plastic type of cardboard used for signs so its water proof. But I think ordinary cardboard will work.
So I traced out the foil plate. Then drew a rectangle around it & then another one about 20mm around for the walls of the mold. Then cut it out.
Then with permanent marker I marked inside the thickness end of the wedge. I wanted 4mm so marked 5mm as the other thin end would be 1mm.
Next folded the walls up & taped all around to hold in place. Then double taped the corners to make it leak proof.
Then coated the inside of the mold with vaseline to stop epoxy sticking to mold.
I used some pieces of offcut fibreglass matting for reinforcing but probably not needed. Saves on using to much epoxy I suppose.
Then put a wedge under one end of the mold which would be the thin end of the wedge for adjusting height.
Then poured some of the epoxy in to just cover the the bottom of mold. Then layed matting over that & then more epoxy over the matting & enough to get the desired thickness needed at the 5mm end. Used a flat stick to pat down & wet the matting.
I then used a level over the mold to ensure the width was level.
After the epoxy cured by the next day I removed the tape & unfolded the walls and the wedge came away easily. So I can reuse the mold again if needed.
I then traced out the mount plate over the wedge & cut out the shape a bit wider to help with adjustment when lining up the bolt holes.
I then filed off all the rough edges & sanded over the wedge to get rid of any high spots. Then drilled the holes. And that's it.













anders884
54 posts
16 Apr 2019 4:11PM
Thumbs Up

Nice one! well done.
Definitely have some glass fibre in there, as the epoxy can be hard but chatter if dropped.

I hope to get an old cutting board milled down in a CNC machine.
Hmm, could this be the holy grail to catch those bumps...

Seajuice
NSW, 907 posts
16 Apr 2019 6:43PM
Thumbs Up

Thanks Anders884. Actually the thin half of the wedge was quite flexible when I was filing & sanding it. It bent out of shape. But was easily flattened back in shape when I layed it flat on a tile to sand over it. I also put it out in the sun for half an hour on the flat tile to heat it up a bit. I think it will harden up a bit more over the next few days. It doesnt really matter to much as it will be clamped down anyway.
Just have to store it flat.

colas
4986 posts
16 Apr 2019 8:02PM
Thumbs Up

Select to expand quote
anders884 said..
Definitely have some glass fibre in there, as the epoxy can be hard but chatter if dropped.


Glass fibers or microspheres. The strength of a microsphere+epoxy composite mix is quite impressive, especially in compression.



Subscribe
Reply

Forums > Stand Up Paddle Foiling


"Making epoxy foil wedge" started by Seajuice