I saw this picture on Matt Biolos’ Instagram the other day and although it is beyond my realm of expertise, it sparked my interest:
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“The future? Polycarbonate shrink wrap over hand [s]haped PU blank. See it. Believe it.”
What do you guys think?
I agree with what ur saying yuicycle… I dont think a cheaper board is a problem as long as the profit remains the same,and if you can make that profit quicker and easier then thats a good thing too. Cheaper boards might result in greater sales numbers. If people are happy to buy plastic boards, then why not get them locally, the local shapers will have to get over their aversion to plastic but if theres $$ to be made, why not?
The world has moved on from glassed boards. Its a shame but thats the way it is and always will be. But there will always be a market for handmade boards, just an increasingly smaller market.
Heres a really simple explanation vid…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maH5Ech0wK8
Now tell me thats not the quickest way to glass !
I see this as a benefit for local small shaper being able to be more competitive while able to lower the retail cost but still make the same profit. like cnc shaping machine, not every shaper need one in there shaping bay. All a shaper have to do is bring there shaped blank(cnc cut or hand shape) to the guy who owns a vacuum forming machine and have it made within minutes. Plus with current instant gratification type of consumers, being able to create a ridable custom shape within hour(s) while keep the cost low is a benefit. Why would a consumer buy a oversea popout while a custom board can be make to their specification while keeping the price competitive. That is why BIC surfboard can still manufacture their board in France while other big companies have move to oversea.
This method sounds interesting/exciting but I guess you are totally relying on the core for strenght and twang, might suit composite boards better?
But it comes back to the problem of making a more automated, easier and cheaper process which only further de-values the surfboard as a consumer item as any ‘tard’ with a computer and money for start up can have a go. The experienced surfboard ‘craftsman’ or ‘tradesman’ just become a further distant memory.
How much does a vacuum forming machine cost? I’d imagine that it might skew your cost estimates surfoils?
Here’s another thought, why would you want to work 12 hour+ days and not go surfing because you’re on the plastic machine trying to pump out $75 boards to fill the shelves at Target so the ‘lads’ can get a cheap deal and you can make ends meat whilst putting other people out of a job? Or develop the idea and send it to China?
Seems like the similar stupid mentality of going to a third world country with a perfect uncrowded wave, it’s basicly free to stay anyway but then setting up a surf camp to fund you’re own selfish lifestyle whilst crowding/ruining it for the exact purpose of going there in the first place???
Louis, I have considered the problem of bonding the plastic skin to the core but I think that once the hot plastic is vacuum formed…and then it cools… and shrinks… I think it will grab onto the blank in a highly intimate manner that wont require any adhesive.
Considering that the thin plastic will be sucked onto the blank and then when it cools it will shrink even further, Im thinking that even with a shrinkage of 2% as it cools, its not going to need any glue. The blank might even be in peril of being crushed as the shell contracts !
I reckon its one of those things that could be pondered for ages but a few experiments will show whats needed.
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For the guys new to vacforming, its simple.
Theres 2 processes involved…
Heating then Vaccing
Or softening the plastic and then sucking in onto a mold.
Or Thermo and then Forming… hence thermo-forming.
Heres a small setup but totally capable of being replicated to do surfboards.
The plastic sheet is held flat in a rigid frame. The plastic sheet is usually about .5 mm thick, or about .02 of an inch, so its very light and thin.
Its held over a heating element / table on the right until the plastic softens.
The frame and the plastic is then flipped over onto a vacuum table on the left, where the mold is waiting. For a surfboard the ‘flipping’ would be done along the longitudinal sides.
The plastic sheet covers the mold and is sucked down over the mold by the vacuum pressure from below.
Due to the heat and the vacuum, the plastic skin forms to the shape of the mold and when it cools it retains the shape of the mold.
I did a bit of this thermo forming about 4 years ago but not of the scale of a complete surfboard.
Ive got the oven setup to do the test samples but I need to build a vac table or similar.
One of my friend in OZ as been working on this for a while and he said that he get big trouble with bond. the polycarbonate doesnt bind to the foam. you get a loose core in a shell. maybe with some sort of cement before the vac?
this is a good idea but you really need to have the core fuse to the shell dont you think?
please elaborate about this problem, its interesting how this could be solve with everyone ideas.
also polycarbonate can be soften at 130d at .5mm so maybe it would wprk with EPS. search on google for LExan catalog. its has the whole process from vaccum forming to oven to repair. i cannot attach it because its too big.
Oven for this are not so expensive.
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