Prototyping aka ghetto layups

[COsurfer]

I have lots of ideas on new designs but don't want to spend $$$ to test out all my new designs so I have been building prototypes with the absolute bare minimum. My first prototype consisted of a screwed up core, Ptex sidewalls, top sheets, etc that are in my shop. A whole board built of screw-ups! Cost=$0. The board tested well, my design sucked but that's the whole purpose.

My second prototype board wouldn't be that cheap because I used up all my scraps. I decided to use the bare min.: base, edges (along the effective edge), a core that ran to the edges so I wouldn't have to use any P=tex sidewalls or tip/tail fill and no top sheet. That is about as basic of a layup as you can get short of cutting out some plywood and riding it. Proto#2 is baking right now so I can pull it out and test it later today.

Anyone else doing cheap proto layups? Other ideas, suggestions?

[twizzstyle]

You know, there's really no functional reason a ski needs to be any more complicated than what you described for your proto #2, everything else is just for aesthetics (sure you can get more complicated with materials, but whatever). I know there are a few people who have tested their presses by doing half-layups, etc. I've never done full-up prototypes, but I am always doing test pieces with small scrap pieces to do rough checks of bonding, how things will look, etc.

[knightsofnii]

yep any time we mess up we file it for further "research"
Old cores can be reworked, old bases can be "reshaped" into smaller different shapes, our old inserts suck but work fine for a proto, shoot you can even rip edges out of an old board, sandblast then reuse them.
I also still have a bunch of old printed materials i got from a factory that went under... along with extra glass, etc, when you're strictly testing shape theory, just whatever sticks together should work enough, you just reminded me about a board i've been dreaming of prototyping.

If you're testing a new sidecut on an old board... you might even be able to just reshape an existing board, lay a template over it... saw away... then route a channel into the edge in the proper spot and hammer an edge in there if you need an edge badly

[Huck Pitueee]

I'm low buget. Capped rails give more protection and a nice look. Hoping to lay up a late season board this week. My protos have no ptex or edges. They work great till you hammer a rock. Easy to fix though.

[COsurfer]

Great posts! I took proto#2 out today and it worked exactly like I planned! I got a few odd looks because the board is butt ugly but I am super stoked.

I havent tried this yet but you could use all those cut pieces of edge and butt them together along the effective edge.

[Huck Pitueee]

You can't beat being stoked while building. I think it's worth using continuous edges if you sell your test boards.

[Huck Pitueee]

Do you get a base grind or hand work it to save money?

[COsurfer]

Do you get a base grind or hand work it to save money?

I have a Grindrite that I can sand down the base and wax it. I am actually using a clear durasurf top sheet(1mm) as my base Ptex.

I am impressed you proto without edges and base!

[Huck Pitueee]

Nice thing about no edges is you can trim the board if it's too wide. My first proto is still alive for this season. It took some brutal hits and got filled with glass then sanded out. For powder I prefer to keep my split board as light as possible. Ptex & edges adds pounds.

[Huck Pitueee]

Let's see a pic of that ugly board!

[COsurfer]

Absolutely!
Notice the mismatched tip and tail with visible scotch tape holding the white ptex to the core. Also my handwritten specs in the middle for reference.

Here we have a place where the core fell off so I just layed it up anyway. That's pure epoxy

Here is the base of my core. I thought I would never use this plank so I used it as a work top. Notice the black spray paint on the core. Shes a beauty!

[Huck Pitueee]

Did you test it? How's it ride with that unique side cut? Makes me want to proto a stepped bottom to break suction in corn conditions.

[COsurfer]

The sidecut is what I was testing. The ride was perfect. I used a full rocker with a double sidecut to help with traction on icy conditions. The middle had a lot of play and stability but when pressed on ice it held tight. I have been trying to match the feel of Never Summers rocker camber base without copying it and I think I nailed it. I am going to build a few boards with the new design and have some folks test them out to make sure the boards ride as well as I think they do.

[Huck Pitueee]

That is too cool. We could be seeing the next design leap. I hope it works out for you. If it does do you patent it? How much does that cost?

[COsurfer]

I am going through the patent process for a plumbing product i invented and it is very expensive! I am not the first to come up with dual sidecut radius so I doubt its patentable.