vac pressed snowboard

[ww]

Hi all,

Been reading for the last couple of years, thought it was time to give something back.

Obligatory logo concept:


More details on the build:
Will be constructing a fully adjustable camber/rocker jig. This should enable me to build a huge variety of boards and should even be long enough to accomodate skis as well. I might end up going for a full press, it just depends on the reliability and practicality of this first 'experiment.' I've done a fair bit of vacuum work in the past, so I'll just stick to what I'm comfortable with for now.

I'm fully confident I'll be able to build something which I can at least ride and hopefully teach myself how to snowboard properly on.

I'm also trying to improve my steel working ability, so anything which requires precise measurement and processing is a good thing! When/if the base of the first board comes out dead flat I'll know it has been a job well done....

Got the bamboo, glass, resin, edges and base. Just need to jig up now.

Stoked,
Will

[ww]

Spent more than enough time procrastinating on this, plus the snow down here in NZ is a big motivating factor to get some boards rolling! Welded up the frame for my camber/rocker jig. Also included some abstract shots of the top half (currently under a vehicle hoist).

The jig itself should let me press a variety of rocker/camber combinations, allowing for more versatility than fixed moulds. That's the theory anyway...





Stoked!
Will

[ww]

worked during the day and yesterday evening. Cutting and threading the threaded rod turned out to be a bigger job than expected, got things going in a semi production run style towards the end .




Next is the router bridge.

[ww]

Progressing slower than I expected, a few minor hurdles to jump over, but loving it all the same!

[ww]

More work completed on the build. Starting to get the hang of all this metal fabrication business. Completed the rails for the router bridge today, just have to make the bed up. I'm planning to use 50mm of MDF with some channels for vacuum hold down.

I've seen some of the guys on here use some rubber membrane inbetween the table surface and the core. They also use it on joewoodworker.com from memory. I'm guessing it helps to prevent air leakage, but is it necessary?

Hopefully I can be pressing by the weekend, but might need allow a bit longer for fabricating the edge bender and sourcing the rest of my consumables (release sheet for layup and vac bag consumables)... also thinking about constructing a heat box for the camber jig, but I might save that for build number 2 at this stage. Need to get up the mountain and test!!




Stoked,
Will.