RAMPANT wooden surfboard part 8: Laminating the deck to the first frame panel, with video

With the deck laid on the rocker jig, all frame and block positions marked on it, a coat of resin to seal the inside and a nylon patch laminated on, the glue is spread first on the rail area. 

Red tinted glue is being used so that the panel lamination lines show as red pinlines on the finished board. The glue is 4:1 epoxy with WEST system 401 glue powder, powdered water based paint and some paulownia wood flour. This makes a resin with a very smooth consistency.

Next glue is extruded via a ziplock bag on to the frame positions.

The grain pattern of the 'flat cut'or horizontal granied wood can be seen here. Flat cut was chosen for the deck as it withstands foot pressure better, 'quarter sawn' or vertical grain is used for the bottom as it is able to be shaped more accurately.

Here's the deck ready for the frame panel... time is short for the next task due to the short pot life of the glue mixture. The approximate plan shape of the wooden surfboard to be can be seen here, the actual plan shape is two inches narrower at twenty seven inches , and will be seen when the finished blank is trimmed.

The two panels are now as one under a tonne or more of bricks... or will be once the glue has cured. Three quarters of an inch of bottom concave has been bent into the panels, this will be about half an inch once the surfboard is shaped. As can be seen the rail bricks are tipping inwards due to the bend in the jig battens, which are laid on their flat to allow them to bend. Weight is added until the desired curve is tortured into the battens and panels. Concave will not be permanent until all of the five panels are laminated together.

The diagonal planking in the deck panels lessens the slight chance of them cracking under tension lengthways as they bend to the concave.

Compared with the pintails the round tails pick up waves faster and accelerate faster on takeoff due to more area and volume back there, as well as the fact that they can mount bigger 6 and 8 inch diameter tunnels for more lift.  There's a difference in the turning response too, which is a bit hard to describe... the tail of the round tail stays high upon the plane during turns unlike the pinny displacement tail which is designed to submerge under pressure, so it's  smooth and fast through tighter turns, and requires a tad more turning force from the rider. I don't know which I like best, actually I like them all best.