Anyone reglass a surfboard nose with carbon fiber?

Discussion in 'Surfboards and Surfboard Design' started by Ecsrfr26, Jul 21, 2013.

  1. Jul 21, 2013 #1
    Ecsrfr26

    Ecsrfr26 Active Member

    25
    May 3, 2010
    Carbon cloth is like $5 a yard. I smashed the nose of my board, if it has to be reglassed anyway couldn't you just use the carbon under the surface?. Anyone try this or know if it can be done?

    Besides it just looks cool as ****...
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited: Jul 21, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 21, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 21, 2013
  3. Jul 21, 2013 #2
    rstoup

    rstoup Active Member

    41
    Jun 25, 2013
    I havent played around with carbon but from what ive heard its stiffer then fiber glass so itll be more difficult to wrap around the nose like in those pics. I dont see why you couldnt throw a layer of carbon on then maybe cover with a layer of 2-4 oz? You should try it and post some pics.
     
    rstoup, Jul 21, 2013
    rstoup, Jul 21, 2013

  5. Jul 22, 2013 #3
    LBCrew

    LBCrew Well-Known Member

    6,024
    Aug 12, 2009
    Carbon is stiff, and hard to laminate with around tight curves without bagging. It's also brittle, so it's not really good for impact resistance. Does look cool, though...
     
    LBCrew, Jul 22, 2013
    LBCrew, Jul 22, 2013
  6. Jul 22, 2013 #4
    Ecsrfr26

    Ecsrfr26 Active Member

    25
    May 3, 2010
    Carbon fiber is stiff and brittle in a thin flat sheet of it, but the tapes are designed with flex patterns as a breaded-like design (It's not solid carbon). I think it definitely strengthens the rigidity and pressure resistance of the board, all the major surfboard companies are using it.. Al Merrick, Rusty, Sharp eye, Lost, HS and a ton of others. You can tell just by feeling it that it's way stronger.

    A lot of the tapes are hybrids as well, like Carbon and fiberglass, or carbon and Kevlar. not just straight carbon. The tapes are flexible otherwise the tape wouldn't roll.

    There's also straight Kevlar which would be less stiff, like on the coil boards. Another thing I was looking at. I'm really just looking at it out of curiosity because it would be really good for repairs, and also make a board with a snapped off nose look almost like it came with carbon.


    http://www.shapers.com.au/products/Carbon-Fibre-Hybrid-Rail-Tape-Length-(BLUE).html

    http://www.fiberglasssource.com/sunshop/?l=product_detail&p=554
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
  7. Jul 22, 2013 #5
    AtanticO

    AtanticO Well-Known Member

    312
    Jun 25, 2013
    carbon is strongest on a curve. good sheer/compression strength when used on curves. LBcrew is right. doesn't really have the compression strength when flat you might expect. not really stronger then 6oz E-glass or 4oz S. the tail strips everyone uses are wrapped over the rail for mostly for flex and because they look cool. cool sells. kevlar/carbon tape is good too but good luck trying to work with it if your not experienced.

    if your gonna do it, get the 4oz carbon/glass tape. surfsource has it cheap. easy to wet out. tape each end so you can pull it tight and avoid wrinkles in the carbon strips. ask them to roll it not fold it. cut with super sharp scissors. dont sand the carbon.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2013
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
  8. Jul 22, 2013 #6
    Ecsrfr26

    Ecsrfr26 Active Member

    25
    May 3, 2010
    Is it self adhesive or do I need something to make it stick, or do I just lay it and laminate over it?
     
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
  9. Jul 22, 2013 #7
    AtanticO

    AtanticO Well-Known Member

    312
    Jun 25, 2013
    wet out the surface your applying it to first if it's on foam, then laminate. and/or you can give it a quick light spray of 3M super77 to stick it. then wet out tape. carbon/glass tape wets out easy. you should definitely mask off around the area you want the carbon tape to go. glass right over that, then cut along that tape edge (so careful) with a razor blade. make sure to put masking tape on the ends of the carbon strips. perpendicular to the carbon with the glass fill, or you'll end up with wiggles in the carbon strips. got all that? lol
     
    Last edited: Jul 23, 2013
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
  10. Jul 22, 2013 #8
    Ecsrfr26

    Ecsrfr26 Active Member

    25
    May 3, 2010
    Thanks for the input, I just picked up a few feet of carbon/fiberglass hybrid tape. Not expensive at all, like $2.40 a ft. We'll see how it goes.
     
    Last edited: Jul 22, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
    Ecsrfr26, Jul 22, 2013
  11. Jul 22, 2013 #9
    AtanticO

    AtanticO Well-Known Member

    312
    Jun 25, 2013
    post a pic when done
     
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
    AtanticO, Jul 22, 2013
  12. Jul 23, 2013 #10
    LBCrew

    LBCrew Well-Known Member

    6,024
    Aug 12, 2009
    Nice. Should have mentioned it earlier, but AO got you on the right track: There's carbon/S-glass hybrid cloth or tape out there, which would be ideal, because it gives you the added impact resistance. And sometimes you can get it in different carbon-to-glass ratios... I think. Not sure. But hybrid tape is definitely the way to go. Good call.
     
    LBCrew, Jul 23, 2013
    LBCrew, Jul 23, 2013
  13. Aug 31, 2015 #11
    steedly

    steedly New Member

    1
    Aug 31, 2015
    Carbon Fiber Nose Job

    These pics look nice. I'm looking into doing something like this to my 5'9" Dozer. Its missing about 3" of nose. Did you end up using Carbon Fiber? Any tips on it?
     
    steedly, Aug 31, 2015
    steedly, Aug 31, 2015