This channel is underrated man, you deserve more subs than this. Love the videos. Been wanting to make wooden fins for a while, so I was happy to find this 😂
@@WaveWasters i did the silicon part yesterday with some molding silicon from amazon (some italian brand) Turned out awesome ! Super easy unmolding for the actual fins, silicon is super easy to use I'm going to glass some fins this week and give them a go in the mold with some resin ! Fingers crossed i can start my own fins brand 😂
@@TheScorbut123 That's Awesome! Using better silicone would make the mold way better. What type of fin are you going to glass? Crossing my fingers for you! Its something I've thought about doing locally as well. Once you get a few a couple sets done it gets really addicting make them and at some point you have to many fins haha
@@WaveWasters im working on a twin set for my 6'2 board, i'm gonna add a second glass layer today and tomorrow i'll cast the fin base I still struggle a bit with bubbles around the edge of my fins, how do you proceed ? Maybe I should glass only one side at a time, i tried pressing with foam on both side with my lamination in a plastic wrap but it didn't quite make the trick
@@TheScorbut123 I struggle with bubbles as well. The best way to get none I've found so far is glass one side at a time. Unfortunately using epoxy and slow hardner it takes a long time to glass a fin which is why I've switched to glassing both side. Another way to get no bubbles is to create a resin halo around the wood before foiling the fin then you can just sand the bubbles out to the halo. Another option is to use glass roving and put it between the top and bottom layers of glass to create a resin halo and reduce the amount the glass as to bend. This has work well for me too. The foam press I was hoping would remove the bubbles but the pressure wasn't consistent enough across the fin and it squeezed to much resin out of spots. On my last pair of fins I tried vacuum bagging them using a Ziploc vacuum storage bag and they came out almost completely bubble free on the edge. I think using the roving along the edge would eliminate them completely or creating the resin halo pre foiling. Using a peel ply would help remove the bubbles more, I just used 6 mil vapor barrier and perferated it. Then put the glassed fins between it and then it all in the vacuum bag. A real vacuum bag would work better than the storage bags I just used what I had available at the time. When I get bubbles I just fill them with resin or ca glue, if they are small along the edge it's not going to affect the fins strength much. Most fins break at the tab, really just need the wood to be water tight.
I ran into a guy that lived in Florida doing the same thing with old G&S star fins. Those things are like gold. Would you happen to be that guy? Great content.
Thanks! That wouldn't be me, I've been to Florida but it was before I started surfing. Molding fin tabs has been around for awhile so I'm sure lots of others have similar ways of doing it.
@@joeblow1942 it would definitely work with single fins. For fcs tabs it should work however I'd be worried the tabs might not have the surface area to be strong enough but I haven't tested it yet. If you glassed the tabs heavier it should work fine.
We couldnt buy fins when I was a kid so we made them layering up glass and resin over anything and everything. Nice job on the inserts , have you done a single fin insert?
Did you ever make full glass fins? I haven't done a single fin insert yet but it would work with the same process. I'll probably make it using a different method I've been testing out.
I started a community discord server to make it easier to share photos of boards and fins everyone is making or if you just want to hangout and talk boards. The link is discord.gg/wVGTfxVN2D
Have you considered using a 2 piece, split style fiberglass mold. The molds would last forever, you could even make various canted molds. Just an idea. Cheers.
I've been using HDPE 2 part molds for several years now which works better than silicone. But it is harder to make them than silicone molds if your not use to making router jigs or have a CNC. Fiberglass 2 part molds would work well too. Dream setup would be two part aluminum molds and a big vacuum/pressure chamber. Or switch completely to resin infusion molds.
hey man i am from france and i really like what you do ! great video ! would you do a video for making a FCS2 mold instead of a futur mold ? thanks bro !
Thanks Julian! The same process will work with fcs2, you may want to reinforce the tabs with more fibreglass matte so they are stronger. I'll do a dedicated video for them in the future at some point. It just might be awhile as I can't afford to buy a set of fcs2 fins and boxes right now to make the video. I'm trying to stick to projects that I already have the materials on hand for until I can afford to branch out more for the videos.
Without some kind of mold release I was getting over 10 sets, with mold release I got more. Biggest thing was over time (several years) the mold started to stick more. I've since moved on to ridged molds that last way longer but are harder to make.
I love when that happens with channels I follow. I'm hoping to get more consistent with content over the next couple months. I'm low on epoxy right now so I need to save up to get more so I can make more boards and fins.
@@Kotooleman I don't see why you couldn't, in theory you could make a two part mold and create both sides of the fin. The only issue I can think of, is that silicone molds have some give to them. Which could deform if your not careful laying up the glass. If your careful laying the glass you could probably get a fin that's really close, if not identical. A better option might be looking into a mold made using fibreglass and resin. That way you have a really ridged mold that won't deform.
Gran invento ,pero desgraciadamente no se inglés. Habría alguna forma de incluí subtítulos? O mejor una traducción al castellano? Por otro lado podrías agregar los planos con medidas? Un saludo
No hablo español, así que estoy usando el traductor de Google. No estoy seguro de qué tan bien se traducirá. Debería poder usar subtítulos en el video y traducir automáticamente al español. Ojalá pueda cerrar la brecha del idioma Las demensiones realmente no importan para este molde en el que se vierte silicona alrededor de la pestaña de la aleta. la base solo necesita suficiente espacio para sostener la silicona para que no se deforme.
I tried cooking spray for awhile but wouldn't recommend it. If I could find a release agent that was a decent priced where I am I would use one. But usually I just our the resin in without it, It does make it harder to get the fins out but it works for me.
The wood if not properly sealed would expand and rot after some time making it hard to remove the fins or weaken them. Another material might be a good option such as aluminum but salt water a lot corrodes a lot so it limits material options. Most people making fins also make boards so resin and fibreglass are already on hand.
Try to run several layers of glass from the fin into the tabs, a couple people have told me with fcs 1 the tabs have broken when they didn't put enough glass. But definitly let me know how you make it with it! I should do another video with another technique to add fcs1 tabs to wood fins.
@@WaveWasters The first fin I made was full fibreglass and I cut the shape of a fcs 1 fin with the tabs. The tabs came out to thin and didn't match the same look as the fcs1 style. So I'm going to do the same this time , then put them into the fin jig. I made two fin devices. I'll post something
I've been using west systems epoxy(105) with the slow hardner(206), its the best resin I could get locally. Its often found at boat/fibreglass supply places. I am looking into giving Entropy epoxy a try, but I haven't used it yet so can't comment on the quality. West systems will yellow but I've had no other issues with it in any of my fins/surfboards or snowboards.
Depends on your silicone to cornstarch ratio, and how thick your mold is. I've had it cure enough in a couple hours, but I always leave it over night just to be safe. If you have a little left over in a container, you could cut into it to check it once the outside feels like it's cured.
Hello Mat, I made this and i made my first fins, they went great, but what i found is that my screw just pierced the resin and wood of one of my fins, any tips?
@@baisandy Is the roving fully saturated with resin? If there is too much air, the screw could go threw. Its hard to say for sure what happened with out seeing it so im just guessing haha. I usually just chop up left over cloth into strands and small patches then put lots of resin and mix it together. If you want to recast it sand back the area with 60/80 grit then recast the tab. It might be a little tricky to get the tab back into the mold but if your careful it should go back in.
It's lasts a multiple times, I think I get around 10-15 uses before the silicon started to break down. The silicone was also several years old. Using a casting silicone instead of kitchen/bath silicone would probably last longer too.
@@SteveGit25 you could but theres often flashing from how they make the molds on the inside which would make it hard to get the tab out. You could probably get it to work but would need to modify the box and use a lot of mold release. A better option is to mill out a two part mold out of a material like HDPE or aluminum. I've done this on other molds and it works really well. But it's a much more difficult diy project.
@@WaveWasters thanks man - last question. Do you find the mold easier to work worth then just making the fin the tab component and filing in the notches?
I haven't made bonzers yet but I've made keels and some small side bites with it. I have a video with the side bites they are like a mini keel/bronzer fins, short and long. You could make bronzers if you made a spot in the fin to get the allen key into screw. Maybe I'll try and make a set!
@@WaveWasters I was thinking what if you just had a hole at that spot? Not too big and let’s face it, you are just trying to make the board more flexible by having that option.
@@keatingcustomsurfboards185 That's what I have seen some fin makers do. From the fins I've made with holes in them I don't think that small of a hole would affect the fins performance at all. Might even be able to offset the fin from a the tab a bit and not even need the hole. Now new ideas are coming to me hahaha
That's what the adjustable arm is for. It holds the fin at the angle. Having the tab mold at zero makes it easier to set the arm for the angle you want on the fin. It's not a perfect system but for a handful of fins or one off set it's an easy way to go.
@@WaveWasters I don't know I just made one of these things and it's dope. Can't wait to make my next set. I'm remodeling a house from the 1800s and we have to replace a lot of the olde redwood so I've been able to score some choice pieces that I'll use. If I can do a good job glassing they will be super cool especially if I can put a can't on them
I think someone messaged me awhile ago saying they used poly and it worked. I'll see if I can find the message again to confirm. You could also try a more heat resistant silicone then the stuff I used.
@@aaronshrpe Ok I found it, they did use poly but I have no idea what brand of resin they used. They also did fcs tabs which is a bit smaller area being filled with resin. For future fins I don't find it takes much resin to fill the tabs so you might be alright. A tube of silicon caulk is generally pretty cheap to try. Maybe before casting a tab on a fin cast it on a scrap piece of wood to test.
This channel is underrated man, you deserve more subs than this. Love the videos. Been wanting to make wooden fins for a while, so I was happy to find this 😂
Thanks! I really appreciate that :) If you make some wooden fins let me know how they turn out! I'm always stoked to see what everyone is making.
Thank you! This video is incredible!
No problem, hope it helps you make some fins!
The long awaited video ! Very cool ! I have to finish my mold now ^^
Only the second time I've had to film it hahaha, hope this clears it up. Let me know how your mold turns out.
@@WaveWasters i did the silicon part yesterday with some molding silicon from amazon (some italian brand)
Turned out awesome ! Super easy unmolding for the actual fins, silicon is super easy to use
I'm going to glass some fins this week and give them a go in the mold with some resin ! Fingers crossed i can start my own fins brand 😂
@@TheScorbut123 That's Awesome! Using better silicone would make the mold way better. What type of fin are you going to glass?
Crossing my fingers for you! Its something I've thought about doing locally as well. Once you get a few a couple sets done it gets really addicting make them and at some point you have to many fins haha
@@WaveWasters im working on a twin set for my 6'2 board, i'm gonna add a second glass layer today and tomorrow i'll cast the fin base
I still struggle a bit with bubbles around the edge of my fins, how do you proceed ? Maybe I should glass only one side at a time, i tried pressing with foam on both side with my lamination in a plastic wrap but it didn't quite make the trick
@@TheScorbut123 I struggle with bubbles as well. The best way to get none I've found so far is glass one side at a time. Unfortunately using epoxy and slow hardner it takes a long time to glass a fin which is why I've switched to glassing both side. Another way to get no bubbles is to create a resin halo around the wood before foiling the fin then you can just sand the bubbles out to the halo.
Another option is to use glass roving and put it between the top and bottom layers of glass to create a resin halo and reduce the amount the glass as to bend. This has work well for me too.
The foam press I was hoping would remove the bubbles but the pressure wasn't consistent enough across the fin and it squeezed to much resin out of spots.
On my last pair of fins I tried vacuum bagging them using a Ziploc vacuum storage bag and they came out almost completely bubble free on the edge. I think using the roving along the edge would eliminate them completely or creating the resin halo pre foiling. Using a peel ply would help remove the bubbles more, I just used 6 mil vapor barrier and perferated it. Then put the glassed fins between it and then it all in the vacuum bag. A real vacuum bag would work better than the storage bags I just used what I had available at the time.
When I get bubbles I just fill them with resin or ca glue, if they are small along the edge it's not going to affect the fins strength much. Most fins break at the tab, really just need the wood to be water tight.
Epic set up. Thank you for doing all of the. R and D on this set up
No problem! I hope this helps other people design molds and hopefully they share what they learn. So we can all improve on our homemade fins.
I ran into a guy that lived in Florida doing the same thing with old G&S star fins. Those things are like gold. Would you happen to be that guy? Great content.
Thanks! That wouldn't be me, I've been to Florida but it was before I started surfing. Molding fin tabs has been around for awhile so I'm sure lots of others have similar ways of doing it.
@@WaveWasters
Next time you're down here message me for a surf. I'm right by the Mouse House (Disney).
@@timothytacner4865 Be awesome to go surf there sometime!
Ingenious! Thank you for sharing.😀🏄🏻♂️
Thanks! Its amazing how well it works for being something I threw together years ago.
@@WaveWasters Yeah, simple too. Love it! I guess that same method would work for any fin base, like FCS twin tabs and long boxes, right?
@@joeblow1942 it would definitely work with single fins. For fcs tabs it should work however I'd be worried the tabs might not have the surface area to be strong enough but I haven't tested it yet. If you glassed the tabs heavier it should work fine.
We couldnt buy fins when I was a kid so we made them layering up glass and resin over anything and everything. Nice job on the inserts , have you done a single fin insert?
Did you ever make full glass fins? I haven't done a single fin insert yet but it would work with the same process. I'll probably make it using a different method I've been testing out.
I like your channel 👍🏻
Thanks @dannyshapes!
Thanks so much for sharing this! It was a huge help
Glad it was helpful! Let me know how your fins turn our if you make some.
Excellent stuff👍🏻
Thanks Stephen!
100% gonna try to do one, thanks for sharing :)
Let me know how it goes!
I started a community discord server to make it easier to share photos of boards and fins everyone is making or if you just want to hangout and talk boards. The link is discord.gg/wVGTfxVN2D
Have you considered using a 2 piece, split style fiberglass mold. The molds would last forever, you could even make various canted molds. Just an idea. Cheers.
I've been using HDPE 2 part molds for several years now which works better than silicone. But it is harder to make them than silicone molds if your not use to making router jigs or have a CNC. Fiberglass 2 part molds would work well too. Dream setup would be two part aluminum molds and a big vacuum/pressure chamber. Or switch completely to resin infusion molds.
great idea! thanks for sharing
No problem, hope it helps you make some fins.
hey man i am from france and i really like what you do ! great video ! would you do a video for making a FCS2 mold instead of a futur mold ?
thanks bro !
Thanks Julian! The same process will work with fcs2, you may want to reinforce the tabs with more fibreglass matte so they are stronger.
I'll do a dedicated video for them in the future at some point. It just might be awhile as I can't afford to buy a set of fcs2 fins and boxes right now to make the video. I'm trying to stick to projects that I already have the materials on hand for until I can afford to branch out more for the videos.
Great video. How many fins set are you getting from the molds? Or how long do the mold last? Thanks.
Without some kind of mold release I was getting over 10 sets, with mold release I got more. Biggest thing was over time (several years) the mold started to stick more. I've since moved on to ridged molds that last way longer but are harder to make.
Dude I was thinking about this yesterday thanks a lot good to see some new content yeeeeeew
I love when that happens with channels I follow. I'm hoping to get more consistent with content over the next couple months. I'm low on epoxy right now so I need to save up to get more so I can make more boards and fins.
@@WaveWasters Can you just press a side fin into a silicone mold and lay fiberglass and resin on it?
@@Kotooleman Are you thinking to create a whole fin mold instead of just the tab?
@@WaveWasters exactly. Just pressing a twinny I like into a silicone mold and laying glass and epoxy in.
@@Kotooleman I don't see why you couldn't, in theory you could make a two part mold and create both sides of the fin. The only issue I can think of, is that silicone molds have some give to them. Which could deform if your not careful laying up the glass. If your careful laying the glass you could probably get a fin that's really close, if not identical. A better option might be looking into a mold made using fibreglass and resin. That way you have a really ridged mold that won't deform.
You legend
If you make some fins let me know how they turn out!
Gran invento ,pero desgraciadamente no se inglés. Habría alguna forma de incluí subtítulos? O mejor una traducción al castellano? Por otro lado podrías agregar los planos con medidas? Un saludo
No hablo español, así que estoy usando el traductor de Google. No estoy seguro de qué tan bien se traducirá. Debería poder usar subtítulos en el video y traducir automáticamente al español. Ojalá pueda cerrar la brecha del idioma
Las demensiones realmente no importan para este molde en el que se vierte silicona alrededor de la pestaña de la aleta. la base solo necesita suficiente espacio para sostener la silicona para que no se deforme.
@@WaveWasters gracias por tu interés ,salud
Do you use a release agent when making the mold or the actual resin pour? Mahalo
I tried cooking spray for awhile but wouldn't recommend it. If I could find a release agent that was a decent priced where I am I would use one. But usually I just our the resin in without it, It does make it harder to get the fins out but it works for me.
Hi. Nice video and just in time for me🤙. I am not sure I understud what do you add to the silicone.
Cheers mate.
I add cornstarch too it, it helps the silicone caulk cure all the way threw.
Why don’t you make the future/fcs base out of the wood/other material ? Instead of the resin/fiberglass ?
The wood if not properly sealed would expand and rot after some time making it hard to remove the fins or weaken them. Another material might be a good option such as aluminum but salt water a lot corrodes a lot so it limits material options. Most people making fins also make boards so resin and fibreglass are already on hand.
I am making the mould with fin tabs for fcs 1 plugs. I'll let you know how it goes.
Try to run several layers of glass from the fin into the tabs, a couple people have told me with fcs 1 the tabs have broken when they didn't put enough glass. But definitly let me know how you make it with it! I should do another video with another technique to add fcs1 tabs to wood fins.
@@WaveWasters The first fin I made was full fibreglass and I cut the shape of a fcs 1 fin with the tabs. The tabs came out to thin and didn't match the same look as the fcs1 style. So I'm going to do the same this time , then put them into the fin jig. I made two fin devices. I'll post something
great videos, I shaped up a couple of fins yesterday. what epoxy resin are you using. thanks
I've been using west systems epoxy(105) with the slow hardner(206), its the best resin I could get locally. Its often found at boat/fibreglass supply places. I am looking into giving Entropy epoxy a try, but I haven't used it yet so can't comment on the quality. West systems will yellow but I've had no other issues with it in any of my fins/surfboards or snowboards.
Great vídeo 🤙 more and less how long does it take the silicone to cure?
Depends on your silicone to cornstarch ratio, and how thick your mold is. I've had it cure enough in a couple hours, but I always leave it over night just to be safe. If you have a little left over in a container, you could cut into it to check it once the outside feels like it's cured.
Hello Mat,
I made this and i made my first fins, they went great, but what i found is that my screw just pierced the resin and wood of one of my fins, any tips?
Did you add fibreglass to the front of the tab wear the screw goes? also sounds like your your resin has not fully cured.
@@WaveWasters i did put some fibres, maybe i should put small patches and not put “rope”
@@baisandy Is the roving fully saturated with resin? If there is too much air, the screw could go threw. Its hard to say for sure what happened with out seeing it so im just guessing haha.
I usually just chop up left over cloth into strands and small patches then put lots of resin and mix it together.
If you want to recast it sand back the area with 60/80 grit then recast the tab. It might be a little tricky to get the tab back into the mold but if your careful it should go back in.
Do you have to make a new mold each time you do a new pair of fins or does the mold lasts a few rounds?
It's lasts a multiple times, I think I get around 10-15 uses before the silicon started to break down. The silicone was also several years old. Using a casting silicone instead of kitchen/bath silicone would probably last longer too.
@@WaveWasters couldn’t you just use a fin box w a solid screw rather then making a mold or that wouldn’t work?
@@SteveGit25 you could but theres often flashing from how they make the molds on the inside which would make it hard to get the tab out. You could probably get it to work but would need to modify the box and use a lot of mold release. A better option is to mill out a two part mold out of a material like HDPE or aluminum. I've done this on other molds and it works really well. But it's a much more difficult diy project.
@@WaveWasters thanks man - last question. Do you find the mold easier to work worth then just making the fin the tab component and filing in the notches?
@@SteveGit25 do you mean like laying up a bunch of layers of glass vs using a mold for the tab?
Have you made a Bonzer type set up with this yet? If so how did they turn out?
I haven't made bonzers yet but I've made keels and some small side bites with it. I have a video with the side bites they are like a mini keel/bronzer fins, short and long. You could make bronzers if you made a spot in the fin to get the allen key into screw. Maybe I'll try and make a set!
@@WaveWasters I was thinking what if you just had a hole at that spot? Not too big and let’s face it, you are just trying to make the board more flexible by having that option.
@@keatingcustomsurfboards185 That's what I have seen some fin makers do. From the fins I've made with holes in them I don't think that small of a hole would affect the fins performance at all. Might even be able to offset the fin from a the tab a bit and not even need the hole. Now new ideas are coming to me hahaha
Looks cold. Where are you?
Northern Atlantic, the water gets pretty as cold almost as cold as it can get in the winter.
👏
🏄
You forgot the degree of angle on a future fins tab
That's what the adjustable arm is for. It holds the fin at the angle. Having the tab mold at zero makes it easier to set the arm for the angle you want on the fin. It's not a perfect system but for a handful of fins or one off set it's an easy way to go.
I don't know if it's possible but you need to get a patten.
Like downloadable plans for the mold?
@@WaveWasters I don't know I just made one of these things and it's dope. Can't wait to make my next set. I'm remodeling a house from the 1800s and we have to replace a lot of the olde redwood so I've been able to score some choice pieces that I'll use. If I can do a good job glassing they will be super cool especially if I can put a can't on them
That sound like it would make some beautiful fins!
They are dope. Thanks man.
@@bkw4662 Awesome glad they turned out! if your on instgram send me a photo Id love to see them. @wavewasters
Anybody used polyester resin? I’m a bit cautious about heat generated from catalysing the resin damaging the mold.
I think someone messaged me awhile ago saying they used poly and it worked. I'll see if I can find the message again to confirm. You could also try a more heat resistant silicone then the stuff I used.
@@WaveWasters Sweet mate, Cheers
@@aaronshrpe Ok I found it, they did use poly but I have no idea what brand of resin they used. They also did fcs tabs which is a bit smaller area being filled with resin. For future fins I don't find it takes much resin to fill the tabs so you might be alright. A tube of silicon caulk is generally pretty cheap to try. Maybe before casting a tab on a fin cast it on a scrap piece of wood to test.
@@WaveWasters You legend! Cheers mate, I've just gone out to grab a tube so will be trying it out over the next few days. Thank you for this!
@@aaronshrpe No problem! Let me know if you have any issues with the poly resin so I can take notes and pass it on to other people that ask about it.