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Woodstock
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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 Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 7:31 pm Post subject: First Alaia Build-a-long |
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Alright, so here it goes.
I intend to build myself an alaia this summer. I'm probably going to begin work in about ten days, and I want to give you guys my general layout, hoping to garner some feedback or a little destructive criticism.
I'm 6 foot 4 at 210 pounds, so I intend to build a one-inch-thick 9'x18" alaia out of a bunch of douglas-fir 2"x1"s around a solid redwood stringer, coated with some tung oil [I've heard somewhere that boiled linseed oil will work too. Can anyone back this up?] and perhaps a wooden fin.
Essentially, I'm going to make myself a rectangular piece of wood, cut out the rough shape of the body, concave it and give it more definition with a belt sander, then finish off the final sanding by hand. Any response? |
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bgreen
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Location: Qld. Oz
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 3:34 am Post subject: |
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Hello Woodstock,
Have a look at the following thread as it covers some of the ground you are interested in : http://rodndtube.com/paipo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1064
As a first attempt - I'd stick with a flat bottom.
You mentioned that you have not ridden a board before - do you mean any type of board? If you haven't any surfing background - make sure you can swim & learn about waves & rips etc before you go too much further.
See also - http://rodndtube.com/paipo/forum/viewtopic.php?t=860&highlight=
If you have a surfing background ignore all the last part.
Bob |
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Woodstock
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:50 am Post subject: |
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| bgreen wrote: |
You mentioned that you have not ridden a board before - do you mean any type of board? If you haven't any surfing background - make sure you can swim & learn about waves & rips etc before you go too much further. |
A few of my uncles were in the Navy and the Coastguard- swimming is not a problem for me. I haven't ridden waves with anything except for sponges and my own belly. We were always a beachgoing family, but I never had an interest in surfing till last year. |
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OG-AZN
Joined: 27 Jul 2009
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Location: Norcal
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Poobah
Dolphin Glider
Joined: 09 Jan 2004
Posts: 696
Location: California, San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| 1x2s would be a lot of glue joints, and 9 foot is big for a first project. You could start with a 6 foot board by using fence boards. Two cedar 1x8s with one redwood 1x6 in the middle would net about 20 inches wide. Douglas fir has cracking problems, some you can't even see. |
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Woodstock
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Sun Jul 03, 2011 7:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Poobah wrote: | | Two cedar 1x8s with one redwood 1x6 in the middle would net about 20 inches wide. |
I'll probably end up doing this. I'd like to put some rocker on the board [against sound advice and better judgement, I might add] utilizing the ol' "get-the-wood-wet-and-clamp-it-to-a-form" technique. I saw a guy's nose hit the water while he was riding and he got FLUNG. I'd really, really like to avoid this.
This is, inevitably, going to be a belly board. I can't stand on a foam'n'glass surfboard just yet, let alone a finless plank. I intend to give her a pointed nose, parabolic rails, and a rounded tail, in homage to my grandfather's old, busted board hanging in his garage.
Could somebody please tell me how to figure out where to start the rocker and how severe to make the bend? I think I've seen Mr Mike attach other piece of wood to the nose and spoon it out. Does that serve the same purpose? |
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bgreen
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Location: Qld. Oz
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 2:44 am Post subject: |
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Woodsock,
You don't need a lot of rocker just a bit of lift in the nose. I'd gently build it in about 20"in from the nose with more defined lift sbout 8" from the nose. I'm thinking less than an 1" lift at the nose tip.
The guy's nose hitting the water sounds like a nose dive. These are inevitable and you will have quite a few I suspect, like the rest of us. Body posiiton, angle on the wave , type of wave caught and where in the wave you are + other factors also influence nose-diving and handlingb them. Too far back on the board and it is harder to catch a wave.
I'm curious to see a photo of your grandfather's board - especially in you are using it s a rough template.
Bob |
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Woodstock
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:56 am Post subject: |
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| bgreen wrote: | Woodsock,
You don't need a lot of rocker just a bit of lift in the nose. I'd gently build it in about 20"in from the nose with more defined lift sbout 8" from the nose. I'm thinking less than an 1" lift at the nose tip.
The guy's nose hitting the water sounds like a nose dive. These are inevitable and you will have quite a few I suspect, like the rest of us. Body posiiton, angle on the wave , type of wave caught and where in the wave you are + other factors also influence nose-diving and handlingb them. Too far back on the board and it is harder to catch a wave.
I'm curious to see a photo of your grandfather's board - especially in you are using it s a rough template.
Bob |
It's just an old busted fiberglass board. I think the story goes that he was surfing somewhere in Hawaii when the board hit a reef. He ended up knocking his head on the board instead of the reef, so he kept it because it "saved his face". |
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OG-AZN
Joined: 27 Jul 2009
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Location: Norcal
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| Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2011 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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| My unscientific method for prone boards: grasp your blank/wood where the corner of the nose will be and mark the spot where the point of your elbow hits. Start the curve there. You can shape a spoon deck & get nose lift by laminating wood layers to the nose area and carving away; it's labor intensive. Since you intend to use solid wood, it's a lot easier to water bend the wood to get some rocker. |
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bgreen
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Location: Qld. Oz
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| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:48 am Post subject: |
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Trevor,
A rough test at an airport lounge suggests your method, for me would roughly equate to 20".
Woodstock -
In addition to where to start the rocker is the amount - even very flat will work so no need to overdo the lift.
Is there a logo on the broken board or information regarding made it? Photo of a broken board is still worthwhile Send me a pm if you prefer.
Bob |
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Woodstock
Joined: 12 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Wed Jul 06, 2011 11:15 am Post subject: |
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| bgreen wrote: | Trevor,
A rough test at an airport lounge suggests your method, for me would roughly equate to 20".
Woodstock -
In addition to where to start the rocker is the amount - even very flat will work so no need to overdo the lift.
Is there a logo on the broken board or information regarding made it? Photo of a broken board is still worthwhile Send me a pm if you prefer.
Bob |
No idea who made it. The logo is a purple old-fashioned doublestick popsicle, if I recall correctly. |
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