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Building my 1. kiteboard

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Motion
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Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby Motion » Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:26 pm

Hello

I'm building my first kiteboard, and i need your opinion.
This is the model of core. I 'm planing on making core from one piece of wood. I'm deciding between oak, beech wood, and maple.
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The board core is 44 cm wide and 139 long. The tips and edges are 3mm thick and the middle rose section is 10mm thick. It will have1.5 - 2 cm rocker and 3.5mm concave.

I'm thinking of using two sheets of fibreglass (+ graphic sheet) on each side.
200 g/m2 + 236 (74+78+74+10) g/m2 three-axial. Combined 436 g/m2 (15.3 oz)

I'm wondering if that is fine since i'm using wooden core, or would 100 g/m2 + 236 (74+78+74+10) g/m2 three-axial combination (336 g/m2 or 12 oz) bi just as fine.

I' will be using vacuum baging.

BWD
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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby BWD » Tue Dec 14, 2010 10:48 pm

The wood species and the layup sound like overkill.
Use cedar or paulownia for the core and you will save a couple of pounds and lots of effort shaping really hard wood.
With balsa or foam the layup you list might be enough, though 18-20 oz is more normal.
with maple it sounds silly...
Usually lighter woods work well for most boards....
For cedar 4-8 oz glass is enough.
For paulownia maybe a bit more.....
Also, if you use those heavy woods, the board may not even float once you glass it and add fins.
Maybe the footpads would keep it floating....
For a first board I would use a cheap and easy plywood or at least a lighter softer wood.
Even if you want a tough wood, cedar is probably fine, and I wouldn't go heavier than fir or spruce. They are all plenty strong, especially compared to foam.

Motion
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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby Motion » Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:45 pm

Well the shaping is not a problem since i'm thinking of using CNC mill, but the weight is. :-? .
I might get my hands on some cedar. Need to ask around.
With balsa you gain back some of the weight with additional fibreglase you need to use.
What balsa should i use: Standard (Tensile strength around 13.5 Mpa), Heavy (20.6Mpa). or light (Mpa).

I can still lose a milimeter ot two on core thickness.

BWD
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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby BWD » Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:49 pm

Never used balsa personally, but might lean to the heavier I guess....

Motion
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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby Motion » Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:02 pm

So if i make core from 3mm ply wood. How much glass do i need on each side? (for medium flex)

The next problem i have with 3mm ply wood core are the threaded inserts. They are 6mm long. So i would need to rise the surface around the pads area. That lead me to the next idea, What if i make the central (risen) area from balsa (or some foam) and the base form 2mm or 3mm ply wood.
That way i gain some thickness for inserts and add some flotation.

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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby BWD » Wed Dec 15, 2010 11:31 pm

3mm core is too thin, would need lots of glass and be heavy and want to sink, also too flexible.
Thinnest boards I know of are about twice that thick.
For plywood boards, try using 2 layers 6mm russian birch plywood glued together to make rocker.
Or 1 layer 9mm russian birch plywood, little rocker (until you start riding it).
This plywood is cheap and stronger than thin marine ply.
No glass is needed, inserts in pockets routed into the wood.
Paint or polyurethane to seal wood.
A little heavy but easy cheap and durable gives a nice ride but not a lot of "pop"
For lighter weight and better flex use wood strips to make the core and cover with 6 or 8 ounce fiberglass in epoxy.
Wood strips should be from a wood that is not brittle and not to heavy/dense.
For riders under 100kg 11-15mm thickness between feet tapering to 3-5mm at tips gives enough strength and flex, usually. For a light rider on a smaller board, 4 oz glass can be enough, but you may want extra patches of glass around inserts....

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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby zob » Thu Dec 16, 2010 8:23 am

Stick with your design. Except, I would shorten the upper core, so it would get thinner and narrower directly after the last strap hole, also move the fin holes alitle bit toward the centre.

Motion
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Re: Building my 1. kiteboard

Postby Motion » Thu Dec 16, 2010 10:07 pm

I wonder how suited for kiteboard core would be a basswood?
It is light (not as light as cedar i think) very flexible and i think easier to get hold of, here.


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