Surfboard Fins for Thruster

thingiverse

I decided to create my own custom surfboard fin by glassing it onto my board instead of using pre-made designs or systems. I chose a total hack amateur design that didn't require high-level thought, and added a tab for easier glazing. Initially, I planned to incorporate Future Systems technology into my fin's design, but ultimately decided to skip it in favor of simply gluing the fin on, which made the process more straightforward. The fins I currently use are 6.5mm thick, whereas this print comes out at only 4.5mm - ideally it should be closer to 5.5mm for optimal results. To make do with what I had, I rescaled my design but am now planning a better one to post soon. The picture shows my current Future Systems fin right next to one of the printed fins I glassed in; to learn how to complete this process check out the provided instructions below. As for improvements, I noticed that the initial fin is somewhat on the small side and also excessively flexible - perhaps shifting the thicker section towards the front would improve overall performance. This design will likely continue evolving with my postings going forward. Instructions: Firstly, scale up your design according to personal preference - be sure to also scale the thickness depending on the glass you intend to use. Using Sun Cure UV epoxy along with 4oz glass fabric resulted in faster processing time as demonstrated in this tutorial found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d24hTqjCSYY Mount the fin to a sturdy handle so that it can be moved out and into direct sunlight during different stages of the process. Carefully apply two layers of glass material to one side of your printed fin, brushing a suitable layer of epoxy onto both to eradicate air bubbles as you work. When you feel the material has set but isn't fully hard yet - around when it is gel-like in texture - remove excess material using a sharp razor blade and flip it over. Perform the above steps on the other side of your print; repeat until desired thickness levels are achieved or leave with your present state. Use progressively finer sanding paper to level down any uneven bumps from excess glass until your finish appears perfectly smooth. To ensure extra seal against potential moisture, carefully brush one more final layer onto both sides using high-strength epoxy. Finally allow the mixture enough sunlight exposure for a fully cured result