hatchet fin (pics)

[highline rider]

her is my latest work, an 8" hatchet fin for my 9'. Its all done save for the trailing edge which i am going to do right before glassing in order to save myself the trouble of "chipped edge".

This is the mold i made to produce a base for the single fin box. The L shaped piece in the first picture will slide in order to compensate for longer or shorter fin bases. this is an open view and the other side is now glued on. The goal of this is to lay fiberglass strands in the box, then saturate, then stick the fin tongue into the whole mess allowing the base to bond to the wood. Hopefully it all turns out as predicted and i have a solid way of producing box fins. if it turns out good i ahve a set of keels lined up for a fish with removable fins.

 

[dk]

nice job <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/applause.gif" alt="" />

 

[000]

i got similarly shaped side fins- which got stolen

 

[000]

!

 

[highline rider]

ok, update.

the mold didnt work out as i expected, the resin didnt saturate the whole way through, leaving a good size of strands dry. thanks to chips suggestion i will try chopping up all the fiberglass and mixing it withr esin, trying to get as much glass in as little resin as possible, then pouring it all into the mold. the glass job came out alot cleaner, and if i felt like hotcoating it and sanding it all down, it could look pretty good.

you can see the dry strands inside it.

Sanding it all down tomorrow.