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snackon
Joined: 17 Apr 2001 Posts: 5 Location: SF Bay Area
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sergem
Joined: 24 Oct 2003 Posts: 398
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Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:35 pm Post subject: |
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I wonder if this is really how they make them. Seems like an awful lot of trouble for mass production. A lot of possible human error too. |
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capetonian
Joined: 11 Aug 2006 Posts: 1196 Location: Florida
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 12:55 am Post subject: |
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I know nothing about board construction, but I would guess the only "mass production" parts of that process are the shaping machine and the molds. Otherwise it is how I always imagined custom boards to be made. |
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Jrobb
Joined: 20 Aug 2005 Posts: 217
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 2:01 am Post subject: |
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I've heard of that manufacturer before somewhere...Wind Obsession. They appear to be a small Canadian outfit probably on par (size wise...no idea of quality) with Roberts, Mikes Lab, Open Ocean.
I'd but money *board and the others like Fanatic, F2, Mistral use a similar process of laying up the materials but would expect they don't use a vacc. bag for curing. Probaly multiple mold shells and a press of sorts.
J |
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tomg
Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 294
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Posted: Wed Jul 25, 2007 9:27 am Post subject: |
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now we know why the mass production boards are done in the 3rd World!
This is obivously a small "custom" sized manufacturer. I thought this one was in the Gorge? But the big guys like Bic and Mistral are still are faced with all that labor and hazardous chemicals. And the finishing steps explain why Bic boards all have that ugly seam along the edge.
Tom G. |
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dcoombes
Joined: 15 Mar 2001 Posts: 25
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Posted: Sat Jul 28, 2007 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Tom,
Bic boards have the seam because unlike most boards they have an outer skin made of a softer plastic.
http://www.bicsportwindsurf.com/techno/index.php?sportid=1&lang=us
This is far more ding resitant than the normal gel coat on the outside of boards from the cobra factory.
It adds a bit of weight but you can still do repairs in it with epoxy resin and glass cloth if you need to.
I agree the seam doesn't look too pretty but I'm a huge fan of bic boards and I really wish they'd update the e-techno m because its an awesome board. I'm on my second and its getting tired now... For a 112L board, for a heavy weight like myself, it is very fast, gybes easily, can handle swell and chop and can get me home when the wind dies...
In Helm they have a cutaway jp and you can see all the extra strengthening they put in to stiffen up the tail. It looks extremely labour intensive.
I believe nearly all production boards are made in one factory in Tailand.
http://www.bangkokpost.net/56pe2002/cobra/cobra.html
I really enjoyed the video!!
Cheers
Dave |
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