mega-update…

I sure have been slacking on the updating of this page.  My Zero-G blog has been taking up all my time.

I have been making lots of progress on my 7′2″ fish of late.  It has been an enjoyable distraction from the hectic days this year.  I wish I had been more faithful to making progress so I could have tested it out already.  I imagine it will be a cold day, but I will feel good seeing it put through the paces no matter the weather (as long as there is some swell).

I will undertake the project of telling the full story on this project, over the next week or so.  It is looking very good and nearing completion.

alaia test x 3…

After building my alaia there was only one thing to do: test it!!! I tried to do this a few times; 3 times to be exact. Here are some of the results.

The first day of testing had some small beach breaks and it was not too organized or powerful, but the alaia got wet for sure. I tried to paddle it around, but with no wax on the top and fresh coats of oil having been applied just days before it was nearly impossible to do. I managed to steer it into a few 2 foot waves and even though it wanted to sit just around and below the surface, it lifted up and started to fly fast in these small waves. I had to ride it in the prone position, but it was fun until after a couple of rides the waves went flat.

The second day of testing was not even a really test day. It was a longboard day for sure with no consistency or power again. This time the alaia just got wet for a short time and then caught some rays. We did wax it this time though with some all natural wax I made using beeswax and coconut oil. It seems to work really nice.

The most recent test (#3) was during the remnants of T.S. Danny. Unfortunately, the ocean seemed very angry that day and I was at an unfamiliar break so had some trouble, but managed to catch a few despite the very nasty rip currents all around. Again, I rode in the prone position. The board again was super fast and managed to skim up the beach at the end despite the very little water underneath. Below you can see the conditions from that day. I am hoping to get it out there again soon.

oil can…

Another update on the alaia.  I finished shaping the rails and concave last week.  Then I set up to sand it down smooth with the random orbit sander for the deck faces and by hand on the rails.  In the middle of the sanding process it got soaked and virtually erased my efforts.  A long story made short; I had it loaded up in the bed of the truck to transport to school Monday and it poured late Sunday night as I dreamt of the final outcome.  After some more sanding it looked like a good shape to me so I started getting its oil finish on so it would be water-ready this weekend.  I am using a thinned boiled linseed oil to waterproof it.  The grain is really popping now.  I am excited as the last look at the forecast showed a decent 3 foot swell with favorable winds for Sunday.  I hope to have some pics if she floats me well enough and that forecast holds true.  Here is a coat of fresh oil soaking in this morning.

fish report…

Here is an update on my 7′2″ hollow wooden fish.  I have yet to put anything on this build up here, but since there has been some progress there is no time like the present.

The overview: I started this board late last spring (‘08) roughly.  At that time, I made the keel and ribs of the framework.  Then it sat idle for some time until this winter when I glued up some 1/4″ x 1 1/2″ strips that I resawed from 2″ x 4″ and 2″ x 6″ lumber from the local big box.  I then attached that bottom deck to the framework and started in on the bead and cove rail strips.  Gluing them up one at a time took a while, but here we are.

Recent updates:  After finishing all the rail strips, I cut the bottom deck close to flush with the finished shape.  I used a blockplane to clean it up to the finished shape/size.  I then feathered the top rail strips down to the ribs so I can start on the top deck soon (pics below).

  

Alaia error?

After an extended period of time away from the wooden boards I have been trying to shape, I am back at it!  I have been busy with a hollow wooden fish and the alaia.

The alaia is back on track and I am aiming to get it ready for the water in two weeks.  I recently moved and took the alaia with me, but a long crack down the center formed when I dropped it.  I fixed it by driving a wooden wedge into the crack to spread it so I could glue both edges down the length.  However, this led to a large piece missing in the front.  I thought about reshaping the nose with a saw, but I remembered a friend’s build where he inserted a wedge of purpleheart in his nose.  I measured and cut out a small wedge from the alaia and inserted a wedge of black walnut using some Gorilla Glue.  I am happy with the results for sure (see below).  Sometimes errors bring out solutions that make things look even better than planned.  I roughly shaped the concave by hand with my bench plane today.  I am hoping to start the rails later today or tomorrow and get it sanded either tomorrow or the next day.

 

 

New home and experiment…

I have found a new home in the world of blogs.  I like the look and feel of wordpress better than others out there so I am moving here.  I may try and archive the old posts here somehow.

As for the new experiment:  I have been researching alaias for quite some time and decided that it was time to make one.  I am using locally available materials, clear vertical grain fir in this instance, which I laminated into a 8′ blank.  I cut the outline for a 6′8″ x 18″ x 3/4″ board and now have to shape the rails, add a concave, sand and finish it with some coats of oil.  Since I have a week off I was hoping to try and get most of it done this week.  Let’s see how that works out.  I will post some pics shortly.