DIY - How to make your own surfboard fins at home!

Materials needed:
Print out fin templates from: www.blendingcu...
Fiberglass (6oz)
Laminating resin
MEKP catalyst
Dowel pin (I called it a cotter pin)
Longboard fin screw
Sandpaper (60 grit and 120 grit)
Tools needed:
Drill and 3/16ths drill bit
Saw
Tools to make your life easier:
Power sander
Band Saw
Drill press
Clamps
A good work bench!
Hey Los Angeles/Orange County:
Upload a photo in the Rogue Wave app to get free quotes for ding repair, pay through your phone, and see a list of partner shops where you can conveniently drop off and pick up your surfboard!
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List of tools and supplies I use can be found here:
www.roguewaver...
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@rogue_wave_LA

[@wtnickred]

Love the new fin and Houdini!

[@chrism4334]

nice man i like the talk over!, did't realize that its about 40 lays of cloth, i might give it a go, iv got a old 60s board i want to put a fin box in, so might do that and make a fin to.

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks for letting me know! Nice. Make a vid!

[@Jim-fe2xz]

We used to plan for .010" thickness per ply for layups. It sounds like that may be close to what you're finding too. On the Honda I'm having electrical problems with my 81 750 too! Nice looking fin!

[@nickhlawka7073]

If you want to avoid 50 layers of glass you can use a core like wood or foam. Wood looks really nice. You can also sand down some foam and cover it with carbon.

[@Rogue_wave]

That is super cool I’ll give that a try!

[@nickhlawka7073]

@@Rogue_wave Ill pick quality plywood at Home Depot or Lowes to make my stringers for EPS. When you make fins you can foil the plywood and it will show nice layers. I leave a quarter inch of glass around front and rear. If you are making removable fins leave 3/4 inch on the bottom. Its stronger than wood.

[@malmannz]

Yes...( dropped a comment.).5mm ply and from memory one layer 8oz carbon fibre and one layer 6 oz with epoxy resin....shape and foil then glass...

[@rosstruss]

Yeah nice work. So dusty grinding out fins, but not too many options. Top job.

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks dude 🤙🏻

[@tg5834]

We made fins from marine ply, and jammed them in with news paper in the 1960's. Just as good as a glass fin if done right, even today.

[@Rogue_wave]

Cool. Where’d you surf back then?

[@tg5834]

@@Rogue_wave Australian east coast, from the Central Coast too Noosa, mostly.

[@Rogue_wave]

@@tg5834 that’s awesome. I spent about 4 months on the Gold Coast. South Straddie is what dreams are made of. Big snapper is no joke…

[@malmannz]

Great vid...interesting to watch...yes its a tricky process to get foil right.. made a few in my shed..for logs, use a 5 or 6mm ply core of thin veneers ( got from packing case) shape, and then one layer of carbon fibre 8oz ? and one layer 6 oz..epoxy resin...made five, all a little stiff, maybe will use llighter carbon next time..now about 2 years old....work out very cheap to make., at about $15 new zealand dollars each..plus shed time...

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks Geoff. Nice, I like the idea of using a veneer in the core. I may have to try that.

[@allsurf]

Nice! On my list of things to make. 🤙🏼

[@Andy_XT]

Nice! I've always wanted to try to make one. You made it look easy. Thanks!

[@Rogue_wave]

Thank you!

[@Nayda44]

Amazing man thanks for sharing ! More tutorial videos please 😋

[@Rogue_wave]

Will do, thanks for your feedback!

[@carraplaps]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@samnolan4189]

Awesome mate loved the video thanks for sharing it

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks dude! New vid coming soon.

[@marcobarbosa6799]

Amazing!

[@roge4018]

🤙 good 👍 job, inspiring

[@mrfelipehurtado]

Love it, thanks man !

[@giddyzero7]

Cool video, thanks

[@Shrednaught]

Yew! Good job. Nice rat also

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks man!

[@familyjay5636]

Yewww for international surf creator buddies 😍

[@OunieFloralDesign]

Nice work !! Love the color. How many layers do you glass in 1 time ? Cheers

[@Rogue_wave]

Good question! 5 layers at a time

[@bboyhope545]

the audio cuts out at 5:08 and onward :(

[@Rogue_wave]

Sorry about that… music licensing issue

[@adamburrows6264]

what type of paper did you use under the layers of glass when you laminated everything?

[@Rogue_wave]

Parchment paper because vons ran out of wax paper 😂

[@adamburrows6264]

@@Rogue_wave sweet thanks!!! Gonna try making one.

[@Rogue_wave]

@@adamburrows6264 good luck!

[@airborne21n]

Great video! Looking to get into making my own fins. How many yards of Cloth does one plate use up?

[@Rogue_wave]

Depends how many fins you want to make and how big they are- you need at least 40 layers of 6oz cloth.

[@emmyrank4409]

Any idea how transparent the fin would be if you left the resin clear? I’m guessing it would be mostly opaque

[@Rogue_wave]

Yeah it comes out opaque. People use volan cloth to get a kind of coke bottle green color that looks really nice.

[@Andy_XT]

Ok. Help needed! I made one. It turned out pretty decent, but then I couldn't seem to find the right geometry for the base. How do you know where to place the pin? Does the fin have to rest on the base of the box, or is it just the pin and the plate/screw that lock the fin? (I know i sound silly, but I am rather confused at the moment: I might have copied from different fins!). Thanks!

[@Rogue_wave]

Hey Andy- the pin and plate/screw lock the fin in place and keep it in the channel of the box. The bottom of the fin should touch the bottom of the box. If you install your pin too far off the bottom of the fin (IE too high) you’ll have to push the fin down in order for the screw to fit into the plate on the other end. This is ok if you don’t have to force it too much. If you do have to really force the fin you can always sand the bottom down to make it fit better. Hope that makes sense.

[@Andy_XT]

@@Rogue_wave Thank you very much for the explanation! Next one is already on the bench 😀

[@MrRickyrecon]

This was an epic video! Is there any flex with this fin or the others?

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks Ricky! Very little flex on the fin in the thumbnail. There is a lot of flex (maybe too much for my taste) in the greenough inspired 9”. Flex comes from how much the fin is foiled.

[@kichomano]

Heeeelp from mexicoooo what could i use instead the dowel pin?

[@Rogue_wave]

A hammer?

[@harryfeatherston3566]

sick!

[@100percentsurf]

32 layers 6oz is the standard.

[@Rogue_wave]

Thank you!

[@AZZ14]

Awesome video!! If I can ask how much was the material cost for the project of you started without any of the materials?

[@Rogue_wave]

Probably about $70 in materials. You can check online. Tools are going to run you a bit more but you don’t really need all the tools I used in the video. I’d recommend an angle grinder and a jigsaw for the bare essentials.

[@xandepotgieter9883]

Why is there no sound at the end?

[@dudeleboski2692]

36 layers of 6oz is the industry standard…..

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks!

[@henryfrost9697]

Did the last audio cut out at 5 minutes in for anyone else

[@Rogue_wave]

Licensing problem sorry about that.

[@Alohatribe]

Hi Amigo ! how about changing a future base fins to FCS ?

[@Rogue_wave]

Hey there! Can be done but it’s a lot of work. The best way to do it is to route a rectangle where each box is, then cut foam to size. Use laminating resin and fix the new foam in the router cavity. Once the resin cures route your fcs boxes in the new foam.

[@Alohatribe]

@@Rogue_wave Thanks dude!! thinking out of the box ha ha

[@Alohatribe]

You seen the Endorfins by Slater , they look rad !!

[@Rogue_wave]

@@Alohatribe seen them, haven’t tried them out. They do look sick!

[@Alohatribe]

@@Rogue_wave Thanks for the free help , I got another youtube acc under Domingo Martinez & when I can I will sub and like all your videos , least I can do Amigo ! Aloha

[@kepamurray1845]

How did you go with the XL electrics?

[@Rogue_wave]

A guy who watched the video helped me get it to spark! Shout out to Malcom if you’re reading this. I’ve been pretty busy with three different glass off restorations so I’m trying to get those finished before I get the bike reassembled and running. It’ll be ready by summer for sure.

[@Bido11561]

What do you lay the cloth on while laying it up? Wax paper?

[@Rogue_wave]

Usually I use wax paper but vons ran out that day! That was parchment paper. I’ve also used no paper in a foil baking tray.

[@kieranmorgan92]

@@Rogue_wave I've heard aluminum works as well, can you confirm?

[@mmumuuu]

Nice job ! Did you use waxed styrene with your resin? Thanks

[@Rogue_wave]

No styrene monomer or surfacing agent (wax)

[@mrfelipehurtado]

@@Rogue_wave i thought you'd be using sanding resin, wouldn't you get your sandpaper gummed up? Or is it that the presence of fiberglass prevents de gumming?

[@Rogue_wave]

@@mrfelipehurtado You got it, the fiberglass prevents your paper (mostly) from gumming up. Only use enough laminating resin to saturate your cloth, don't let it pool up or it will gum your paper/grinding disks.

[@jamesmorton7881]

Lots and lots of wasted material. Wow. I used a 3/16th fiberglass rod and two 0.020 inch FR4 sheets to make the foil shape, then glass over that.

[@Rogue_wave]

Sounds strong. Wow.

[@tuckerbontecou2522]

What’s the resin to catalyst ratio?

[@Rogue_wave]

Green light has a good chart look up mekp to resin ratio

[@karstenvandersande3710]

Makes fins and is working on an XL 125. My kinda guy

[@Rogue_wave]

Thanks dude! Good eye. Learned to ride on that little bike!

[@mexicanito7]

“Home made”….. Has an industrial Workshop in his garage with professional equipment etc :D

[@mexicanito7]

Sick vid nonetheless!

[@Rogue_wave]

Haha ill admit I have acquired quite a few tools. I do live above it though so it’s still technically my home!