I Bought the Cheapest E-foil on the Internet! One Year Later...

3 years ago I purchased the cheapest Efoil on Alibaba and to my surprise it worked! After hundreds of miles and countless hours of fun, how did this cheap electric flying surfboard hold up overtime? and can I 3-D print my way to making it 99% better?
My 3d printer shareasale.com... 
This is what I do when I'm not at @grindhardplumbingco
Contact: edwinoldingofficialATgmail.com

[@EdwinOlding]

My 3d printer shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=2353821&u=4375257&m=138211&urllink=&afftrack=

[@wangandy2551]

Hi Edwin, please check your email from Andy and pick your favorite dirt bike color. Thanks.

[@its_Eisen]

You should try to contact RCTestFlight, if you haven't already. This project is right up his alley, and I'm sure you two could do some cool stuff!

[@ScooterMcDooter69]

I agree it would be a very interesting video, what they could come up with

[@mikelarin8037]

I agree, he's recently posted his prop efficiency tests

[@ScooterMcDooter69]

@@mikelarin8037 ya I just watched all 3 the other day

[@Tech_and_wreck]

That would be awesome

[@tylerpayton7078]

Agreed

[@theroburrito]

From the drone world (not sure how applicable to water), flat edged bullnose propellers are used with ducts to minimize the gap between the duct and propeller to improve efficiency. But when used without a duct, they have much worse efficiency than a standard propeller - but more thrust because of the larger area. You should collab with rctestflight! He's been testing 3d printed propeller designs for his autonomous boat.

[@russellzauner]

If he's gonna use a naked prop then 100% should be chasing down toroid designs to remove cavitation and turbulence, which increases efficiency. It is very much worth it to try at least one toroid design before switching over to jets 😀

[@sc0or]

Each motor has its own ideal prop. Because of a watt/torque/volt/rpm curve

[@jamesdouglaswhite]

Great suggestion to collaborate with rctestflight!

[@goofynoodle4775]

So how much did it cost?

[@tehfreezerburn]

I would definitely be interested is seeing you push the cheap board to the limit.

[@TheStuartstardust]

Yes please! 👌

[@bradleedee3549]

Push this board to the next level.

[@PlaneAwesome]

I love your palpable excitement at seeing your first self-designed part come to life on the printer! A 3D printer is honestly one of the best investments you can make for prototyping and experimenting like this. Fantastic video! You definitely inspire me to get a cheap e-foil and start tinkering myself.

[@GingerNinja1]

I agree

[@GingerNinja1]

It's awesome watching ppl realize how much potential they have & the great thing is... this is only the beginning! I say keep going until you can't take it any further with this board. 🏄‍♂️

[@T3chpat]

As several people have pointed out, @RCTestFlight is awsome on custom props and seems like a real chill guy, would love to see you doing a colab! Stay cool Edwin!

[@bAc0nBoY755]

Definitely would like to see you keep improving this board

[@TB12710]

Wow, you switched out one part that you made with your 3D print and now you’re getting almost 15 miles at 23+ mph. Now it’s time to improve your wing. Do that and you might hit 18-20 miles efficiency at 27 to 30+ mph. You made your board so much better, congrats to you.

[@Crunch_dGH]

Now sell your IP (& advice) to the maker!

[@bashr52]

Just a few printing tips. You shouldn't need any support for a cone, each layer should print on the last which makes its own support. I would also suggest you use ABS for strength and UV stability. PLA will break down in sunlight and is more brittle than ABS.

[@friedclutch97]

I was thinking the same thing about the support. PETG would also be good here.

[@Cherokeeseeker]

A thing you might try to help with drag or stability on your hydrofoil, adding 'vortex generators' might help. These are small ridges or bumps that create tiny swirls in the water, keeping the flow attached to the foil longer and reducing drag. This can lead to a smoother and more stable ride. It’s a technique used in aviation and racing that could potentially enhance your hydrofoil's performance. Might help.

[@criticalevent]

I was surprised how well that prop worked considering it's squared off to work with the shroud. If you haven't seen his channel already, @rctestflight has done a lot of research on 3D printed props.

[@bretts7085]

Great Vid Edwin, yea continue to take this further ide be interested to see how much better you can make it. 👍

[@GerjanVanWilgenburg-wh6sk]

What's the name of the company from who you bought this e-foil?

[@thesustainabilitysoonerchannel]

Great start! Take it from someone whose done hydrodynamics and prop work for numerous marine manufacturers and world champion race boats. Perfect your foil and all the running gear in front of the prop first. Save the prop optimization until last. Also, only change one element at a time. Otherwise, you'll be chasing your tail. Just found your channel and subscribed...looking fwd to seeing your progress. Keep going on this one until your optimization is complete. You'll master both your project and your 3D printer. Plus, what you learn aid you on whatever project you choose next...

[@Mikefestiva]

Great video! It’s nice to see your board is still working good and the fact you are improving it is awesome 👍 I definitely would like to see more updates on your progress on this board 😊

[@mikemartin2423]

Mike!!!!! love your channel brother 👍👍👍

[@Mikefestiva]

@@mikemartin2423 Thanks Mike! I really appreciate it man 😊👍

[@alanpaone]

I guess it depends, but you've got the 3d printer already. Personally, I love to mix one hobby with another. As long as you're enjoying the mods, and the time you're spending tinkering with your board isn't taking away from the time you'd spending riding it, it can be really rewarding. I say ride it until you can't fix it anymore.

[@FredAlluso]

I'm here for the numbers. Your overall increase in performance (battery efficiency, speed, distance, and volume) is astounding. I would only continue to tinker if you absolutely need to. If not, I can't wait to see your next project. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

[@jordanhorst6]

this is definitely a series I'll keep watching. great work.

[@ryandoyle4344]

Magnets may not be the issue, it's could be the cord length. That cord type tends to stretch over time, if so it may drag on occasions, and might just need to shorten it a bit.

[@BigCat5]

Edwin went HAM while the guys were at sterges

[@lagrenouille21]

Don't show Amazon on the box in the title if in the video you clearly say Alibaba more than once !!! 🤔🤪🙄😵‍💫🤯

[@Wopwopwopfuckitup]

Brother it’s the same thing. People will order in bulk from alibaba for discount, wait for the shipping and then sell them at a profit when they land in the states.

[@Wopwopwopfuckitup]

On Amazon after they buy from alihaba

[@motorv8N]

Oh man - this looks like a total blast. I’m afraid to start looking at boards cuz then I’ll spend a month scheming and ultimately end up having a fight with my wife who has spent too long putting up with my endless pursuit of cool toys. “I promise hon- this will be it for sure this time!” 😚

[@user-nh9ts3hd7i]

Should have modified it from beginning. Good to see the difference yes prop and wing would make big difference. Changing the pitch of the prop will effect speed and distance. Good luck.

[@o5you86]

What you need is an Evolve Hadean Electric Skateboard, I ride mine everyday & get 5 Hours use out of it & its the same as Surfing but on concrete, dirt & roads!

[@TechJeeper]

Yessssss! Finally some 3D printing content! If you need any help let me know! Been in the hobby for 10 years, and currently have two X1Cs that are absolute units.

[@HawkeyeKiter]

Reading other comments, it looks like the majority would like to see you continue to mod it as best you can and share that journey. I mean, like GHP it's the journey of the thing that is interesting. Personally, I'm the one guy that wants you to hop on the top of the line, completely sorted e foil and enjoy miles of smiles with it. I want to watch you push the envelope with a better design that already exists but I get it, it's probably boring content compared to the improvement process with what you have. Either way it's good stuff man. Fun video and I applaud all your effort to make el cheapo fly. Looking forward to the next update of your e foil journey. Cheers.

[@markjennings2315]

Shrouds or ducts around ‘propellers’ are there not for propulsion but for a secondary purpose ( such as safety or directional flow) so are Always going to cause a loss of efficiency compared to an un-shrouded prop. As for stability, drag is proportional to stability

[@DJ_Wi_Fey]

I’m in the market for an E Foil and I just found your channel. Super cool setup you got with the 3D printer. I say take it to the next level and print your own prop!

[@sc0or]

Do they force you to sell everything for $12k? You can call officials you know..

[@robertjanbout1437]

Your prop is not designed to run without a shroud, you could print another prop using the B series prop generator. I printed a prop for my 7.2kW(!) outboard and it held up very well! Just printed with pla+

[@mattk6222]

Really been enjoying the content, I think it’d be fun to see how much you can improve it

[@EdgarMalaveUSMC]

I'd love to see you continue to improve this board. Thank you for sharing.

[@darryl4753]

YAY another video!

[@EdwinOlding]

👍

[@heartsky]

So satisfying to design stuff, print it, and it be useful. So glad I bought a printer.

[@truthandreality4650]

Keep going with what you have. The improvements/enhancements that you make that work for you will show you what to look for if you decide on a new board as well as improving many skills. New subscriber here.

[@AlexNichiporchik]

It’s absolutely like powdered snow. Love that feeling.

[@nathanlaurendine8402]

Keep upgrading!!!

[@tappan48]

The original set up requires the flat prop blades because they're designed to work with the shroud, but that shroud needs improvement, perhaps carbon fiber and a more defined airfoil shape? Print a prop for it...

[@SilvaDreams]

Yeah it works like a ducted fan (like a fan for a computer case for the computer guys) but that shroud was big, bulky and I'm guessing made of some cheap cast metal so it was a virtual lead weight and not very optimized (likely a copy of something cheap from 40 years ago)

[@ghostsofVTurbexSkysthelimitvid]

Good stuff Bro !!! You should finish this one, there is more to improve for sure, showing how you fix the stability issues is worth the time. The 3D printer is really interesting as well.

[@WinWitWon]

Im so happy lyft sent you a top tier efoil, they are truly awesome!

[@isalih88]

I have the similar board combo and would love to see how far you can push the limits on this thing. I am thinking about doing something with the angle on the wing myself as its super strange to go any faster than 80% thotle with the nose pointing down as you mentioned in you video. Keep up the good work with your videos, really enjoying them 🤙🏻

[@marielarebelo9194]

That underwater shot looks awesome

[@DrewLittle]

You could try hanging a weight under the middle of your printer/plant table, if you don't want to get a new table. ;) Thanks for the update! If it's worth it for YOU, it'd be cool to see what you can come up with to make the ultimate upgraded cheapest efoil. Maybe get (or rent) an off-the-shelf nice-one first to get another baseline for upgrade comparisons.

[@IceBullit]

Keep going with it! I just got a 3D printer not too long ago... it is amazing what problems you can solve with them!

[@TheMuddatrucker]

Never watched your stuff before, saw the title and was impressed! Only released 6 days ago yet you’ve had it a full year, I like that style 👍🏻 Hope it’s a good video………?

[@acreage-diy]

Great video, thanks for experimenting and showing the world. It just goes to show cheap isn’t always nasty. You could shim that wobbly foil mast with some pieces soda can and resin. 👍

[@DktheWelder]

Another great video! A shroud loses heaps of efficiency a jet pump is even worse . Looks like the board has lasted well!

[@showdownz]

Personally I would be more interested in seeing you upgrade this board because I feel like there would be more to learn that way even though I don't have a board. I fly fpv drones as a hobby. It was cool when I realized why I knew your face (grind hard). I always wondered who was doing their fpv footage (I'm guessing it was you). Your editing of this video was smooth. Well done and thx for the vid. Fun watch.

[@Drgoldthumb]

I want one of these SO BAD!!! I have thought about the diy route… but I might get a cheaper one and upgrade it over time. Tanks for the inspiration!

[@heiltvilt]

Of course we want to see. 🤩 Thanks 🎉

[@Hobbies4Hire]

Great job on the video Edwin! Thanks for making it. Now throw a toroidal propeller on there and see what difference that makes to your efficiency.

[@hansklein8024]

Thank you for this follow-up video! If you take off the prop guard, you should really wear al least shoes. I always wear light diver's shoes and also a Long John suit. And in a few occasions it was good I had them. For stability I'd say you could start with bringing your back foot more forward. Your weight should be equally distributed to both feet when flying level. From the footage it looks as if your rear foot was way too far back. So my recommendation is to first play with your position on the board. There are mount kits that will vary either the angle of the wing to the fuselage or the angle of the mast to the board. But I would try that only if your board really doesn't fly at all or has a very hard time to do so. Concerning the prop I'd really be interesed in how you'll do that. In an ideal world all the components of all the boards would just fit. Just like it is in wind surfing. In the old days there was a huge number of fin and mast mounts and now there are at least some standards. Maybe this will happen when more people get into this sport, so thank you again for promoting it.

[@ttinnovations3310]

wow, cool, make the cheap one better, I hate cold water but love snowboarding, I actually might get a wet suite and buy an e-foil after watching this , snow board year round

[@penguiin12]

edwin, the "shroud" from the prop is actually a nozzle and like others have mentioned you dont wanna delete the nozzle without changing the propeller geometry with it

[@rafo6577]

Make this as good as can be, for sure. It helps us all learn and also makes great content. 👍✌️

[@recumbentrocks2929]

That was really interesting and exciting. I would love one of these boards and you have shown us you do not need to fork out thousands of dollars to have a go.

[@RIPPERTON]

I just went and removed the prop shrouds off my thrusters. Cant wait to test now !

[@laurenceschuberth4967]

pls DO it, I would love to see the progress, that video was fascinating :)

[@Zetler]

Always been intrigued by this as a Onewheel rider. My only issue is E-foil is that its seasonal. Not gonna spend 5-7K on something that I can only ride for 3 months when eMTBs and Onewheels can be ridden almost year-round in CA.

[@budlomax]

Cool video, you should consider printing a MX-1 Sharrow type Propeller. It would be great to see what efficiency that could bring.

[@DadQuadz]

I love my x1-c 👍 makes great prints, excited to see you play with various filament types

[@cyberbalrog]

I'd like to see more upgrades. It's a pretty expensive activity and any tips on getting the best bang for the buck is welcome.

[@neilsreal]

The prop guard on these are designed to lower the bow so thats why you have to push down to ride level now, also they create thrust so i am thinking you could print a new lighter guard with a smaller tolerance between the prop to get more thrust and better performance. Great video i loved it cheers.

[@radarriau]

Yeah, use a better prop and a more progressive taper on the cone. The cone can be pretty thin and it can be taped on with vinyl tape carefully. I put vinyl tape over the screws on my F4 and it is so silent. Of course I'm using the sail for power. I reassemble my foil every time because I'm in saltwater

[@Gix3D]

Thats some impressive gains and its still not 100%, I'd carry on Edwin, push the boundaries, Thats what 3D prototyping is all about. (Be warned, V1.0 soon turns into V10.2, Ive been building another 3D printer, but as you go... you see improvements that need a reCAD/slice/print. Ive a large draw full of pre-runners that got shelved before use, Bambu's a good choice though)

[@RobertLBarnard]

Cool channel, new subscriber here... Pro tip on working with silicone: Use an ice cube to smooth over. Silicone obviously doesn't stick to melting ice, and water doesn't affect/mess-with silicone (wet or dry).

[@thefrugalhandyman5054]

Super cool science experiment! keep up the good work.

[@mikhammett7568]

Absolutely you should, I'd buy one now seeing this thankyou

[@tomcoryell]

Agree with others saying collaborate with RCtestflight on the most efficient prop for your board. You’ve made incredibly impressive gains with what you’ve done so far. I’m betting you can make significant gains before hitting the low ROI point.

[@steveseeger]

I was watching a random 5k sub channel about 3D printing scarf seam tips for my P1S and guy was wearing a Grind Hard shirt. Made me think you guys must have some use for that occasionally in the shop.

[@seagypsybnb]

You said powder and tree riding every day made me so stoked hahaha!

[@petercornish9903]

I would very much like to see how you re-angle the foil to raise the board nose, and see how much better the performance is with a prop with proper tips for use without a duct.

[@xinzhang6348]

yes, please do more DIY to improve, maximize the potential

[@lsdave]

100% do what you can to update it. It would make great content if its successful or not. I think a lot of people are here to learn either way.

[@suprstu]

Thanks mate. Really enjoyed this. You have a new subscriber

[@Legborghini72]

I second the RCTestFlight, comment below. Nice video, keep rocking.

[@DrSpoon69]

As others have said, ask rctestflight if he can give pointers regarding the prop. I'm jealous that you started your modeling/3D printing with a X1 though 😂. Look forward to seeing how far you can max out the board!

[@ogfoundation]

Right on! I've been interested in these, but yeah, why so expensive?! Looking forward to watching this later

[@marielarebelo9194]

“Questionable quality “😂

[@bradaltemeyer4472]

look up the Kort Nosel, (aka prop guard) it improves the thrust at take off/ but you are likely right that at speed does have some drag component\ maybe you can 3d print your own version of that fancy new style prop the sharrow which does not come in fiber reinforced plastic for foil boards (yet)

[@LogicBob]

Keep going with this!

[@JustinJackson11]

First time seeing your videos. Saw the train bridge and immediately knew it's Lake Pend Oreille. Lived in CDA and loved going up there.

[@ttinnovations3310]

( oh i subscribed, thanks, for the video and the other channel )

[@sidbox]

yes. keep going

[@LaggerSVK]

1.35-fold increase in speed would mean +- a 2.3-fold increase in efficiency. In fluid dynamics the resistive force goes by square of speed and power = force * speed. Therefore power goes cubic with speed. Its really a game changer to take that duct off. You should be able to have around 2x of range if going the same speed.

[@johnharman5440]

Great video ! l used to ride an air chair back in the day. I would be interested in to watch the other videos if you make the parts.

[@danvincent3126]

yes yes! all the upgrades!

[@veterantraveler]

That lock up was hilarious. 🤣

[@ARK1phil]

Nice video mate…. learnt a bunch of new things.. cheers 👍

[@tedwingate]

TotalBoat Thixo might be enough to sort out the wobble in the foil to mast joint. I'm totally up for watching you learn carbon repair and vacuum bagging!

[@bm4138]

I'd like to see what happens if you fix the wing angle and 3d print a toroidal prop of the same size.

[@TheSharkGirls]

To change the pitch of your aerofoil you can perhaps try what the guys at Veem are doing with propellers. They make props with plastic inserts which change the pitch and also for these revolutionary Sharrow props. Perhaps you mightn't need to make a new wing, just add a slot and a piece of plastic.

[@Bee-iXs]

nice project, have you got a step in step build to copy your great idea? change prop from 4 blade to 3 blades... less blades less drag in water... water ist 10 times more drag than air... so you gain a lot...

[@OhThatsLionHeart]

Why does the title say 1 year later but you’re saying 3 years or 2 summers

[@dannovic]

You should try those weird looped propellors

[@SolarizeYourLife]

The only way to stop the sparkling when connecting the battery is to have a parallel connectors with a resistor that you connect first to reduce the current flow, and then do the main connector… or use a switch that bypasses the resistor… You should try electric unicycle…

[@shannonspear8751]

White silicone is ok gives it a Orca look 👍

[@x_ph1l]

In no time you'll discover that half of the small parts of the rip machines that you build is 3D printed. That's just how it works, when you'll get a 3D printer)) From real world experience with 3D printing for workshop/manufacturing: use PETG for most parts that don't have to be in engine compartment (because it'll melt there), use ABS+ or ABS-GF or ABS-CF for stuff that you'll find in an engine compartment (not near exhaust, of course). Carbon fiber filled or glass-filled plastics are weaker (yes, that's right) then solid ones, but they are more abrasion resistant, a bit more temperature resistant and ABS with CF or GF doesn't warp on big parts. And don't forget that it's number of outer shells and NOT percentage of infill makes your parts strong!

[@davidhogan1650]

Best out of context moment in this video: "Yeah this would definitely be better if it was black, but white's all I got"