UN-BUGGERING A SURFBOARDS LEASH PLUG

[@duncs5865]

As always nice work mate. Get yourself a rounded burr bit for your Dremel. drill a decent size hole in the Center of the plug to open it up and work the burr bit from Center of plug outwards. Should only take a couple minutes to clean out most of the plastic without damaging the surrounding foam/glass. Can then use the sanding bit you had on the Dremel to clean it all up. As you said they are a pain to get out without pulling the pad but this works well and is quick. Also I’ve got that same little hammer for stubborn jobs haha !

[@smallkinedings]

Yes! I actually have a couple of those bits for the dremmel, will definitely use that next time! Cheers for the tip!

[@sstorholm]

I’ve used West System 404 HD filler previously for similar jobs on boats, it’s the ultimate stuff I’ve found for bonding hardware. It’s also nice since it doesn’t need to be coated after sanding as some fillers do. It’s very hard to sand though compared to fairing fillers. An interesting thing in the 404 instructions is that they recommend sanding in both surfaces with unthickened epoxy before applying the thickened epoxy, which does increase the bonding quite drastically in my experience.

[@smallkinedings]

Moikka Suomi ja tervetuloa! Kylla, I rate the 404 highly! The only thing I've noticed is if it's mixed with laminating poly, although it feels hard, it still gums up when sanding from the tackiness of the laminating resin. I'm guessing the 404 doesn't quite seal off the resins surface from air. So usually if i use it with poly I combine it with microballoons. It's also very ugly for surfboards being an off Grey kind of colour

[@DG-ld4rw]

Very nice explanation thanks. Just one quick question, I thought you had to fiberglass the top of the plug for extra strenght ? Is that not necesserary? Does the industry don't do it in general? Thanks! 🤙

[@smallkinedings]

Generally these plugs aren't designed to have glass over them (like FCS fin plugs). I know plenty of people who do it but personally I never have and I've never had one fall out. I'd can confidently say it's very rare to have a board in the workshop that's glassed over the plug. Extra security never hurts but it's a lot of faffing around to neatly and effectively glass over them

[@raphaeldrayton6599]

Supper helpful Videos! LOVE them! What exacly PU Expending fome did you use? i came acros -EXPANDING EPOXY FOAM, what do you think abut it? did you use it till now?

[@smallkinedings]

I get it from a PU foam manufacturer. I've never actually used expanding EPS foam. My PU ones work fine with EPS and I have different densities so can match the densities pretty easily.

[@freshsaltyfries5078]

😮nice work

[@smallkinedings]

Chur!

[@dmac5678]

The chopped mills give the strength to the leash cup mix? Normally I thought you put cloth over top of things for strength. I just thought that without being sealed the leash cup could fail over time.

[@smallkinedings]

It depends a little on the leash plug. With these fcs ones, because there is so little "base" surrounding the hole they are very difficult to glass over. At the narrowest spot you're working with a mm and the widest 3mm so masking, clothing and coating over top is very fiddly and by the time the whole sanding process is done, there is very little strength left over the plug if any at all. Others have wider bases so can be glassed over. The milled cloth ideally tangles around the plug creating some extra hold.

[@dmac5678]

@@smallkinedings Sorry for the late response, I just thought seal coating (hotcoat/filler) provides the leash cup with a watertight seal like a finbox. Without a seal I wasn't sure if it woud leak water over time.

[@smallkinedings]

@@dmac5678 back at ya, haha! Yea, can't hurt to resin coat them if you fear water seeping but it doesn't seem to be a common issue. Fcs1 plugs are similar in the way they are installed. It does speak to the importance of filling any airbubbles should they accord though!

[@Dzjiefoils]

Great video again. Keep them coming!

[@smallkinedings]

Shot brother! It's hard work this youtube gettup!

[@Dzjiefoils]

@@smallkinedings your video’s are great with the voice overs. My goal for this year is to do more voiceovers aswell. It wont take long for people to start following you. But you have to consider that its a small group of people that watch this kind of content.

[@smallkinedings]

@@Dzjiefoils Small niche for sure! My dreams of being a world famous influencer are shattered 🤣

[@Dzjiefoils]

@@smallkinedings we just have to make the niche bigger, with our enthousiasm for fixing/shaping surfboards. To create our own influenced audience.

[@Cuisinenomade1]

It is the first time I see the plug put perpendicular to the stringer, what is the reason?

[@smallkinedings]

No real reasoning behind it. It's fun to try and perfectly line the bar up with the stringer, adds a new level of ocd 😂

[@Cuisinenomade1]

@@smallkinedings lol i see

[@RobSurfLayBackSnapHack]

I think when the board is tombstoning all the pressure will be on one side of the pin and it's likely to pop out again!😢

[@familyjay5636]

Some weird fails indeed! Did the customer explain how the pin came to be that way? Also, the dammit at the end with the leash string 🤣🤣🤣 Enjoy the extra time on your hands, I'm sure the viewership is about to benefit. Hope you get some time to get out there, yewww! *sarcasm inbound* WHOAHHHH a >$1000 board, and they've skimped on the glassing 😲 It pays to have a relationship with a shaper and see their work, rather than brand names off the rack with ghost shapers and mass glass factories. If I had to pay, I KNOW which deserves the money.

[@smallkinedings]

Yea, a buzzy one! Customer didn't seem to know when or how the pin slipped. Just noticed it pre surf one day. Lucky he noticed! A bit average on Pyzels side but when you make as many boards as they do, theres bound to be some that slip through the crack. Must of been beer o'clock on a Friday when that leash plug was installed!

[@daliks]

Hi, just wanted to say: try routing it out next time. Literally a 5 minute job that way as long as you mind the metal bar and pry it out in time. keep up the nice vids!

[@smallkinedings]

I pretty clearly showed I think that I couldn't route it out because of the tail pad being in the way. I also said, "I'd normally route it out but the tail pads in the way" and there was no metal bar because it had fallen out. That's why I was replacing it 😂 tell me you skip through videos without telling me you skip through videos 😂

[@daliks]

@@smallkinedings you are totally correct: i missed the start (it was playing but the kids interrupted and I didnt go back). Sorry!!

[@smallkinedings]

@@daliks those kids should be sitting quietly and taking notes on how to replace leash plugs 😂 no need to apologise, gave me a laugh!

[@daliks]

@@smallkinedings haha, they are seldomly quiet but they ARE coming into the shaping room with me sometimes and sweep orr help shape their own boards :)