the foam planks are first glued together as shown > then later cut open on the inside with a metal saw to complete the structural connection between in and out side glas cover !

here you see on the left > the part being later in the water > and to the right > going later toward the hinge > while setting down the foam pieces > make shure the angles are at 15� steps > and square to the surface > before you take off the assembly > mark with a pen the out line > so you can copy the next later !

here you see the second assembly on the bottom having been copied from the out line of the first > then this sitting on the top > to make shure it will fit later together !

here you see the lower part of the fin > the sections of the bend are half the size of on the upper part > making the result almost perfectly round ! ... this can as well be done on the upper fin > if you want to make it that way !

here a close up from the inside > on the right there will be later the upper part clued on ! .... on the work table you can see the markings for building and copying ...

here a full view from the in side .... the angles on each clue line > 7.5� > making it 45� in all .... since there will be one more on the right to join the vertical part ...

here you see the 2nd lower part of the fin being copied on the marks from the first > the plastic is keeping the epoxy from sticking > but try the plastic you plan on using out first > because some of them stick ....

here the detail of the bend on the lower part > the upper is the first made > and set on top to make shure the lower is exactly the same ! check as well the right angle to the work table ....

here the detail from a lower point of view ....

the fin in its entire core > there will be later sections added > on both " bottom " and " top " > to get an idea of the size > the tiles are 1' square ! the 4 parts seen here together > are noch clued yet > since we will have to first make the other parts ... still missing .....

this is the second layer of the under water part of the fin on top of the first from the center > to make sure they are symetrical > they are set up mirror like !

here you see the main part of the fin ... the squares are 4" > starting from the table > first the newly clued lenght > then a previously clued > then one more new lenght > on top one other zu make sure > all are simular !

at the right you see the " square " ... to make sure all lenghts are similar ! ... in the center on top > the later vertical part .... then going down on the picture > the big bend ... going to the incline .... going to the single bend .... going to the horizontal !

here the " square " on the left .... for alignment ! .... in the center > the later horizontal .... the single bend going to the right ..... the incline ...... the multi bend ... the later water line !

looking on down from the top ....

another square for setting up the horizontal part ....

here we can see > the complete half of the fin > only the rounded tip part is still missing ! ... since this will go over both halfes ...

here we can see ... the 2 upper Y parts leading to the hinge .... the empty space on the left > will be filled later .... the marks on the 2 smaller parts cut ! .... and clued on again > to be taken out all of it > as soon as the whole is glassed > to take on the hinge material ....

as soon as I have some more time .... I will make out of such a picture .... a mirror like image > to see both halfes at the same ..... time !

here a mock up .... where the right side ... ist a mirror image of the left .... the coming tip of the fin is filled in artificially

here .. the clued on Y parts .... with 1/32" clue joint > since the foam is not the major structure > but the laminate + the connections to each ! .... as well as symetry is more important then the absolut measurement > to this end > the 1by1" on the bottom > and the center mark on > where the distance is checked to the ends > where from the angle is checked to the center mark below the plastic jar .... and the center end below ....

all the assemblies put together .... to see this with out the back grund > just turn down the brightness !

here a side view .... to see the different angles ... if the back ground bothers you > just turn down the bright ness ... if you can !

here a side view .... to see the different angles ... if the back ground bothers you > just turn down the bright ness ... if you can !

here the tip of the fin .... seen from where later glued to the next part above .... the flat spots > on both sides > will be filled in later with micro glass spheres ... to add strenght at the ends ....

here the tip of the fin seen from " below " !

here the tip of the fin seen from " the front / back " !

here the next part ... up from the tip of the fin ....

here the next part ... up from the tip of the fin .... seen from the " top " ... where you see the flat parts on both sides ... later more glass will be added > to make the profil continuously rounded .... and the flat ends filled with mixture ....

here you see .... below and right > both center pieces being clued on top of each other > the part toward the center and left ist the out side piece coming on top of this .... the bootles are for keeping every thing straith and up right >

here is the continuation of the last picture >

here you see the red and gray plastik pieces > to making shure > the clue joint is around 1/16" > as a conection to the both laminates

here you can see the white glue mixture ... put on the center part .... and the green plastic spacer ...

and here the outside part on top .....

here you see how the previuos having been turned around > put on boxes > and 2 tent poles holding it straight

here we see the main part of the fin > turned over ..... carefully > since it is still ...... then we align it square to the floor >

here we align the upright part > with the help of a " square " ....

here we filled in the spaces between the planks with structural mix ..... ecxept toward the end > where the foam will be formed later !

and here we align the vertical part to being straight up and down !

here we see some of the foam being removed with a saw blade ...... to make room for more structural mix !

and here we see this structural mix filled in to 3 pairs of > the others will be done with the fin being set up differently ....

here we have turned around the fin being build > so we kann fill in the structural mix after we have taken out some foam !

and here we have taken some foam out !

here we have filled in the putty .... for those of you > interested in structural engineering > go to the proatech group for a description of the reason for this .....

here we have turned over the fin >>> to fill in the 2 center plank joints ....

here we are checking the right angle of the assembly .....

with this piece of plastic ..... we can check the distance to both sides from the center > and adjust as nesseccary ....

here we have set up the fin ..... to fill in the joints of the center planks on the horizontal part !

and here the fin is set up to fill in the joints of the normally vertical ..... with out running off !

here we see some more pieces clued in > they could be one piece > but I have no more big enough .....

here we filled in the top side of some joints left over .....

now we are glassing the center part of the fin to make it stiffer > to shape the out side planks > first we size the glass to fit ..... as shown !

then we pour on about 2 oz of mix on the foam > then lay down the glass again > as shown !

this is what it looks like after we squeezed out the air starting from the center with our old bank card !

here we set up the fin > so we can glass the vertical part > easily !

every time we have some more stiffness coming up > we need to align the fin to specified angles ..... and support it there > while the mix it curing .....

here we made up another piece of glass > to reinforce the other side of the fin !

you can see ... where the new hardener was used > without the brownish tint ......

now the fin being stiff enough > we can shape the in side with a rasp ....

here the vertical part being shaped ....

here the tip of the fin being shaped ....

here the tip of the fin being clued together > note the plastic spacers > to have a strong enough clue joint ! > meaning wide enough !

here we see the fin completly clued together > note > the assembly is not aligned proberly ..... after working on it > so we always have to check alignment after !

a view from the side of the completed assembly .....

and here we see the glassing being done .....

here we have the fin with the vertical part on the floor > to confirm all the parameters > and complete filling in the joints ....

and here we have filled in the angles ..... and be fore this > finish shaping the fin ! .... on this side and place .....

here we first finished shaping on the upper part of the fin > then we check with a level > the angle > not like it shows on the picture > but we align the left side of the level with all the center joint !

after we finished shaping > we put some putty in the joints ....

und here we put some putty on the angles left .....

here we are checking out > the size of the glass ....

this is after puttimg on some mix .....

herew after repositioning and putting more mix on .....

after repositioning and be fore putting more mix ....

checking the fit of the glass ....

after pouring on the mix .....

here we are checking the alignment after putting some boxes to support ....

here we fit a piece of cloth to the Y .......

we take off the cloth ..... and put mix on the foam only ! not on the cardboard dummy we made so to fit in the tire side wall > later > for the " hinge "

and here we put down the cloth again ...... and squezed out all air with our old bank card ! .... but dont believe the picture > it looks like the rest was soaked too > but it isnt > just some shining through of the dark floor and the kodak idiot program ? ... I will be watching out for this phenomenan when taking pictures in the future ! ..... different angles should do it !

I have been trying every thing > the kodak just wont give us reality > no mix outside the foam ! but we got some on the extention for the hinge ..... applied from the top > since nothing is under to glue to !

and here we try on a second piece of cloth ....

here we have the second layer on the Y ..... the connection to the second layer of the main fin will be done later !

here we see a piece of the 6 oz twill cloth used > it has 2x the amount of fibers diagonally > then 1x fiber running athward and 1x lenght wise ! .... so we have to turn around every other layer to have a strenght symmetrie .... the same flexibility > meaning > when there is pull on the fin > �t will not go one way or the other .....will not distort !

here we have finished the other Y ..... and get ready to start on the main layer .....

the connection of the layers will be done in the next step ......

here we finnish the 2. fiber glass layer just like the 1. but 2" wider .....

and here we turned the assembly over .......

to start shaping the upper outside part with a rasp !

and here the shaping of the Y center .....

here a look at 5the later " hinge " case

here .... the fin ready to glas the outside ! .... note the beat around the edge > to provide enough impact strenght ... later ....

and here > one of the cassettes to take the " hinge " later ....

here the other cassette ... with the card board filler in > to hold the glas in the right shape !

another view of the fin just before glasing ....

here we see the 1. full size layer of cloth tried on the out side ......

and here partly rolled up again > to wet the core .......

here we have one section finished ......

here ... the still dry glas is rolled back for wetting the core !

and here ... the second part is done .... the still dry parts on top of the cloth > will be wetted on the second layer ....

the 3. section finished glasing .....

after turning the fin over > the glas is let on down > to wet the rest of the core !

first full layer on the outside all done .....

here ... we are finished with the second layer > just as the first one was done !

here a view of the finsihed cassette for the hinge ....

here ... we had filled in 1/2 oz of mix > when the fin was in an up right position > then leveled out like shown > to reenforce the beat holding both layers of glas together ....

here you can see the fin being set on a box up near the ceiling > to keep the fin in the right position !

here ... a " x ray view " > the end result of all the filling in > top & bottom each 1 oz total .... on the left each 1/2 oz total > the template to make the hinge later on > you can see below !

trying on the complimentary 1/2 layer ....

rolled back before wetting ....

first section finished ....

the second section finished

trying on the last section

rolled back before the last wetting ....

the inside complementary layer is done ... too ! the fin is now stiff enough > to be tried out .....

here .... we added some reenforcement to the cassette .... the clamps are for having every thing straight and true ....

the 2x 6oz are going just about an inch past the former empty space .... where we took some foam off before to account for the additional layers !

more reenforcement 2x6oz > to the cassette > no need to clamp any more > since stiff enough > just a little weight to keep it straight > the other cassette being done as well !

starting to reenforce the top part of the hinge cassette ....

finished the reenforcing with twice 6oz glas !

never believe what you see on a kodak picture > but this shows the wide part of the new layer tried on > 21" wide > over all lenght 12' > starting from the center at 39" over all > meaning 19 1/2 " we cut the cloth down to 18" on one side > diagonaly .... 14" either way .... then straight 18/21" wide ....

here the small part > 18" wide up to the first angle > the center of the lenght at the far edge of the picture ....

here we wet the glas .... to have the joint going to the hinge at a different place later !

to wet the glas now being on top of the picture > we set the tip of the fin on some boxes .... so to have the mix run the right way !

the third main layer connection to the Y > in the lower part of the picture done > in the upper part > ready to do !

here we connect on the fourth main layer to the Y > in the upper part done > in the lower part ready to wet ! except for the differnt position of the connection > all of the fourth layer > the same as .....

here we start wetting the 3. main layer in the middle ! this has the advantage of not having to handle so much lenght at one time > the rest is all the same ... critical is the inside laminations > be cause its easy to have the layer lift off > if there is pull on the ends > lenght wise > when squeezing the cloth out !

the last 4 layers we will be doing this way .... since its being easier ..... and the strenght will be enough in between !

with the mixture ... its working ever a little better in turning it around the bend ... but even with twill > this is the most !