Well...

It could be worse...
I have some new tints that are supposed to be the shit, nice popping colors, deep saturation, works well with epoxy or poly...
Yeah, they pop alright but they also are a bit picky about percentages...
I glass the new mini deck, got the laps all pretty, things are going well...went for the 'parfait' look...
Note the rail foil in this pic, this is some good stuff....
I flipped it to do the bottom and got out the new tint. Mixed it all up, laid the glass, poured it out, hit it with the squeegee, looks good, its RED. Very red.
I was delighted at the deep color and left to get some surf.
I got back and...
Where the resin 'pooled' more that 1/16th in the lam, it combined with the foam and...
It melted it.
Yep.
The nose especially.
So a little online searching and I find out that a bit of heat can cause these issues with some types of foam.
That and adding too much tint.
Thats what I did.
Oh well.

OMFG!

Thats what I woke up to yesterday, 6 hours of work, 80.00 in so far and I have a bottom that looks like it was left in the Sun way too long.
I bailed on it in frustration and sadness.
Mostly sadness.
But when I got back after session one yesterday, I realized that no way could I give up and trash it.
I can save it.
I tested the structure of the glassing, its tight, its hard and it is strong. I check for softness in the foam, none.
So I cut out the bad, wobbly stuff, inserted foam like I would a repair.
I filled the bottom, added glass, faired it out somewhat to get back to the flats.

Then I was happier and went surfing again.

Click on the pic and note the 'wavy' and uh, experimental dimpled bottom.
The white foam was where I had to cut out the bad stuff, it was right on the hull so it had to go. I wrote Stella's name on the foam, threw on some gold and silver glitter in the resin and glassed it up.
Dammit.


Oh well.
It will surf.
Its still cool.
Its not pretty nor is it something I can pass along.
But I can't simply toss it on to the pile of learning curves.
So I am going to finish it up, fin it and ride it till it sinks or something.

First surfer who calls it "cool" is going to get it handed to them on the spot, free.
After I ride it of course.

Its the first board I have shaped and glassed that did not come out as planned. It would have if I had done the red in stages, once on the lam and once on the cheater then hotcoat.
Won't happen again.

Here is a pic of my amazingly fast SUP clipped from some vid.
Of course, just when I feel a bit discouraged...
I get this email last night, I sent the Hemp colored mini up with a friend to Newport to meet the buyer who lives in Ptown...

"your guy Pete was there, at the ready. no muss, no fuss.
I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am with the board. no surf on the way home, but to just look at it!
I am COMPLETELY satisfied with my acquisition. the board is badass. the glass seems so solid, like the old days.
I sighted the shape from every angle. fucking masterpiece. this will work for me. I am positive.
the mini is beyond my wildest expectations.
thanks Tony, thank you so very much.
you clearly have a talent and therefore an obligation...
build good surfing-type boards.
I can't wait to put in the water. this is going to be fun!
man, thanks."

That will make a shapers day right there.
See ya.