Making a monofin blade

[watts]

Just wondering if anyone has made themselves a monofin blade Ive been thinking of making a fin for my sporasub variant foot pockets so i can interchange them we bi fins. Has anyone done this? Is it worth doing ? I was thinking of making it out of carbon fibre or fibre glass . And what would be the ideal shape? Should i just copy sebaks or special fins. Thanks........ Nathan:crutch :crutch :crutch :crutch

 

[derelictp]

Hi!

It's very very difficult to make it without the right equipment. I have tried to laminate in glassfibre but I did not succed.

I work with a professional carbon-specialist now so I don't laminate the blades I do the construction.

Read about my blades and the lamination here, www.nordicapnea.com/fins.html

Anyway good luck if you choose to try, you should use glassfibre/carbon and laminate with epoxy (2 component).

 

[watts]

Thank you I think there is a fibreglass supplier that sells carbon products a couple of suburbs away. About the shape I was thinking of shaping it is more natural like a dolphin or whale tail instead of the straight cut design. Would the straight cut be more efficient or more powerful. Something like this which i found only bigger.

 

[Pezman]

Watts,

One technique that is feasible for DIY construction is to take a laminated fiberglass panel and then carefully "scalp" the panel to make the taper.

I think that you can do this pretty easily using a jig and a good router.

 

[Mad Max]

This is my DIY Monofin.
The blade is blade is laminiated in glassfibre with the last layer on each side Texalium (metal coated fibre) this makes the fin silver, just like metal. Then I put some OMER pockets on it and voila!
I know it looks like a specialfin, but it isn't.

And it works really good. Now it is my favourite fin, I also have a specialfin, but I like mine most of all.
In a few weeks I will go for the next fin, because I have some good ideas.

 

[Mad Max]

Another pic.

 

[watts]

Mad fin max

 

[JimGlynn]

That fin looks sweet!
Jim

 

[ramstam]

I don't use a mono(i'd like to) but I thought the foot
pockets should be set further into the fluke?
If I'm on crack, let me know.

 

[Pezman]

Max,

Any chance you could give some details on how you attached the pockets to the fin? I have a WW LD1, sans pockets, that I want to put back in action.

Thanks

 

[Snorkel Bum]

Hey Mad Max... that is one freaky assed fin, WOOOOWEEEEEEEE!!!
How is it compared to your specialfins? I am looking into a monofin to get just for freediving and some fun... specialfins seem like a good option, but yours is just too cool...
Is there anyway you can make one and I buy it off you?
Maybe if you make a cooler one later I will have some choice! hehehe

Or should I just get a plain and simple specialfins...

 

[derelictp]

Nice work Mad Max!!!

 

[Jyri]

Really nice work Mad Max

Jyri

 

[empitian]

WOW MAD MAX thX Awesome
How did you made the fiberglass reinforced things???
Did you make with the Hand lay Up method???

Wow i wonder if i can make my own monofin too;P

 

[Stavros]

If you check the last post from Mad Max was on June 29th, 2004...

 

[Bill]

Pez man
I took a broken blade off an old Finis mono and a pair of Beuchat fins (the pockets fit great). I chopped the bifin blades and attached the trimmed mono blade to them using a dozen small ss bolts. It's probably not very strong but for dynamic practice I never use more than 50% power anyway. Some big advantages for me, the positioning was adjusted to the natural position of the feet including the leg that the doctor made over a cm too long, the blade has a very nice angle and you can trim the bi-fin stubs to adjust blade stiffness. It's better than buying a new expensive mono with horrible shipping fees only to find out that the angle is missing and the blade (the softest one they make) is far to stiff, at least for a beginner.
Aloha
Bill