# Cutting the tail off of a board?



## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

I know some of you experiment with boards.

Has anyone cut the tail off of a board to make it a short tail powder board.

I got a long directional board that isn't worth anything and I was thinking of cutting the tail off about 10" from the rear inserts and shape it like the Jones Hovercraft or something. Then get a marine epoxy and cake it on the fresh cut then sand it smooth.

I wanna do it for fun, just for the experience of it. Has anyone tried this and have any suggestions before I rip into it???


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Use a hacksaw to cut through the edge first. Then from there just go to town. If you don't want to use a hacksaw an angle grinder will do wonders.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

Yeah, I was gonna use a hand held grinder I got at work to cut the metal edges and then jigsaw to shape it. Is there a standard length from the rear inserts that I should be aware of? Like too short for example


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

It really comes down to what's inside the board. If it's an old K2 that has the metal inside it you might want to avoid that, but if it's not you should be fine. Cro and I chopped like 8 boards apart last spring to slash slush with. Just compensate for the cut width from the angle grinder. 

I will say this if you chop a board right at the inserts you lose any tail you have which makes it really suck in super deep and steep snow. I would try to leave at least 4cm's behind the back insert as a just in case.


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

I would leave the side cut intact


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

ETM said:


> I would leave the side cut intact


I couldn't help wondering about that myself! As I read thru this thread, I couldn't help thinking that 10" sounded like an awful lot of tail to chop off of any board!! (...then again, I know squat about it so,..?) :dunno:

It would certainly be interesting to try something like that if one had an old beater board to experiment with. 

Good luck M2m, with your "bobber" project!


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

Go for the swallow tail or fish it.

You want that edge.

It'll still sink, but you'll be able to steer.

I drilled a hole first in the tail, then just plunged a circular saw through.

Stopped just before the edge & finished with a hacksaw.

Took under 1/2 an hour, not including drying time for the lacquer for the cut out.

It's way easier than you think.

I wanna see pics by the end of the day.

Ready go.


TT


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## PlanB (Nov 21, 2014)

I'd be more inclined to go the home-made split-board route myself; but I'm curious as to how your project turns out. Let us know your steps and the do's/don't you encounter afterwards. My first thought was how to cut through the edges without mangling them up but it's already been mentioned above.

Good luck.


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## alchemy (Apr 28, 2014)

i'd cut behind the contact points.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

I've thought about it quite a bit. Was battling between a swallow and short tail. I'm not gonna use it for big steep lines and probably not take it to a resort but rather use it for fresh deep runs at my townhome on stagecoach mountain. The reason I wanted a short tail is because it seems that it would be more nimble in the trees and tight areas. Stagecoach has a lot of bushes and trees and rocks which maneuvering quickly would be key. I'm not too concerned about contact points or edges because it will be strictly for untouched powder and no groomers. 

I can see the benefit in the swallow tail though I have never rode one. Good for deep steep runs and while keeping stability?

I'm not in a rush because the powder has melted around here and I know for a fact that I'm going to be dying to try it once I make the cut. lol

Thanks for all the input and feel free to share anything you can think of!!!!


Sweet board TT


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## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

I did something very similar to what TT did. I marked the center of the board side to side then chose a spot behind the inserts and drilled a hole with a hole saw. The i picked an angle(don't remember what it was) and marked both sides, went to a certain point and then made a line straight back to the tail. I cut the edges with a very thin dremel cut off wheel, cut the rest with a jigsaw.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Mystery2many said:


> I've thought about it quite a bit. Was battling between a swallow and short tail. I'm not gonna use it for big steep lines and probably not take it to a resort but rather use it for fresh deep runs at my townhome on stagecoach mountain. The reason I wanted a short tail is because it seems that it would be more nimble in the trees and tight areas. Stagecoach has a lot of bushes and trees and rocks which maneuvering quickly would be key. I'm not too concerned about contact points or edges because it will be strictly for untouched powder and no groomers.
> 
> I can see the benefit in the swallow tail though I have never rode one. Good for deep steep runs and while keeping stability?
> 
> ...


If you're a real man you say fuck this functional cutting and go for the shark bite. See the picture below with the top right corner.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/snowboarding-general-chat/147665-cut-not.html

For the edge I used a reciprocating saw surf a metal blade, then a file to clean it up


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

taco tuesday said:


> I did something very similar to what TT did. I marked the center of the board side to side then chose a spot behind the inserts and drilled a hole with a hole saw. The i picked an angle(don't remember what it was) and marked both sides, went to a certain point and then made a line straight back to the tail. I cut the edges with a very thin dremel cut off wheel, cut the rest with a jigsaw.


Sounds way too technical & not much fun

I used a file folder, nice big thick one.

Closed, I just cut one out, without even drawing it out first. haha

It sucked ass, haha, trim a little here, 
meh, a little more & ta da.

If I did it again, I'd just cut the edges at the back, then cut just inside the edge all the way around the tail.

Then cut lots of different shapes into it, you can take more off, can't put it back on.

Once the edge is gone it's pretty easy to cut/grind/file anything you want into it in a few minutes.

I used an outdoor varathane spray can & gave it a few coats.
It's never got any sort of scratch on the cut out part.

It's my home made no board, I only ride it in powder.

It's got longer screws in the old school five hole pattern.

The inserts are closer to the edges than 4x4.


TT
TT


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

timmytard said:


> Sounds way too technical & not much fun
> 
> I used a file folder, nice big thick one.
> 
> ...


Similar board?


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

BurtonAvenger said:


> If you're a real man you say fuck this functional cutting and go for the shark bite. See the picture below with the top right corner.


Everything there with the exception of the "square" side notched one,.. all look pretty cool! (I would think that square shape would grab or create too much drag?) :dunno: :blink: Can I assume the different cutouts and unusual shapes are meant to "rooster tail" snow behind the board in some fashion?

...can't help wundrin' if the "shark bite" tail would _pull_ to one side while riding it in the Poo!


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## ETM (Aug 11, 2009)

IMO swallowtails work best in low angle powder, if its steep you want the tail, Ive been saved by the last few cm of my tail on a few occasions


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

chomps1211 said:


> Everything there with the exception of the "square" side notched one,.. all look pretty cool! (I would think that square shape would grab or create too much drag?) :dunno: :blink: Can I assume the different cutouts and unusual shapes are meant to "rooster tail" snow behind the board in some fashion?
> 
> ...can't help wundrin' if the "shark bite" tail would _pull_ to one side while riding it in the Poo!


The holes are actually in the nose of a 152 that we cut down to about 130cm's and made it an off axis micro swallow tail. The square notch board is actually just hilarious as it doesn't do shit but hinder the ride. But I will say without a doubt the shark bite is my favorite board I own. I rode that thing for the first week of the preseason at A basin. Not only did it keep people away from pushing into me in the lift line it makes you a better rider because you have so little effective edge on your heelside. I love that board.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

BurtonAvenger said:


> If you're a real man you say fuck this functional cutting and go for the shark bite. See the picture below with the top right corner.


that top left picture was the nose of my board that i cut up, dual toe edge side cut with the bart simpson hair style for the nose. did some gnarly nose presses on that thing during summer camp ha. i also used it to put unruly campers in their place or to impale people who snaked me.


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## timmytard (Mar 19, 2009)

ridinbend said:


> Similar board?


Looks like the exact board except a different size/graphic.

That's a mint one to make a no board out of.

You'll have to cut a swallow tail into it too though.

Without the ability to pull up the front end, like you would be able to if you had bindings, the sweet spots aren't where the inserts are.

To be able to ride it my feet were behind the spikes, way too slippery.

I had to cut the swallow tail into it, just to get it to ride normal.


TT


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

I wish the snow would hurry up. The board is just sitting in my shop waiting to be cut. I just wanna wait till the first good dumping up here, cut it that day, get drunk and hike the hill outside my townhouse. Kinda like how I use to throw a wax party and drink beer, play snowboard videos and talk shit getting stoked about the upcoming season in October. Only a few more months. Pictures will follow. 

I'll probably get some people together and do a little party thing, except it'll be super f'ing fun to actually ride rather than dream.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

I'd chop it off at the rear contact point and then swallowtail it.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

linvillegorge said:


> I'd chop it off at the rear contact point and then swallowtail it.


Its about an hour and 40 mins from you but when we see a good storm coming, come up and lets try it out.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Wife is gonna pop out a kid right around opening day. Not sure how many days I'll manage to get in this season, but pretty sure a trip to the Boat is likely out no matter what.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

linvillegorge said:


> Wife is gonna pop out a kid right around opening day. Not sure how many days I'll manage to get in this season, but pretty sure a trip to the Boat is likely out no matter what.


This is why I'm getting a vasectomy. No missing a season due to having a child. EVER! Plus with the way I spray baby gravy on Tinder dates, who knows how many kids I probably already have.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

linvillegorge said:


> Wife is gonna pop out a kid right around opening day. Not sure how many days I'll manage to get in this season, but pretty sure a trip to the Boat is likely out no matter what.


Congrats on the baby!!! I was referring to like a preseason goof around at my place. Right outside is a sweet hill that isn't a killer to hike. I put a 14" plastic ribbed drain pipe in the snow and build a tiny kicker and park my landcruiser next to it for music. Its pretty fun. But I bet the whole baby on the way thing requires a lot of attention. 




BurtonAvenger said:


> This is why I'm getting a vasectomy. No missing a season due to having a child. EVER! Plus with the way I spray baby gravy on Tinder dates, who knows how many kids I probably already have.


I'm half want a kid and half don't want a kid. Still can't convince my wife to lose the baby fever.


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

Get her a puppy.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

BurtonAvenger said:


> Get her a puppy.


I can testify that this works!


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