Nelson Factory Custom Boards

Races, swaps, beer nights, clinics, etc.

Post Reply
KayakDoc
Posts: 145
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:35 am

Nelson Factory Custom Boards

Post by KayakDoc »

Anyone have any experience with Nelson Factory Custom Boards. I suspect there is a better chance that some of the windsurfers have encountered these boards. I am just about to get two of my kite board designs cut on their CNC board cutting machine. I am curious if anyone has comments regarding the boards coming out of their factory in Haiku.
User avatar
downwind dave
Website Donor
Website Donor
Posts: 1468
Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2004 9:05 am
Location: cobblehill
Contact:

Post by downwind dave »

heres one, not sure who owns it
Image
Last edited by downwind dave on Fri Jun 24, 2011 11:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
winddoctor
Website Donor
Website Donor
Posts: 1119
Joined: Wed May 28, 2003 8:57 am
Location: Near Kook st.
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 19 times

Post by winddoctor »

'Doc,

I have a Nelson Factory wave board. Top notch service, materials, and R and D. Mark Nelson has built boards for the best sailors on the planet, but he happily made one for a kook like me too. The cost of buying custom vs production is very close now. Highly recommended!
Poultry in motion
KayakDoc
Posts: 145
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:35 am

Post by KayakDoc »

Hey Windoc,
Thanks for easing some of my concerns. Mark seems a bit of a character. I agree with all your points. It seems possible to get all you want in a custom board for a little more than the cost of a production board. Kite board design is just getting going so I thought I might spread my wings a little with some shapes cut with computer and CNC precision (still cannot resist building them myself though). Kudos for the great Pistol River Wave Bash results. Might be the board designers start coming to your door soon.
Geoffy
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:01 pm

Post by Geoffy »

Seen their techniques, first class, you won't go wrong! Check your CNC files for hidden lines and planes with a dry run if possible, that's where most CNC mistakes come in, especially if you've switched between design programs such as Solidworks and Catia/Autodesk and are just handing over a solid model to him. The construction planes and hidden features are sometimes picked up by the CNC code (Mastercam, etc.) while being invisible in the on-screen visual model.
We windsurf - life must be good!
KayakDoc
Posts: 145
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:35 am

Post by KayakDoc »

Thanks for the heads up Geoffy. Do you have the capabilities to cut/shape full size blanks at your facility? Economically? Or the interest? I know you have made some fairly large composite components.
Geoffy
Posts: 193
Joined: Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:01 pm

Post by Geoffy »

How much does NF charge for the service? Our limit is a 12-inch blank rocker, should be no problem for a kiteboard, and the CNC is 12-foot by 6-foot so certainly no size issue unless you are into polygamy-kiting with all 4 wives along for the ride. :lol: And are they cutting a rocker table or a blank?
We windsurf - life must be good!
KayakDoc
Posts: 145
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 12:35 am

Post by KayakDoc »

NF charges $90.00 for the first board and $60.00 for each copy. I supply the blanks of course. This is for a 6’ x 18.5" board. They are cutting blanks. They will cut SUPS, but they must hot wire the foam block down to usable size first.
Post Reply