2nd build, first one solo

Build Threads 2025
1

Hi,

Following Cost to shape yourself VS local shaper costs VS pop up board - #19 by user203. I’ve decided to kick off the project and before getting my hand dirty I want to discuss a few ideas. And I want some radically honest advices, examples and alternatives. Don’t be shy and tell me when my ideas are sh!t

So a brief summary is I have shape a board with a shaper more than five years ago and made some notes
I’ve became quite good at fixing my ding myself over a period of 20 years
I don’t have yet a shape room or the beginning of a setup but might be able to borrow some stuff

—–
The board: A keel fish around 5 10 - 20 - 35l - PU - Glass strong or potentially longer to fit the blank

My current boards are Holy hypto 5.10 - 31l, Dominator 2 5.10 32l, DHD Sweet spot 4.0 - 6.2 - 33l, Greedy Beaver 6.4 - 40 ish liter - Random Longboard 9.2, Random keel twin fish 5.6 - 20 ish

I’m feeling older and I want a board that get into the wave earlier, generating speed earlier and to be honest I’ve never really ripped on a wave so I’m not going to loose a lot on the High performance side

One of my friends got a sick Twin fish from a local shaper but 5.4 and 27l, I was thinking about doing a template from this one but I have no idea about how complex it will be.

Alternatively I would like to find/build a template of a fish in the style of Album

What is the best way to get a template done for my case?

———–
Stringer

I want to simplify the process and avoid to build the stringer myself.
So I assume a blank with a stringer will be better, or just building without stringer and compensating with some extra fiber/resine. ( Extra layer or Flax as discussed here: EAST inspired EPS -> Flax) I believe Rasta’s shaper is shaping without stringer

PSI from raglan doesn’t looks like in business anymore but I’ve seen a couple of 6.4 blank stringerless here: Search 13: blank

6.2 Blank here whitewood or Plywood so I assume they have a stringer

Any alternatives or experiences about sourcing blank in NZ north islands are welcome

——
Fins
____

I’m not sure yet, if I ll do the full process but I like to entertain the idea

Fins box: I have a set of old and tired keel feel on FCS1 which might help me to chose FCS1 plug

However, it is old and tired and I can see purchasing a new set. SO I don’t want that to be the only driver

Should I stick to FCS 1, shift to FCS2, or future. I have a slight preference to future but honestly I want something easy and efficient.

And that’s all for today, I believe other question will come in time

Looking forward to read from your experience guys!

2

Most PU blanks are sold stringered, mostly because stringer is use to give/keep/customise rocker .

Seems you mix PU and EPS in your post. Even if that’s surfboard blank not exactly same build. If you want to go with PU you must buy a stringered blank near your final shape then should laminate with UV setting polyester resin, a lot forgiving than fast set catalized one’s.

3

on my humble opinion for a first shape i would stay away from the fish shape.

i see many first time shaping want to do a fish because is a fun board and shaping your first board must be fun…but there is a lot of work / possible mistakes arround the tail area that you can avoid if you shape a round pin ( witch is also the better for lamination for the first time…less relief cuts).

as for fins you can turn your old fcs1s that you like into glass ons ( its not the most dificult if done properly) otherwise i have changed to futures why?? well boxes are more easy to install and the cheap termoplastic future fins are actualy good enough for every day surf, so i just have 1 or 2 fiber sets and then i use a lot the am1 thermoplastic.

hope this helps, cheers and good waves.

4

You will flop the rocker if you choose a stringerless blank. You cannot maintain rocker in a stringerless blank through the shaping and glassing process. A stringerless blank will require a rocker table to maintain rocker while glassing. If you are prepared to front the extra work, labor and money to devise and build a rocker table then by all means proceed.

5

Kia ora 203,

That’s a shame PSI have closed. What about some of the local shapers, would they sell you a blank? It seems to be getting harder and harder in NZ to get blanks. Going down the EPS route might be the only way soon? There at least are plenty of suppliers of EPS blocks!

6

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and help,

So I’m shifting my project to a “modern” Mini Simmons as it appear the thing you need to do when you start shaping and I don’t have a mini Simmons yet.

And I’m doubling my effort to get a PU blank with stringer adapted to the board as described here.

Length: 5’4"

  1. Width: 21 1/8"

  2. Thickness: 2 7/16"

  3. Target Volume: ~34 Liters

  4. Tail Width: ~18" (measured 12" from the tail)

  5. Nose Width: ~16 1/2" (measured 12" from the nose)

    PS: The website psi.co.nz is offline and the domain name is sold, this is why I assume PSI is closed. However, I’ve sent an email and wait for a potential reply.

7

i think is kind easy to find the blank because there is not much rocker in the mini simons, i don’t know how are your blanks sold where you are, but any 6’0”F block (F meaning fish is wide and thick enough).

being the mini simmons not much rocker if you can’t find anything specific you can take it out of a way bigger blank or from a Big boy Blank.

think like this ,when you break a longboard or a malibu in half normaly the fun/possible project is to build a mini-simons.

Now there is a lot going on a mini-simons, its not just a plank.

there is a really good simons enthusiast website that as alrready been mentioned here by Mr. Stoneburner if i am not mistaken.

cheers and good waves

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8

Thanks Everyone,

I believe that I’ve found the website. It is likely: https://www.minisimmonssurfboards.com/

I’ve contacted https://bayshapers.co.nz/ to get all the consumable to shape and I’m getting the stands and tooling from a friend who shape a few boards a few years ago.

So it is getting real and I’m getting excited. I believe that I’m going to spend a lot of time on the mini simmon website as I have so many questions about the rails for a MS.

I will let you know how it is going soon!

9

what are the dimensions you want for your simmons?

let me know and i will send you a design plan with all the measurements. (let me know if inches or cenimeters?)

cheers and good waves.

10

Kia ora 203,

Good stuff, sounds like you’re getting close! I was looking at a Mini Simmons, this guy has a great video that might be helpful?

I hope you get a blank sorted, keep us posted!

11

Hey Guys,

Many thanks for all your advises and generous feedback. Swaylock community Rocks!

I’m sharing my shopping list as I might need feedback and I hope this might be useful in the future for other wanabee shapers

Blank: 6’0 BB blank, see the description of the 6.2 below

Resin: Polyester (laminating and hot coat/finish resin + catalyst)

Fiberglass Cloth: 6oz and 4oz E-glass (enough to do a 6oz + 4oz deck + Tail patch, and a 6oz bottom)

Fin Boxes: 4 x Futures boxes (Two 4-degree boxes for the fronts, and two 0-degree boxes for the rears)

Leash Plug: 1 x standard leash plug

See you

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12

Nice I forgot about those guys for blanks! Looks like you’re set, I hope it all goes smoothly, by all accounts MS have a bit going on in a small space so blending is the key. Keep us posted on progress.

13

Kia Ora All,

A short news about this project. I’ve got the consumable ( Blank, resines, fin box…)
Kids are wife are away on vacation for 3 weeks!
I should be able to pick up the tool to setup the shaping bay this week end.

I believe the next step will be creating the template for this “modern” mini simons

As usual feedback and guidance is more than welcome

Cheers,

14

Shaping bay? With everyone away you can use the dining room table and just spread out Fish n Chip wrappers around as a tarp!!!:joy:

Hope it all goes well, keep us all updated!

1 Like