While I’m getting money together to glass my new 9’2" hplb, I was able to pick up a couple more blanks this one is 9’6" Marko eps. I roughly borrowed the outline from a friend’s Tyler. Might try a step deck but I don’t know yet.
I wasn’t aware that Tyler H did any HPLBs. He’s more well known for his refined traditional designs, not the frenetic I-rip-on-a-longboard thing than Stewart and Walden do. I don’t see one 14" tail on his website.
Live and learn, i guess.
I think he means his board being glassed now is a hplb, and the one in the pictures is the Tyler outline. Looks like it’s got potential. My buddy has a 10’0" Noll custom that’s EPS and glassed with volan and it’s pretty fun. Happy shaping
Looking good! In my opinion, it would look even better if you made yourself a proper Masonite template and trued up the bottom AND the top. Granted, there is a slight difference due to rocker curve but having a defined ‘line’ to follow (top and bottom) will help you in truing your outline cut.
I took these pictures before I trued it up.
I just found when I started making outline templates of hard material it made things so much easier in the long run. The ‘top side’ trace helped a bunch. I fought uneven outline cuts (not quite the same top and bottom) for a long time… a carpenter’s square works OK to check for a squared outline too. I use both. That 9’6" Marko blank looks really nice. I hope you keep posting pics and progress reports!
Tyler definitely does not make a hplb model. My hi pro is waiting to be glasses this 9’6" is patterned after the Tyler.
I need to make some hard templetes as I make more boards. I do have some uneven cuts on this one.
I didn’t have any Masonite handy but did have some 1/8" plywood, made some templetes. Thanks for the advice!
One rail roughed in
A little closer to being ready for glass. I added red pu foam nose and tail blocks, just a little more sanding then glass.
Finally got to work on this board again. I painted it then changed my mind, sanded the paint off changed the tail and decided to try my first resin tint, cut laps, and pin lines. I am happy with how the color turned out, but need to work on smoothing out my curves on the cut laps and have come to the conclusion that I will probably never be good at pin lines. They are thick and ugly but hide the seam on the lap so I don’t mind them too much.
I’m trying to learn about shaping from this forum, and wondered what the advantages of the pu nose and tail blocks are, and it if makes a big difference. I’m guessing it is for durability, and have a longboard with a wooden tail.
I did the Pu nose and tail blocks for several reasons, none of them were for durability. First I thought it would look cool, second I wanted to see how hard it was to do. Each board I try to do at least one thing that I haven’t done before.
So I missed something?? “Pu” meaning Polyurethane or just plain old “Poo”??
If both of you seriously want to learn about shaping start by learning how to hand craft a Masonite template and true it up. It will train your eye to recognize continuous curve. And don’t try to incorporate so many bells and whistles into your first Shape. Do something a little simpler and basic. But try very hard to do it right. Chalk this one up to experience.
Not my first shape, made templates and trued them up. I’m happy with the outline. My artistic skills on the black pinlinish thing are where I question my ability. Now that I think about it I could have used my templates to lay out the pin line.
Don’t mean to throw stones, just point out a few tips that have worked for me and a few others in the past. If you are doing your own lams and using color underneath of any kind, it pays to mask out the logo and do a white spray/liquitex on the back side of the logo. That makes it pop. Also, when you do the deck lam do one layer with pigment/tint and the over-layer with clear. Under the second lam is where you place the logo. I don’t know your schedule on this board, but a standard deck lam on EPS longboards on the west coast is at least 6 + 4. I do 4 + 4 + a 3/4 4oz as I like a lighter but tighter lam. Also, you won’t get a good cut on your tape if you leave that much resin on the tape/board. Lastly, learn to do resin pin lines on an old board or a broken one. Back in the day we did fin lay-ups on broken boards. I found one a few years ago under a friends North Shore house that had 8 fins on it… Just my 2c.
Did first layer of glass with color then clear over the top. The liquitex is a good idea, I’ll try it next time. The schedule is 6+6 top and bottom with a 6oz deck patch on top and 6oz tail patch on bottom.
Just looking at the shape I’d guess it’s going to ride great. It isn’t easy to turn out a showroom perfect board at any stage of home construction. Seriously… would love to hear the ride reports!