I have shaped a dozen boards for myself, a few family members and friends. I started less than a year ago and I shape for fun only out of my garage and have zero aspirations of shaping for cash. At the same time I am totally addicted to my new found hobby and wish I could do a board a week. Problem is I am still learning to shape and I my confidence is low because I’m not a pro shaper and I have a lot to learn.
Today I was given a new blank (early birthday present) so I could shape myself a new board. I was stoked, took a picture of the raw blank and posted it to my Instagram account with the title “new project” on it. A local grom, a twelve year old kid, posted back to me “how much” to shape him a new board. I responded back that I would do it at my cost because I am still learning and just want the experience. Seemed like a legit, honest response I’m my opinion. I still don’t know what the f#%k I’m doing, the kid wants a board, and I would love the experience.
Hours later I check my Instagram account, and a local shaper AND glass shop owner chimed in on my post. Basically he threw me under the bus saying I was taking money/food out of his and his families mouth for offering my services below market price.
My question for the forum is this; who is right here? Should an inexperienced shaper as myself be charging ‘normal’ shaping rates to people that are willing to take a risk on a new shaper such as myself? I don’t need or want the money but I would LOVE the experience. Making a profit at this stage of my development does not feel right nor ethical.
How does a new and learning shaper find new people to practice on?
Stay off the internet and instagram. Use word of mouth and hang out down at the beach to make your connnections. Put your life up in a post and anybody can take a shot at you. SLO? Huh? Makes since. He is right though. Backyarders who do boards for the materials have ruined the surfboard market for years. If he finds out where you live all he would have to do is turn you into the SLO Fire Dept. Lowel
Are you only doing the shaping, or are you producing a finished glassed board? Bear in mind, that if you don’t value your skill/services, no one else will either. You should be charging something for providing what ‘‘the other guy’’ is unwilling or unable to do for themselves. Interested potential patrons will find you, if you are producing good riding boards, that are half way decent looking. McDing’s observations are correct. You should pay attention to what he has said.
When I first learned I did the same thing. I wanted to practice so I made a few boards at my cost for friends. Never put it out there on the WWW, tho. Then some guy shows up at the local shop and says he heard some guy called Rooster will make a fish for 200 bucks. That’s fucked up for the reasons Bill T and McDing mentioned. I don’t do it anymore. I’m not a pro and my boards don’t look like it. Occasionally, a friend will ask me to make a board. I don’t do it or I make it as a gift. Or, I tell them I’ll shape it for the cost of the blank plus 100 dollars. You find your own glasser. They don’t take me up on it because they re looking for a cheep board. Fuck em. I was told after 100 boards you charge market price. Besides, I’m totally selfish and just want to make them for myself. Tell the kid you’ll show him how to make his own board. Have his dad bring the six pack and ice. Mike
…incredible wise comment by Mcding: “stay off… instagram, etc”
Seems that you want to be in the main arena or in the place where the “things going on” hence instagram, etc but at the same time happens the other things…so not belonging on that spot you ll find a solution, a very slow solution until you ll reach another level at least.
My remarks weren’t meant to discourage you. Just don’t cheapen your own labor and skill. And— Show some respect for already established shapers. Doing a board on the cheap is a slap in their face. But for SLO it used to be typical that certain shapers would strong arm guys into riding their “bitchin shapes”. And they demeaned anyone who even shaped a backyard board for themselves. So keep shaping but be discreet. Lowel
this is how everybody gets started. if someone is willing to pay you for the materials and you want the experience then do it! if you get better, people will be willing to pay you more than just materials. i am with rooster i charge $100 per shape - that is a fair price for customer and me. thats not enough to feed a family but thats why i have a real job! if someone else says he cant make enough money building surfboards then tell him to go do something that pays more money! make surfboards for the love and hook up the bros no need to exploit it to make it your bread and butter. no one is entitled to business just he was doing it first. and no one should feel entitled to make a living from surfing. also if he cant compete against a guy who has only made a dozen boards (regardless of price) what does that says about his work?! also its not illegal to shape boards at your house!!!
Every garage shaper who has a gallon of lam resin OPEN one wall away from a residence is most likely in violation of local code enforcement. Especially if they(law and code enforcement) determine that you are doing it as a business. ie manufacturing and selling. Just the manufacturing is enough to get you fined or shut down. I won’t say you are full of shit, but; Most likely you’ve been doing this for quite awhile and you do act as though you are a board building biz— so you are a lucky boy. In any case don’t encourage someone to do an illegal activity.
dont need lam resin to shape. SHAPING IN YOUR GARAGE IS NOT A CRIME!
btw I am not a business i only shape for a few i turn away way more than I say yes to. make surfboards for the stoke not for the $$$. i build airplanes to make money…
also be a thoughtful neighbor and no one cares what the heck you do in your own garage!
Sorry, I don’t understand this deference to the local “pro builders”. I am not in the surfboard business, but in any other business, one just has to deal with the competition whoever they are and whatever their pricing, whether they are pros or not, whether they are “feeding their families” or not. It’s a free country - give your boards away or charge whatever you can get. If these guys are threatened by you, that’s their problem.
Yes it is a free country and you should do what you want. But, I DO care about the pro guys that do this for a living. In my county i can think of only 2 and I will not undercut their prices even when my boards become worthy. In the county just north of me there are many shapers and their combined talent is second to none. Won’t undercut them either. mike
Hey Slo Mac, i was in the same boat as you two years back. I started off just charging materials and as my shapes got better i felt more comfortable charging normal prices. No problem in that. If these shapers are making good product they shouldnt need to be worrying about garage shapers. Load of bs in my opinion
I’ve done a couple of boards for just the cost of materials and I will continue to as I see fit. Testing the waters to take it to the next level and getting a few boards out there to be seen. Think of it as a combination of product developement and marketing.
As for the local pro shaper dinging you on the interwebs…he probably just did more damage to his reputation by doing that than your back yard shapes ever could. Sounds like he’s a real turd.
Just wanted to thank everybody for their input. I respect and will take everything said here to heart. Just for the record, I am shaping and air spraying my own boards but I am not glassing them. I take them to a different glass shop than the one mentioned in my original post. Thanks!
Making a few boards for friends and the occasional
freind of the friend should not be a problem for the Local shaper. However the garage shaper at some point has to come to terms with is he or isn’t he a business? As a Business you need to comply with local regulations and zoning laws. have proper insurance and do all the things a real business has to do. Even if it is only part time you should be compliant with fire dept rules and zoning. It just takes one pissed off neighbor to make your happy little shaping hobby/business not so happy after all. Doing a few boards here and there learning your craft isn’t the problem doing a 3 to 5 boards a week you better get your ducks in a row.