Got an order from a special customer for another longboard in the
4 cubic ft. range. (Big guy, old guy, but can throw it around if he can catch
waves) In order to do this, I’m going to need a blank over
4” thick. Back in the day all I needed to do was make a phone call and
I would have a 9’8Y or 10’2Y in the right thickness (4”+). I always had a couple
extra in the shop in case of big guy orders. Used those up kinda quick, but I make
longboards that tend to last so up ‘till now that hasn’t been an issue. Can’t exceed the 10’ length,
Does anyone have any special recommendations? I have thought about
Getting a SUP blank and cutting out a section in the middle to narrow it
Up, but will only do that much work if that is my last option. Can’t do EPS, that’s
not what the guy wants, customer is always right!!!
10’10"T (Timpone) U.S. Blank in polyurethane. Room to move but not a total beast.
Surf blanks hawaii 10-'2" SUP you can get through your Futures fin distributor. $180. Just outline it and go. No need for cutting the middle out. Very consistent density.
What type/size board are you making?
Too bad about EPSphobia because he is wasting money the PU route. 2.5lb eps cuts like butter and will out last any PU blank!!!
“EPSphobia”… no kidding.
I’ve had a good mind just to make some clean stockers, not label “EPS/Epoxy”, and just put them on a sales floor or two. The consumer might look at them, pick them up, feel the strength, buy one and love it. If and when it finally got dinged, any reputable repair pro could tell what core it is and fix it appropriately. Besides, you CAN fix epoxy boards with poly if you know how to do it, but why bother? If you were in a bind I guess, or so cheap your butt squeaks when you walk.
I have repeat customers that all they want from me is EPS… Stretch, Rusty, and a good number of us have made EPS boards for 30 years now. Gee, have they arrived yet?
Hmmm, maybe don’t ask don’t tell applies here… like do you REALLY know which PU foam is going into your new board?
“Wow, this new board you made me paddles like a dream and is super strong and light…thanks”.
‘‘Hmmm, maybe don’t ask don’t tell applies here… like do you REALLY know which PU foam is going into your new board?’’
You got that right.
EPS/Epoxy is the way to go for big boys. I just made this one for “Brent”, he weighs 350lbs He picked it up and said WOW. Strong 2.5lb foam {Segway} 2x deck with 3/4 patch. 9’ long 25" wide and 4" thick.
Lack of education, most “surfshop” employess do not even know what EPS means, AND poorly made eps/epoxy imports have given a ‘’ negative" response to the materials.
Funny Stuff!
I have about 30 or so clark blanks left and the laminates that say so. I put them on for nostalgia purposes mostly and I still find most people don’t even know what clark is or was. I am however waiting for the " isn’t this blank too old?" question.
Ace,
Love that outline and especially love the nose. That squared of nose is so practical for storage, be able to fit in the vehicle and with no effect on performance.
I find most customers shun the choice if given it with this type of nose. Did he ask for the nose or did you just make it that way?
Sweet board!!!
Sweet…and very functional.
I know people hedge on this approach, that is unless they specifically were out looking for a Herbie Fletcher board.
I have a model I call “Ten Over” - a noserider that I made a ton of when Beatty was still here. They were super popular and I did a straight on nose but only straight on for about 2" on each side of the striinger. It still appeared roundish but was still there… I’d say a smidge more than what Steve (Walden) does. People asked me about the name and I said it came from the parallel curve up on the tip that allows more room for ankle to ankle noseriding.
I bet this guy will love this stick. It’s just a solid no bullshit approach to what it’s designed for.
‘‘It’s just a solid no bullshit approach to what it’s designed for.’’
Thanks. This is the approach I have taken the last few years. NOT the best business plan. The" industry" depends on “bullshit” to survive.
As far as the squared off noses, very practical, allows some interesting tweeks in the last few inches. NOTHING NEW. I think Hynson made some of the earliest ones I can remember, in foam boards.
This one is a giant version of my “Squish”.
…hello ACE, looks good.
do you have photos of that foil with those 4"?
I do not know of any Aussie PU blank that have more than 4"
Thanks guys for all the advice. I had thought that
I wouldn’t get any as this is so much a special type of
order. Dead & Ace, I hear ya! I showed the customer
a shaped out 10’2” SUP in EPS that I haven’t glassed yet
(I’m doing all the epoxy work myself and farming out the
sanding bit to keep the wife and my skin happy) with the same type of rails and bottom contours that he likes but could
not convince him to go that way. Dead, I might take your
tact and do up a 10’ demo in EPS/Epoxy with no Epoxy lams
and see how the orders go.
BB30, I saw the Surfblanks 10’2 SUP and think that this is
How I will be going. I’m going to pick up one next week.
I have an order in for the US Blanks Timpone 10’10 and will
see which blank rockers out closest to my required numbers.
The attached photo was taken in 2003 and shows the customer with a
10’ x 4 1/8 x 24” shaped from a 10’2Y special order Clark.
Clark had a spacer ring for the 9’ Y & 10’ Y that would net out
A 4”+ finished shape depending on the rocker cut. They got
destroyed along with the all the other molds after Black Monday.
When Just Foam was in business, Scott was blowing a 9’8” at 4”
Which would net out a 3 7/8” finished if you were careful! I bought
10 in his “10 for…” going out of business sale and have none left.
I also bought 10 of his 10’2” but am saving the last 6 for myself
And a couple of close friends!! LOL
Ace… being from San Diego, I’m sure you remember the G&S “Stretch” Model with the square tip. I thought that was from Skip, but it very well may have been a Skip Frye/Mike Hynson colaboration as MH had the Red Fin and they were both with G&S in those days. As I recall, “The Stretch” was also a down railed nose…
Yater designed a new 9’8"Y for U.S. Blanks with middle of the road rocker that is available in EPS in 3 thicknesses: 3", 3-3/8", and 3-3/4". Of course a 3-3/4" EPS in 1.5 or 2 lb. would float as well as a 4" poly, allow a lot more glass on it and still feel lighter due to the even distribution of weight. I don’t think USB is currently offering 2.5 lb EPS. I still have some high grade stuff from White Hot in my private reserve. USB acqusitioned White Hot and Austin’s stuff, so other than Segway, they are the primary domestic source.
I still miss some of those old Clark molds.
The Stretch, thats the one. I got to know Skip really good, he got me back into shaping. Hynson was the guy who got him to enter contests. Mike more outgoing Skip super shy. Who influenced who in that era hard to say. It was the sixties and I have a cloudy memory. . But I think Mike was the guy on the “Stretch”, I could be wrong. Eric “Bird” where are you??
I have had a few customers look at and like the squared off noses others nay.
When I am explaining the EPS thing I usually get a mixed confused look on my customers faces. I than pick up one of my personal “big guy” specials hand it to em they go “I got it!”. Sometimes I let them take one of my boards to the beach for a tester. They come back saying write me up. I spend a lot of time explaining the differences between materials.
I do not make em super light. I go with a little heavier=super stronger. Still lighter= better floating etc and WAY EASIER TO CARRY than what they were riding. A good compromise. The too light ones ride ‘’ weird’’ and sit funny in the water, my take.
Reverb, do you want a picture of the side of the board or one of my custom blanks?
EPS became prominent for me in the early 80’s when I was deep into sailboard production. Everyone was into racing each other and wanted something that would come off the line fast aka early planing. The buoyancy of EPS was perfect for this whereas we continued to use PUPE for wavesailing at Jalama, Hookipa, and The Gorge, as well as Chrissy Field (SF Bay).
The heavier boards also carried through ‘holes’ on gusty days, where the real light EPS boards would drop off a plane quickly. Later on we started to play with lightweight waveboards that were easier to plane in 12 to 16 knot wind and could be used for loops and barrel rolls once aerial stuff started happening.
You are quite on the mark with EPS longboards being glassed heavier, especially if they are the old school roly poly bottoms we used to use in the 60’s that drop knee turned well or rolled over onto a rail easily. If you make that bottom design really light in EPS they become spinout kings. In those cases, you can just pile on even more glass to make them sit in the water more and the end result is a bullet proof board with something like 30 ounces of cloth on the rails. If you end up in a log jam on a Malibu summer day, you’re probably gonna walk away unscathed. The only other option on that type of board being glassed too light is to add a big ass high area skeg to them…then you’re surfing the fin more than the board.
The little thin hi-performance hardrailed longboards work gr8 in EPS. If they had their rockers originally hotwired into them without prestressing, they hold it really well even when they are super thin. you can’t say the same for uber thin polys. I have two Brasillian longboards that came to me for repair… real thin HP LB’s… both are horribly twisted with hardly any dings.
“then you’re surfing the fin more than the board” PERFECT.
As a shaper nothing I dislike more than seeing a fin/skeg so big and out of sink with the design and subtle nuances that you spend all that time putting into the ‘’ hull’'.
The first eps/epxy boards we made were in the late 80’s when I worked with Eaton. Eckstrom was fiddling around with the stuff in the back of our shop. We made a couple. The first results were horrible! The boards lasted about a week than fell apart. BUT they rode good. Shelved the EPS thing till after Clark closed. I always felt the next step was gonna be materials. We had beaten the poly thing to death. Change outlines, colors and names still the same board. SELL SELL SELL.
I revisited the EPS after being contacted by Ken at Segway. We worked out some custom blanks and went through a learning period. There were a few duds BUT they rode great. I make em stronger and still lighter than poly the decks do not get all beat up and they live up to their expectations. All good.
I have a Greg L. story that is pretty funny do not have time to write it. Lets just say it was another interesting part or should I say “parts” of the story.
…hello Ace, yes, side views. Im interested to see that foam distributed and the tail rocker
thanks
Here is some pics of one of my blanks. 9’4" long 4" thick. Shape away…
Just wanted to post an update…
After running around & making lots of calls that
went nowhere, I decided to call Surfblanks directly.
Turns out that they were great and I ordered a 10’2
SUP blank. 4" cut out of the middle, flourescent yellow
glue up, basswood stringer, no extra charge. By the way,
the guy I talked to (Eric I think) suggested I get it poured
in the yellow foam so it should be nice and light for PU!
Will post up some pics when I get it. Thanks all for the
suggestions & comments. I may take the Fowl-man’s
suggestion and do an EPS/Epoxy at the same time with
the same dim’s & glassed heavy as a demo board…
BKB
Update #2 for those of you who are interested and those who
might be lurking;
Surfblanks was great on the special order,
blank came in with 7+" cut out of the middle making for a great
big boy blank, should have specified the rocker tho, had to stair step
it to get what I needed for the order, foam is bright white and really
crisp, basic cuts with the skil and then went to the grit barrel for finish,
yellow foam is really strong, even the bottom after I took off a lot. Finished
shape is 9’9" and 4.25" thick, just what I wanted for my big guy. Don’t know
what it will glass out to, but finished blank is really light and comptetes with
EPS at 2lb but costs less at size. (I hope MF is reading
this as he had a lot to contribute to this) I will post photos here and on the “what are you working on” thread for
those of you that are interested in viewing the final product. I am a happy
shaper right now!!
11 3 d us blanks 4 7/32 inches thick 27 inches wide designed by george downing and
dale velzy