Ken, thank you very much, but I’m pretty sure I didn’t “create” anything. This outline has probably been used already hundreds of time by hundreds of shapers.
As for Mr Copeland striking a deal with me… Well, having him chiming in to encourage us and offering his advices and expertise on this project is much more than I would ever have dreamed of and I’d like to thank him once again for that.
Just my opinion, here…
The original outline was virtually nothing like a Pipeliner. The most recent one is quite a bit closer, but still too full in my eyes. I copied the image Bing provided of the Pipeliner East, then copied the latest outline photo. I matched them up as best I could, lengthwise. Then, I overlayed the brochure image on the other photo. What I came up with was significantly more ears and hips on the ‘replica’. Ballpark guesstimate from a guy sitting at a 19" monitor says the nose is an inch too wide, and the tail at least a 1/2 inch. Of course, this is all a non-scientific conclusion performed without having consumed a single beer. Is it 5 o’clock, yet?
Guilhem & Jeffery, I think your outline looks just fine. Really very close (see attached). And like everyone says, each hand shaped board of the same model is a little different (especially back in the 60’s). As I recall, all our East and West Coast Pipeliners had slight rolled bottoms (emphasis on slight) with 50/50 rails through the tail. Only the guns and semi guns had down rails at the tail.
As for Mr Copeland striking a deal with me... Well, having him chiming in to encourage us and offering his advices and expertise on this project is much more than I would ever have dreamed of and I'd like to thank him once again for that.
Balsa
your right just having Mr Copeland on board is plenty enough
and after looking at the pic Bing has supplied it looks as though (to me) your inbetween the two shapes ,,,,, I like it!
I hope Bing doesnt take offence to my input
Absolutely beautiful mate!. These threads are the best threads.
No offence taken Ken, In fact you nailed it. We’ll call Jeffrey’s model “The Tweener”
Bing
First planer cuts this morning, working on that “slight belly”. Still lots more to do but working slowly: I don’t want any bad mistake here…
Walker foam is great, in case you don’t know. Or should I say: “WAS great”, unfortunately. T-bands are bitches to get even with the foam, of course, but then I knew what I was heading for, so…
Hmmmhhhhh, what about a beer?
Haha, I’ve been there too ! When he shaped my 12’2" glider earlier this year (http://www2.swaylocks.com/forums/mega-glide), I was going for a basic one stringer blank, and then he asked “do you you mind if I add some curved wood inlays on your blank ?”.
Very nice project, I can’t wait to see it finished. Guilhem, do you mind if I drop by on friday to have a it ?.
No offence taken Ken, In fact you nailed it. We’ll call Jeffrey’s model “The Tweener”
Bing, I think that’ll have to make it onto the board if you don’t mind. Won’t mean anything to most, but its a nice allusion to the spirit of this thread. Thank you again for your participation; it means a lot.
And thanks to everyone who is posting in this discussion. Different stokes, as they say, regarding certain issues but its very interesting to get the feeback and stoke.
Pierre, you’re welcome any time but I’m leaving for Bordeaux on friday afternoon (my sister is going to be honored with the “Légion d’Honneur” on friday evening, I just can’t miss that, there should be lots of nice things to eat/drink…). So, morning would be better if you can.
Here are the latest pictures of the day. I’m gonna have some rest tonight and start again with a fresh eye tomorrow morning.
wholy moly!!!!!
thats comming out realllly nice
Where else can you remake a classic Bing Pipeliner and have Bing himself here to give support and input.
This place is laced with good karma! Love it!!
Great work as always balsa!
Bob
I have to say the original Pipeliners are some of the best designed and produced boards ever.
Your execution of this tribute is also very impressive.
A few years ago (1998 or 9 or so) I had the occasion to visit the Ron Jon shop in Orange County, Ca right after they opened. When I walked in the front door I was immediately stopped by the vision of a Bing Pipeliner. I don’t know who was building them at the time, Eaton? Matt? But I was stunned by the beauty of this particular board. The design, shape, glass, the total execution. It was really something.
And how fortunate to have Bing chime in with his expertise and words of encouragement.
Good seeing you last month Bing.
Hi BalsaBill, thanks for the kind comments. Just like you, I’ve always been stunned by the inherent beauty of the pipeliners and many boards I have shaped in the past were more or less consciously inspired by them. This one, for instance, now that I think of it:
As I’m shaping this one, I realize how much difference there is between someone like me who has the luxury to take his time and the guys at Bing’s (I suppose that Dick Brewer was not the only one shaping all pipeliners?) who were probably spending a few hours at the most on each one. So, I do appreciate all those very kind words about what I’m trying to do but it’s really not much when compared to the “real thing”. I once read an interview of Mike Eaton and he was saying that, at a time, he was shaping about ten longboards a day and that spending more than one hour on a board wouldn’t make it better. How many thousands boards does it take to be able to do that?
best thread in the 4+ years I’ve been on sways.
un. real.
Building very sophisticated tools in order to bring balsa even (planer tears out long fibers, leaving long grooves behind, I must sand this flat without touching the foam around).
Those little sanding pads are the exact width of the T-bands (well, a tiny bit less, actually) and they ride on the cedar sides, taking down balsa between them. Very effective, but takes some time, too…
As we’re getting closer to the finished shape, I do have a question or two about fins…
Bing, if its not too much trouble, I’ve noticed on various Pipeliners that the fin varies, both in shape and whether a box or a glass-on. Were the original East models all box? And were they all supplied with the “original” rakey Pipeliner fin?
Many thanks,
Guilhem -
You really did a nice job on the belly and thin upturned rails in the front. Those look exactly like the rails on the Pipeliner boards I've seen. Great stringer work. The mini sanding blocks are brilliant! I'm super stoked watching this project develop.
Jeffrey,
Most of the Pipeliner East boards had “waveset” boxes (for shipping reasons) unless they ordered with glass ons. I’m attaching a photo that shows the glass on, the waveset and where you can get a fin to fit the F/U box for $40.00 US. It’s about as close as you will get unless you go with a glass on.
Lookin good.
Bing
Bing, thanks for the heads-up and fin info. I contacted Joe Aaron regarding a fin. What I’m planning on, after a lot of hesitation, is to go with a box like on (most) of the originals… The use of the a noserider-inspired fin (Camplus, I’ll get you a template as soon as I can!) in certain conditions and the classic Pipeliner fin in others… looking to have my cake and eat it too, I suppose.
Balsa should be chiming in pretty soon after a few day hiatus for good cause. I’ll let him do the explaining.
