I have made a few boards using Clarke foam blanks. I am pretty happy with it, only complaint is I find the odd air bubble during shaping. Someone mentioned using spackling to fill those and I did that, wish I hadn’t, I have permanently visible marks on the finished board, doh!
Anyway, I recently heard about ProFoam from homeblown.co.uk and wondered if anyone on here had used them and can tell me how they compare to Clarke foam? they say their technology uses MDIs instead of TDIs in the process, less toxic apparently but I am not too concerned about that. Just basically wondering if their blanks are respected and as good as Clarke?
thanks
Clark foam that hasn’t poured a new blank for 148 months? nothing special about it except for nostalgia. The ultimate move would be to switch to a quality epoxy resin and make your own EPS blanks. Every major city has an EPS foam factory and by making your own EPS blank you are not held hostage by the PU blank catalog. Regarding nicked blanks, fill it in with resin and chopped fiberglass after shaping, and then do some color work on the foam or in the resin to hide imperfections. If they are for you or friends and family, it doesn’t matter on how the board will surf. Support your local PU blank supplier and they can take care of imperfection issues if they arise.
WTF, Clarke hasn’t poured a new blank for over 10 years? Really?! I had no idea. When it was revived did the owners just buy a SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT load of product and no moulds then, or… ?
Yes I am tempted to try local one even more now. Not ready to go to epoxy but I do intend to try it once I have made a few more PU boards. Making the blank sounds cool, project for winter perhaps!
Thanks BB
Clarke is out of business… no revival. Dead and gone.
I’m thinking you may be confused as to what your working with.
If not, sell all you got and go buy all you can and sell em. Crazy people pay crazy money for em.
What a fukking dunce! SORRY!
I MEANT TO SAY US BLANKS!!
Clarke foam just came to mind from the old days and because US Blanks was it’s semi-revival, I used the old name like an idiot!
Can I start again? All these VOCs kill the old top cells 
pro foam blanks are crisp, and maintain a constant density throughout the blank, rather than having a hard crust, and softer centre, so if you are making boards that vary a lot from ‘normal’ you won’t plane into soft spots… also they seem to suck up virtually no water if dinged, i have dinged boards, and surfed them without repair for weeks, with no water ingress. One possible problem is yellowing in the sun, but if you paint the blank, or pigment the resin, no problem. if you are in the UK, i strongly suggest giving them a go.
Thanks Jonty, I might just do that, yes I am in UK. They sound well worth a go!
How do they compare on price? And also, what do you know of this TDI v MDI stuff, if anything? Hype or useful?
apparently less toxic than 'standard ’ blanks, so well worth it if just for that. I assume prices are favourable compared to seabase (us foam), but it has been years since i used their blanks… I regularly get custom rockers put in (for longboards) and they are a really nice, friendly bunch, always having good tips for shaping, glassing etc. If you are in Cornwall, call in and see them, or if not, just give them a call, or email…
Id also recommend the pro foam range.
Not really any difference i price. I made two hand planes to get my head around shaping using there off cuts. I placed a piece in water with no ingress and they were easier to work make a start on thab the us blanks and bennet which do have a tuff crust.
Not shaped a board with the pro foam yet but my fish will be one of theres.
Thanks guys, will give them a try
Always better if you can support a local or nearby Blank company. However sometimes it can’t be done. With regards to using Spackle; it depends on your Blank and how white it is or isn’t. Pin holes can happen with any manufacturer. What you don’t do with Spackle is smear it around. I put a little on the end of my finger and dab it on the pin hole. Careful to not spread it onto the adjacent surfaces. Wait 24 hrs and then lightly screen with a worn out piece of screen. I mostly use the cheap Ace Hardware liteweight Spackle. It’s white enough to go unnoticed on today’s ultra-white blanks. I’ve great luck with it.
Yes agreed. What do you mean by “screen”?
Gauze, drywall screen.
Mr Skelter is in the UK , drywall is not called drywall in the UK nor is screen .
is this the netting which they lay up to make declining wall boards for interiors of houses?
Google it…surfboard sanding screen.
I believe deywall is called plasterboard in the UK , drywall is used to make a wall covering wood wall studs , where two drywall sheets meet the join is covered with a tape of paper with cotton reinforcing or a mesh type tape , the jointape is then plastered over using jointing compound , when dry , sanded with “screen” , the same screen is often used to shape surfboard blanks , hope this makes sense Mr Skelter
Yes gotcha thanks very much
Precisely why I called it Gauze like the boys Down Under do.
Helter, now I REALLY recommend a new mask… Mike