I’ve been wanting to start making more boards then I have been lately and doing so will need to get the blanks. I was looking into getting a big block of EPS and shaping my own blanks from that. I’ve found one EPS company here in Oregon. It’s Northwest Foam. I was just wondering if anyone knows of any other distributors up here. I’ve also found one place local that I can get a few blanks, but the selection there is pretty limited. Does anyone else have any experience getting some good quality blanks in the Portland area? I"m looking for EPS ideally but would be happy to just find some good blanks without having to pay over a $100 for shipping and handling to have one delivered. Thanks alot
I’m in PC and have a few EPS blanks, lots of Poly and some high quality Arctic Poly. Also have glass and resin. Oregon Shapers @ (503) 560-5588. I’m in Cal. until Thanksgiving though.
Perfect. Thanks a lot guys.
mcDing, ill be sure to contact you once you are back in town. Where is PC?
kirk, thanks ill talk to them and see there prices.
I don’t live in Oregon but, I went to the foam factory near my house and bought a huge block (I believe wholesale) a while back.
They said that they didn’t normally do business at the factory but took my cash and gave me a 4’ x 4’ x 8’ block of 1.5lb EPS for $360
Maybe you could do the same?
Chrisp, that very well maybe what i end up doing. There is a place up hear called northwest foam and they can sell me a block thats 3’ x 4’ x 16’ of 2# foam for $691. Its a great deal but i wanted to look around to see if there were some places/people that had some blanks while i saved up. Thats a nig chunck of change to dig up.
PC=Pacific City
So this isn’t your first time around and you’ve hotwired rockered blanks out of a block before??
Mcding, no I haven’t had a big block of foam to work with yet and I haven’t done any hit wire work. But I’m all about learning and think it would be a good experience as well as a opportunity to get some cheap blanks.
Eric,
Hotwiring, making rockers and all that… is a pain in the ass.
We had a full setup to do it… imported several billets from AZ after cutting about 30 blanks we were over it… Still have a ton.
In the end the hassle of making rockers and templates and all that isnt worth the 20.00 you save on a blank or maybe it is up there.
What city are you in?
What’s up Eric…
I went in with 3 buddies and we split the block 4 ways. the foam factory hotwired it lengthwise and we each got 2’ x 2’ x8’ for $90.
Hotwiring from that block will net about 6 ish blanks or about $15 per stringerless blank.
Hotwiring is SUPER easy, you can do it!
If you get them that small, you can get something close from almost any roofing supply place like Allied.
If you are alll about the learning experience; go for it. You can make your own bow or buy one for $100—$200. The cost of the block of foam and hopefully someone to split the cost. I know of at least two compsand guys right here in PC that use unstringered blanks and they are both over it. A source for 1.5 lb isn’t available in Oregon, but you may find some in Washington. Try Seattle. What you wind up with is an unstringered blank for $15. If you can split a block and get it as cheap as crisp did. Unless you are planning on doing compsand an unstringered blank is worthless. You still have to come up with stringer material and clamps to do the glue-up. Of course you can’t figure any labor into the costs, otherwise that unstringered blank wouldn’t cost $15. But if it’s all about the learning experience, how much time you spend doing it is irrelevant. I’ve got some slab EPS blanks in the 6’ range for $45. Poly for $40. And they’re stringered.
that’s a deal!
and, yah, like McDing said, you can’t figure your time into 'em. hahah that kills it! =)
the next time I stringer a blank, I’m gonna use bender ply but I stringered one blank with doorskin and it worked OK.
Meant to mention; There are some guys in Portland who do EPS blanks, but I cat’t remember their info. They run a Craigslist add once in awhile. They have 1.5 and a variety of stringer material. They were at the recent "artsy/fartsy surfboard and art show down in the Pearl. They get pretty good money for them though. crips–You’re on the cutting edge bro.
Theres a factory over in the neighborhood where Hair of The Dog is. I was actually looking for H.O.T.D when i turned a corner and was like WTF??
I cant tell you where, because it was night and I was lost, but its further from the river and in a brick building with an Iron gate over the front door.
bwahahahaha
What sizes do you want?
I have really good EPS blanks that I can ship to you for $10 a pop. Stringer, unstringered split down the middle, high quality stringers precut, the whole gamut. Surfding was closing out of a larger shop and I p/u for something like 10 cents on the dollar. I have about 160 left, and I can box and send them anywhere… maybe even Seattle will call thru Amtrak for cheap, otherwise truck.
Fish blanks, a few funshape lengths, other short HPSB’s… even have big thick blocks about 5" to 7" thick around 6’2" that you could go crazy with.
My wife wants the cabana back by next summer.
If you want some plain advice about it, contact me via PM, and we can talk aboaut it. It wasn’t that long ago I bought 2# virgin foam from NW foam, or what ever they are called - they blow in Idaho, and have a cutting, distributing wharehouse in Willsonville. I got 2 “pre-split” 11"(wide)x 14"(thick for two boards)x8’(can’t easiely get over 8’ length) for @ $100.00 or so… Hard to recall.
Like people have pointed out, you may save cash, and learn a lot, but you won’t save time… Ha!
Acqua_Glassing, I’m sure it is a lot of work and will take a while to get good at it. But one thing I’ve really enjoy about building boards is taking some basic bare materials and turning it into the board that I like. I’m not saying that I’ll defintely stick with shaping the blanks for ever but wouldn’t mind taking a crack at it. I didn’t realize that I could get EPS blocks from a roofing supply company. I’ll take a look into that as well. I certainly appreciate your input.
Chrisp, Sounds like you did exactly what I’m wanting to do. I just need to find somone up here that would be up for going in on a block with me at some point. I’ve looked in some of the old posts on here and found a ton of good information on making the hotwire bows and everything.
McDing, thanks a lot man, I’ll do a search on CL. defintely worth looking into
Deadshaper, I sent you a PM to get some more information from you on the prices of your blanks. Thanks a lot man.
TaylorO, I sent you a PM also, I’m looking forward to hearing about how things went for you.