first board

General Discussion
1

I should clarify. I just finished my first board in 25 years. I shaped and glassed it in the bedroom of our condo! No power tools and epoxy resin (no smell) and, no, my wife did not leave me.

It all began with dissatisfaction with my boards. Maybe my knees are especially bony but my boards’ deck’s would get thrashed really quick, covered in pressure dings and eventually delams, My last one was toast after a couple sessions, just totally caved in.

I looked at Surftechs ( I liked the Byrne models) but didn’t like the price. I couldn’t find anybody locally (South Bay of LA) that would glass with epoxy… so I decided to do it myself.

I started with a question on Swaylocks- what board for a tall, skinny, older surfer. The feedback I got confirmed the direction I was going- shorter, wider, thicker. Thanks.

The board is 6’-4" x 19 3/8" x 2 1/2". 11 1/2" nose, 14" tail. It has 5 1/2’" nose rocker and 2 1/2" tail rocker. It has a slight bevel on the bottom rails under the flip tip (extra pearl protection) going to a 3/16" concave thru the “speedbox,” followed by a real slight vee at the fins going to heavy vee at the last fin. I was afraid to try double concaves between the fins.

Glassed Resin Research Epoxy 6/4 oz s-glass on the deck, 4oz on the bottom. The epoxy was great! Thanks to Greg! In spite of warnings I did tints. I wanted a light blue deck but couldn’t find any local suppliers of tints and wanted to start now. ET SURF was the only shop that had any and they had green, orange, black and white. So my board is green. Real green. I call it my “green piece.” There is a swirl on the bottom that came out OK.

I freaked out when the hot coat started percolating but when it went off there were no pin holes. I also freaked out when my two year old daughter came in while I was laminating and wanted to play with the resin puddle on the tarp. I screamed and she cried. Itall turned out well. Sanded real easy despite warnings. Polished nice (future floor and turtle wax).

I’ve had it out a couple times. I can’t really say how it works as the waves were marginal but it goes. And after three sessions no sign of pressure dings!!! I’m stoked.

What will I make next summer!!



2

great glad to see you made it through all right

were having ahuge run of swallow tails this month

i love the colour

3

GLB

Goodlookinboard

Here’s a few places where you can mail order resin pigment

http://www.fiberglasswarehouse.com/pigments.asp

http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/category.php?bid=7&PHPSESSID=200509070641531307031385

http://www.fiberglasssupply.com/Product_Catalog/Polyester_Resins/polyester_resins.html

Drew

4

Thanks. I knew of some suppliers but have you been like, “I have to glass this NOW?” I was just too anxious to go.

5

yeah totally been there!

But now after many boards under my belt, my skill has improved yes, but my largest leap in progression comes from being able to plan accordingly to how I want the board to come out looking.

I did my first few and had many regrets, more so cosmetic than shape. After three or four, I vowed that I would never have to say this after a board is finsihed, “man I wish I had done it this way”. But naturally I still do, but those details are getting smaller and smaller with each board.

You’ll get there. But maybe you don’t want to get there, and that’s cool too!

Nice board man!

Drew

6

That is a very nice board!

I’m just dying to know how you were able to talk your wife into letting you shape, glass and sand a board in your bedroom??? That is FREAKING AMAZING!!!

Was it an emptly spare room? Hobby room? How did you do it???

7

I almost forgot,

Go to CHP (California/Hawaii Productions) surfshop on PCH in Redondo(or Torrance). It’s right next to the Riviera restaurant and ask for Tak Kawahara (he’s the owner). Tak could probably help you find a shaping bay nearby for rent. He is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met and loaded with info and connections. He’ll talk story with you all day and you’ll be amazed at what you can learn from him.

Do a Google search on his name and you’ll see what I mean.

8

I have to admit our master bedroom is my studio (I’m an artist). I does has carpet though. I hand shaped with a surform, hand plane and sanding blocks, vacuuming periodically. The only lesson I ever had from a “real” shaper was from Dennis Choate who gave me just one tip- no short strokes. So despite not having a power planer I think it came out OK because I followed that rule.

I glassed very careffully on top of a tabel and just scooped up the resin into an extra bucket. I had two fans going to ventilate. Sanding was the hardest- about three and a half hours of total exertion- 36, 60, 80, 150, 220, 320 grits.

Moral- if you don’t use power tools and use epoxy you can convince your wife that making a surfboard in your bedroom is no different than painting a picture.