I’m getting ready to shape my first blank and my question is… Am I better off practicing on a smaller, cheaper blank? I need an 8-foot board at least, especially for the waves in this area (SE Mass), but was wondering if it was a better idea to practice on a cheaper blank. --NM
are you making a funshape or a gun?
I wouldn’t worry to much about screwing it up to much. Stick with a stock blank for your first board. You don’t want to be messing with a triple stringer or pay for a custom blank. It is not difficult to craft a decent shape the first time out. One piece of advice is, if at all possible, try to have on hand a finished board that bears some resembelence to what you want to shape. Think of it as drawing a nude with an actual model as opposed to sketching one from your memory. good luck
Get a second hand blank from Clark, save a little in case you don’t like what you end up with. Often times these blanks are discounted due to some gas bubbles in the foam (fill with vinyl spackle and go). Good luck!