I have been surfing for a large part of my life. I have always wanted to shape boards. I know that if I could ever find a shaper to teach me the basics of shaping and glassing I am sure that it would be a dream come true for me. I love surfing and to me creating boards for the enjoyment and freedom of the sport would be the ultimate stoke of all stokes. I live on the Gulf Coast and shapers are not as common here as in SoCal and other places. If anyone out there has any ideas for the best way to break-out and gain some experience please let me know at .
D, the best thing you could do is hang out here, ask questions and dig through the archives. Next, you will want to check out the Master Shaper video and John Carpers Shaping/Glassing 101 videos.
“D.Mac”…go to WWW.Damascusproductions.com, and you will find info to order one of the best intros to shaping! There is also a series by crossfire productions…shaping101, glassing 101, and airbrushing 101. Not to take away from those, but I have heard that the Damascus production is ALL shaping info…not as much filler. Jim Phillips, a regular contributor - here - is the featured instructor. Good luck!
I was wondering how far you live from a glassing shop. Shaping is fun (messy, but fun), but glassing is really a nightmare unless it strikes you as appealing, which for some it does. It takes a rare breed who enjoys glassing, kind of like being a cop I guess. Okay, I’m babbling. I enjoyed shaping my first board, and I found it to be relatively easy compared to the glassing. I wish I had sent the board out for glassing, but it wan’t to be. I just had to give it a shot, but the thing is, the cost of glassing supplies, along with the tools, acetone, rags, etc. comes out to close to the same price you would pay a shop to do it (about 20 bucks per foot of board. They buy everything wholesale in huge drums). The trick to shaping, in my opinion (which is not an expert opinion…not even close) is to buy a blank that is really close to what you want the board to look like, then get a sureform, a small block plane, and various grits of sand paper from home depot. That’s all you need. Forget the electric planer unless you really think you will end up making a lot of boards. Skin the hard film on the top and bottom of the board, shape the rails, smooth the whole thing out with a block of wood wrapped in sand paper. My goal is one board per year, and all the rest will be glassed by the pros. Doing it this way I can make a brand new board for 200 bucks. Good luck.
I was wondering how far you live from a glassing shop. Shaping is fun > (messy, but fun), but glassing is really a nightmare unless it strikes you > as appealing, which for some it does. It takes a rare breed who enjoys > glassing, kind of like being a cop I guess. Okay, I’m babbling. I enjoyed > shaping my first board, and I found it to be relatively easy compared to > the glassing. I wish I had sent the board out for glassing, but it wan’t > to be. I just had to give it a shot, but the thing is, the cost of > glassing supplies, along with the tools, acetone, rags, etc. comes out to > close to the same price you would pay a shop to do it (about 20 bucks per > foot of board. They buy everything wholesale in huge drums). The trick to > shaping, in my opinion (which is not an expert opinion…not even close) > is to buy a blank that is really close to what you want the board to look > like, then get a sureform, a small block plane, and various grits of sand > paper from home depot. That’s all you need. Forget the electric planer > unless you really think you will end up making a lot of boards. Skin the > hard film on the top and bottom of the board, shape the rails, smooth the > whole thing out with a block of wood wrapped in sand paper. My goal is one > board per year, and all the rest will be glassed by the pros. Doing it > this way I can make a brand new board for 200 bucks. Good luck. Your babbbbbbbbbbbbbling. No doubt. Do you ever re-read what you write? …(and think about it)??? … You’ve read this place? And still, you write this dumb crap. "[blush]--------------------------------------------------------------I
coral, do you ever re-read your posts? it seems that you are being excessively harsh on this individual who is earnestly trying to express himself. talk to mom and dad about accepting people as they are, and about substance over style. talk to them about ritalin, too. it may get you through the occasional babbling post without getting all riled up and ornery. your friend, ramon>>> Your babbbbbbbbbbbbbling. No doubt. Do you ever re-read what you write? > …(and think about it)??? … You’ve read this place? And still, you > write this dumb crap. > "[blush]--------------------------------------------------------------I
coral, do you ever re-read your posts? it seems that you are being > excessively harsh on this individual who is earnestly trying to express > himself. talk to mom and dad about accepting people as they are, and about > substance over style. talk to them about ritalin, too. it may get you > through the occasional babbling post without getting all riled up and > ornery. your friend, ramon In Response To: Re: Coral you’re the one that (Coral) he’s got a real intelligent cool dad who cares … . man the guy is in the 1% of the world . … sorry . … not a biggie … I do keep things in perspective . … like I said though … no kids allows one to be a bit selfish … glad some cool people are having em . … I mean thank god some cool people are having em . … that’s the only thing that matters
coral, do you ever re-read your posts? it seems that you are being > excessively harsh on this individual who is earnestly trying to express > himself. talk to mom and dad about accepting people as they are, and about > substance over style. talk to them about ritalin, too. it may get you > through the occasional babbling post without getting all riled up and > ornery. your friend, ramon Thanks Ramon, maybe your right. Life’s to short for this babbling dribble. Some of the kids up the street have a supply of ritilan. I’ll talk to them, or the nurse at school. I do re-read my posts, and I mean every word. I guess everybody is not on the same plane’r. Some use different Skills. And some can get away with just their block. Even if they have lost their marbles … your friend, coral have fun [blush]
In Response To: Re: Coral you’re the one that (Coral)>>> he’s got a real intelligent cool dad who cares … . man the guy is in > the 1% of the world .>>> … sorry . … not a biggie … I do keep things in perspective . … > like I said though … no>>> kids allows one to be a bit selfish … glad some cool people are having > em . … I mean>>> thank god some cool people are having em . … that’s the only thing that > matters Whatever you say …
(I know, not a word) but someone’s bogusing my name from discussions earlier . … I’m ME - the one who got on Coral’s case back a ways, and if you ask me, since then she has written more intelligently . … not as if I am the be-all, end-all of anything intelligent. It’s just that that, sort of cute, stupid stuff . … is gone . … which is great. But in terms of whoever posted up here about shaping … I haven’t posted … but yet Coral has still got posted in her message the comment I made to Noodle about his son . … strange - no biggie … but twisting of the words I wrote. But like I said … they’re just words.