Anyone here(semi experienced) want to shape me a long board? Preferrably someone from North east coast. I need a 10-10’3", big boy board. Nothing fancy, just a log that’ll float me. Interested? Otherwise I’m gonna try to make one myself this winter but I thought I’de try to take the easy way out first. Thanks email:
Go for it yourself! You’ll never be perfectly content with one made by someone else. Shaping a 10-footer is easier than you might think. You’ll save a little money too by doing it yourself…Not meaning to discourage any East Coast shapers here from hooking you up…but you really should try making one yourself. Just get a 10-3Y blank from a Clark foam distributor (check out the Swaylock’s resource page), rent a planer (if you don’t already have one), buy some sandpaper, set up a couple saw-horses, and go for it! You can get someone else to glass it. Visit the links on the resource page for the basic steps (Bruce Gabrielson’s on-line book is great). If you have any questions, post here.
Go for it yourself! You’ll never be perfectly content with one made by > someone else. Shaping a 10-footer is easier than you might think. You’ll > save a little money too by doing it yourself…Not meaning to discourage > any East Coast shapers here from hooking you up…but you really should > try making one yourself. Just get a 10-3Y blank from a Clark foam > distributor (check out the Swaylock’s resource page), rent a planer (if > you don’t already have one), buy some sandpaper, set up a couple > saw-horses, and go for it! You can get someone else to glass it. Visit the > links on the resource page for the basic steps (Bruce Gabrielson’s on-line > book is great). If you have any questions, post here. That’s probably what I’m gonna do - i don’t think i need a planer though, that blank comes about 4" thick and i’m going to leave almost all of that, round the rails and that’s it pretty much. i’m 6’4", 275 so i need all the float i can get. I’m gonna leave almost all the 26" width too. any comments?
Bear - If I might chime in here - A problem with a thick, wide longboard is will you be able to get your arm around it to carry it? It will probably ride fine.
Good point, but I’ll balance it on my head if need be, I find most 22-24" boards too unstable and shaky(I started out on a an 8’8" funboard years ago and barely was able to stand and a 9’6" this year wasn’t much better,probably the same width and thickness)So, I think width and thickness will havemore to do with stability for me than length. Comments?
I suggest ordering that blank in Supergreen or even Classic weight. With that length, you need all the density you can get. You might also want to order a beefier stringer. I’m shaping a 10-2 right now with a 1/2-inch bass stringer. It’s Classic weight, and I’m putting 10oz Volan on it (10 bottom/6x10 on top). It will be a heavy board out of water, but the in-ride trim will be super smooth. Also, even with your weight, you could take some width out of that. 24.5" is plenty wide for floatation…26" wide might interfere with your paddling, unless you have really long arms. Just put your wide point a good bit in front of your center point (6-inches or more, even up to 12-in), so the bulk will be under your chest…hope this helps…deeb…
I suggest ordering that blank in Supergreen or even Classic weight. With > that length, you need all the density you can get. You might also want to > order a beefier stringer. I’m shaping a 10-2 right now with a 1/2-inch > bass stringer. It’s Classic weight, and I’m putting 10oz Volan on it (10 > bottom/6x10 on top). It will be a heavy board out of water, but the > in-ride trim will be super smooth. Also, even with your weight, you could > take some width out of that. 24.5" is plenty wide for > floatation…26" wide might interfere with your paddling, unless you > have really long arms. Just put your wide point a good bit in front of > your center point (6-inches or more, even up to 12-in), so the bulk will > be under your chest…hope this helps…deeb… sounds good, what do you suggest for deck shape and bottom? Flatter the better for the bottom for stability? I guess I’ll have to measure my chest , never thought about paddling problems?
Bear - a beefy stringer is good idea for breakage resistance. If you decide on a box fin, two stringers just far enough apart for a box to fit between makes installing a box a little easier and won’t affect the stringer integrity.
Bear - a beefy stringer is good idea for breakage resistance. If you > decide on a box fin, two stringers just far enough apart for a box to fit > between makes installing a box a little easier and won’t affect the > stringer integrity. Yeah, so the box in completely in the stringer,no foam? I’m going to get the glassing video, plus my father knows how to glass so we should be cool. Glass suggestions? I’m thinking 2x6oz both sides.
Bear, Concerning the stringer, I believe John is referring to a foam T-band. That’s what you should ask for when ordering the blank. It’s high-density foam sandwiched between two wood stringers. The foam should be at least 1-inch wide (the width of the box), with at least 1/4-inch thick wood (bass, cedar, spruce$$$, redwood, etc.) on each side of that foam. Or 3/8-inch thick stringers, especially if you use lighter glass. When routing the hole for the fin box, it’s easier to cut through the foam in the center than having to cut through a wide, solid chunk of wood. But remember, multiple wood stringers may be a little more difficult to shape (keeping them flush/even). At any rate, I recommend going with heavier glass. At least 8oz on bottom, with 6x8 or 8x8 on top. 10oz cloth is great for me. 2x6 seems too light for a 10-footer. As for shape, it’s up to you. I prefer a really flat deck, and an ever-so-slight dome/roll on bottom, at least aft of center. But that’s just my opinion…
Bear/Deeb - I ask for a “wedge” stringer configuration. I think it’s just the same foam in between. It’s together at the nose and about 1 1/2" apart in the tail. Easy to set your box in even if you don’t have a router. After hotcoat, using a metal straight edge and a sharp cutting utensil, I’ve gradually (and carefully) scored the glass in an area just a tad bigger than the box. Eventually you can peel the glass off and chisel out enough foam to set the box in. Again, you have the full stringer thickness on each side of the box making for decent structural integrity the entire length of the board as well as around the box.
- I like the idea of the high density foam t-band. Is that an expensive option? I do remember a few of the old longboards featuring that - in colors too. Do you know if Clark offers that still? How about the old G+S Hot Curl flared stringers? I miss my old Hot Curl! It had all of the above. I still keep an eye out for it even though it’s been 27 years since it was stolen from the barn in Topanga Canyon. It’s probably in someone’s collection.
John: That is the ticket, I’m going for a wedge stringer on my next blank order. If I’m not mistaken Steve Bigler offered some really nice remakes of his popular shapes featuring some really nice colored foam wedge stringers. Are you using F/U boxes , HiSurf or O’fishl? Patch and hotcoat over the installation? Tom>>> Bear/Deeb - I ask for a “wedge” stringer configuration. I think > it’s just the same foam in between. It’s together at the nose and about 1 > 1/2" apart in the tail. Easy to set your box in even if you don’t > have a router. After hotcoat, using a metal straight edge and a sharp > cutting utensil, I’ve gradually (and carefully) scored the glass in an > area just a tad bigger than the box. Eventually you can peel the glass off > and chisel out enough foam to set the box in. Again, you have the full > stringer thickness on each side of the box making for decent structural > integrity the entire length of the board as well as around the box.
Hey guys, the 9’0" HDS that I have posted in the boards section has the wedge stringers with blue foam in the middle. Keeping the stringers level with one another was no problem, but the blue foam sanded faster than the white and kept me on my toes for sure. The wedge/color option took the cost of a 9’1"Y from $84 to $140. That was the tough part! Scott.
That board turned out nice! I don’t know if you remember but I E-Mailed you when you posted it about how much I liked it. I guess you answered my questions about availability and cost.
I’m going for a wedge stringer on my next blank order. Be careful with the colored foam on those wedge setups. The colors will fade, unless clark has done something to address this issue recently. From what I hear color fade has been a big problem with the colored foam. The last one I saw looked washed out and the shade changed - red to pink.
Sounds like a possible alternative in cost and fade issues might be to order a wedge stringer setup and then tint the foam with stable paints. Thanks for the good feedback on this detail. I do like the features of a fin box, travel options and fine tuning etc. but cutting the stringer out is a tremendous sacrifice. The wedge stringer just looks good too! TS>>> Be careful with the colored foam on those wedge setups. The colors will > fade, unless clark has done something to address this issue recently. From > what I hear color fade has been a big problem with the colored foam. The > last one I saw looked washed out and the shade changed - red to pink.
That would probably be the way to go. I have not done that many long boards (around 45), but all that I have done have had boxes cut into the stringer and I have had no problems. The only problem I have ever had is with expansion and contraction of the box, due to the heat of kicking resin. The result is that some times when you sand the box down flush with the bottom of the board you will see a small seam along one side of the box from contraction. This is easily fixed with a little more resin. You will only run across this problem if you mix your resin a little too hot. What I like to do is after I route the spot for the box, and am ready to set the box in place, I will remove the little support bar in the box and slide the fin into the middle of the box. Then mix a very small amount of resin (just enough to cover the bottom of the route by about 1/16 of an inch) with enough catalyst so that it will kick in about 5 mins. I use the fin in the box to line up my placement. This allows me to avoid using tape from the tip of the fin to the board to assure that the fin will be sraight. Once the resin kicks and the box is set in position, I then put my resin with pigment to do the rest. If you put the box in then start putting in all your resin in, the box will want to float to the top of your routed spot. This is a pain in the ass and makes it difficult to get acurate fin placement. Just some thoughts that might help you. There is more than one way to skin a cat.
Yes, I believe Clark (Foam E-Z) still offers the foam T-band in just about any color combination you want. It can be highly customized. One of my favorite examples is on the Bing Pintail model (65-66?), which had an elongated “diamond” shape in one color, surrounded by another color. Really clean looking. I believe Walker also offers it, but yes, it adds cost. I’m not sure about fade, there would obviously be some over time, but I think there are different ways of doing it. But I still see colored foam T-bands on vintage planks that have retained their color. I know Gene Cooper would have a lot more info on this. But it is definitely a great way to customize, because you can get any color combination you want. BTW, I really like your scoop-tail with the wedge! But does it drag if you’re not on the nose? I’d love to try out a board like that. Take care…deeb…
Good point, but I’ll balance it on my head if need be, I find most > 22-24" boards too unstable and shaky(I started out on a an 8’8" > funboard years ago and barely was able to stand and a 9’6" this year > wasn’t much better,probably the same width and thickness)So, I think width > and thickness will havemore to do with stability for me than length. > Comments? I haven’t tested out your specific question, but I would agree from experience. I’m 6’3" 270lbs myself and my favorite board is a Bruce Jones 11’X 26" X 4". Very stable for me and I learned to noseride on it even though its not a noserider but more performance shape. Once learning on it, I can noseride my 10’6" X 24" X 3 3/4" and the 10’ X 23" X 3 1/4", though only for brief moments on steep walls, otherwise they pearl. I’m interested in the results and good luck shaping! Gioni http://scsurfers.com/boardpage.html