Hi guys going to keep it short but basically im looking for a way into to what i love doing. (making, shaping, fin making etc) If anybody has some work no matter how small I would love to get involved. Ive fished around my local area, withouth much success. Ive shaped roughly 30 of my own boards for myself/ friends/ friends of friends and feel like im relatively confident in making a board that works to a good degree. I would be happy doing anything and would work for free, in exchange for knowledge. You can see some of my works in the link below and my design perspective. p.s i’m from sydney aus.
Cheers Zac
http://zacsurfboards.tumblr.com/
…hello man, so I just clicked; from here I would say that you have very nice curves there and smooth finish, good taste too, but too much retro oriented planshapes, you would tweak a bit those platforms to achieve a modern approach so you ll see the practical difference, if not you will only sell boards to hipsters…and how long that trend will last?
Possibly knocking some doors with a couple of your boards to show…?
Seems that you have the skills…I never had success finding a guy to help me, if I lived there I do not hesitate about your building skills.
Good luck
G’day reverb I must admit im a fan of all things “retro” despite the stigma thats now getting associated with that. Most of the boards ive made to date have been for myself and then for friends who are alll on a simliar trip regarding plan shapes, so i guess thats why the retro vibe is coming through pretty strong haha. Hopefully in the future I can broaden this out, ive got one order at the moment for a 5’7’’ shortboard/ fish, the first shorty ill be doing which should be fun.
in regards to the door knociking, i tried a few shops the other week to no sucesss. They’ve set up a surfboard manufacturing course on the gold coast though with some time spent in the DMS factory so ill be attending that which should be sweeeeeet.
…yeah man, but do not forget about thee design…design is almost all for functionality; Always I have been watching boards that are pretty good in the build department but not in the design department.
so keep an eye in the evolution of a given design or platform, study for several months the changes depending on the conditions, take notes, listen some surfers; check and re check
then, you ll have confidence in both departments and you become a shaper and a designer.
—of course, try to bring or leave some of that knowledge here
yeah totally, ive kinda just been going extreme with super narrow tails, then to wide tails, flat rockers to high rockers, changing bottom contours. Just working out my own conclusions of what a certain design feature does, and then making my own conclusions rather than taking someone elses. I feel like once i know what each design does (its pros and cons) i can go back to some sort of normality, and then put the things i like from my weird boards into a less trippy design which most likely will work way better.
Don’t worry, potatoe chip short boards are the new retro…
hopefully im in luck then dave, im in the gold coast doing the manufacturing course in the next couple weeks might come check out your shop… Zac