i think it was around 2pm eastern time or 11am pac time today…there was a thread that took a turn towards the subject of the availability of walker blanks (for backyard type board builders)…anyway, now i can’t find it. might this thread have been deliberately removed (it didn’t look menacing at the time), or could swaylock’s BB be experiencing server problems? or maybe i’m delusional…resinfumes
Amen! My post mentioning Fry as a supplier of EPS blanks was removed as well. In contrast, Swaylock applauded an earlier thread discussing which CLARK blank to use. It seems our host has a motive other than his stated motive of sharing information. What about it, Swaylock? Filling those pockets with Clark cash? -Noodle>>> i think it was around 2pm eastern time or 11am pac time today…there was > a thread that took a turn towards the subject of the availability of > walker blanks (for backyard type board builders)…anyway, now i can’t > find it. might this thread have been deliberately removed (it didn’t look > menacing at the time), or could swaylock’s BB be experiencing server > problems? or maybe i’m delusional…resinfumes
thanks for showing up, Noodle…i was starting to think i was delusional. just for the record, i think clark is a terrific product. they make it easy to get info and they appear to allow a varied and flexible dealer network. i would hope (and i give him the benefit of the doubt) that swaylock wouldn’t deliberately use his ‘open’ forum to keep information that is of interest away from his faithful constituents. now what about these other brands of blanks? hope all you guys have a great 4th of July!
Ramon: I called Walker to see where I might find some of their blanks down in San Diego County. I’m headed that way next week and was hoping to find a couple. When I called they indicated they would be happy to ship directly to me but you would have to order a box. I order blanks this way from Clark in CA. anyway and just have to place orders in units of 4 per box to justify shipping. With fuel surcharge impacting shipping costs it now costs me about $100. per box of blanks, so $25.00 per board extra. When I order 2 boxes the per board cost goes down, Clark straps the boxes together into one unit. The truck lines have minimum charge that is based on dimensional volume and then a 100lb. weight factor. Clark doesn’t markup their shipping costs, in other words they get 40% off from the freight carrier and I pay that ammount in freight collect charges. If I were to ship the same box it would cost me more. Walker Foam, Harbor City(?),CA. (310)513-1940 TS>>> thanks for showing up, Noodle…i was starting to think i was > delusional. just for the record, i think clark is a terrific product. they > make it easy to get info and they appear to allow a varied and flexible > dealer network. i would hope (and i give him the benefit of the doubt) > that swaylock wouldn’t deliberately use his ‘open’ forum to keep > information that is of interest away from his faithful constituents. now > what about these other brands of blanks? hope all you guys have a great > 4th of July!
Thanks, Tom! Have you worked with walker before? how does it differ from clark? a contributor to yesterday’s thread implied (very abstractly, as abstractly as one could) that with walker our concerns with overshaped decks caving in were a thing of the past. even density and hardness through the blank. fact or fable?
Never used it but I gather that Walker offers blanks to recreate many of the so called “retro” boards that are gaining popularity. As Gene Cooper/Cooperfish noted they give you a much greater volume of foam to work with. Some will use the extra foam to feed their planer with and others will keep it onboard for old style foil and rail lines. Either way I’m interested in trying one. I bet there is not nearly as wide a selection of rockers and “close to shape” styles to choose from. I hear that there are different density pours available and probably a lot heavier to suit the classic longboard shaper. Tom>>> Thanks, Tom! Have you worked with walker before? how does it differ from > clark? a contributor to yesterday’s thread implied (very abstractly, as > abstractly as one could) that with walker our concerns with overshaped > decks caving in were a thing of the past. even density and hardness > through the blank. fact or fable?
Never used it but I gather that Walker offers blanks to recreate many of > the so called “retro” boards that are gaining popularity. As > Gene Cooper/Cooperfish noted they give you a much greater volume of foam > to work with. Some will use the extra foam to feed their planer with and > others will keep it onboard for old style foil and rail lines. Either way > I’m interested in trying one. I bet there is not nearly as wide a > selection of rockers and “close to shape” styles to choose from. > I hear that there are different density pours available and probably a lot > heavier to suit the classic longboard shaper.>>> Tom I have the Walker catalog. I quickly glanced at it. The prices are comparable to Clark—no savings really. The catalog has an old school feel—it is hand drawn. The people at walker(Walker and family) sound really nice and I would like to try there blanks out. I would like to know about the whitemness of the foam compared to Clark. Has anyone tried Homeblown foamm from Europe?
It seems our host has a motive other than his stated motive of sharing > information. > What about it, Swaylock? Filling those pockets with Clark cash? hey noodle, the pulled thread was my fault. i was concerned that my post sounded pretty negitive toward clark even though i tried to keep it abstract. i use walker because nothing i do is close tolerence. their blanks are best suited to my needs for that reason. clark makes a good product, many shapers needs are best served by them. good, clean competition is better for all of us, gives us choices and incourages a better product. i asked mike to pull the comment that could be taken as a slam towards a well established manufacturer (not my intention). mike accomidated me. swaylocks an upstanding guy, we both learned something there. by the way, you guys are a tough audience! http://www.cooperfishsurfboards.com
i asked mike to pull the comment that could be taken as a slam towards a > well established manufacturer (not my intention). mike accomidated me. > swaylocks an upstanding guy, we both learned something there. by the way, > you guys are a tough audience! you know, most of the people who visit swaylock’s bulletin board are admirers of your work. i’m not asking this to be a wise guy or anything, i’m just curious. you said that you both learned something here. what did you learn? i certainly hope that it wasn’t to stay away and keep your opinions and all that experience to yourself. obviously you enjoy visting just like we do. share what you feel comfortable sharing, and trust us to be smart enough to read between the lines when we have to. i don’t think clark has to worry much, niether should you for that matter.
ramon, basically i just like to make boards and surf while stepping on as few toes as possible along the way. it’s a small industry and who does and doesn’t supply you can be a can of worms. i feel strongly about the folks i do business with, we all support one another. nuff said, gene http://www.cooperfishsurfboards.com
I have the Walker catalog. I quickly glanced at it. The prices are > comparable to Clark—no savings really. The catalog has an old school > feel—it is hand drawn. The people at walker(Walker and family) sound > really nice and I would like to try there blanks out. I would like to know > about the whitemness of the foam compared to Clark. Has anyone tried > Homeblown foamm from Europe? Hi guys, I’m a blank blower from Oz and I may be able to set you straight on a few questions about blanks. Firstly in Australia there are three other companies, Burford Blanks, Dion/Bennett Foam and Surfblanks (Midget FARRELLY). These companies have spent over 30 years developing their chemistry and blank range. There has been mention of WALKER Foam which I’ve seen and believe it to be a bigger cell structure than Clark but slightly harder skin. As you all would know that polyurethane Foam blanks are made with TDI, which generally keeps the blank white. Some companies have tried to add pigment to whiten their blanks but this generally makes the core foam softer. The application of blowing blanks has always been a ‘bucket and chuckit method’ of pouring foam with one of the black arts in the pour. The company in the UK called Homeblown Foam can manufacture blanks by spraying the foam into the moulds. The reason for this is the use of MDI polyurethane (insulation foam) which they have managed to colour a white. The foam is softer and discolours quickly with UV. A few companies have tried MDI foam (cheaper)in sail boards (using a solid colour etc… however the natural colour is yellow/brown. That is why CLARK, WALKER and the other Oz companies use TDI polyurethane and continue to do so. As a manufacturer the hardest problem to overcome is the variety of shapes and cost structures of moulds. To substitute, moulds are packed out and blanks are “bent” to a variety of rocker curves. Unfortunately you cannot please every manufacturer and there will always be the slant, ‘blanks too thick, took ages to mow out the foam’ etc… However it all boils down to the shaper, does he shape the blank or create a shape??