Molded EPS Blanks in CA?

Industry Talk
1

Anyone heard or used these guy’s products?

http://www.markofoam.com/blanks/

They look like what Jim Richardson’s selling over at Surflight.

I wonder if these are the guys blowing the foam for him?

By the way for the record, based of what Holly, Bert, Greg and Mark have said off the cuff right here in Sways, I don’t believe Jim has gotten the proper credit for the work he’s done over the last 15-20 years regarding EPS and the new technology he’s been quietly using in Waialua… And he it all while still managing to be a Professor at the University of Hawaii’s School of Master of Business Administration…

So props to Jim cause he was blazing the trail long before XTR, Soloman, Surftech, or Aviso were on someone’s paper napkin…

Hat’s off to Professor Richardson…

I thought someone should say it although alot have hinted at it…

2

It’s funny cause I saw this website for the first time yesterday and thought that’s alot of blanks in that picture, someone must be using these guys, but they haven’t come up on Sways before.

Hope someone chimes in with some info.

3

Here is the press release: Surfboard Blank Manufacturing – New Team for New Technology – Product Available Now

Costa Mesa, California — Friday, January 06, 2006

Marko Foam Products, a Southern California pressure-molded shape manufacturer since 1961, has teamed up with Surflight Hawaii to produce new surfboard blanks for the custom high-performance surfboard markers of Hawaii, California and other US surf areas. In the wake of the closure of Clark Foam and the vacuum created in the urethane foam market, this new partnership heralds a new era of surfboard construction.

The new line of blanks show great potential to create lighter and stronger surfboards with improved performance. Early prototypes have already proven themselves with a world champ riding one in a WCT event, a feat not achieved by any other alternative blank and board construction to date.

The pressure molded blanks offer several advantages over both conventional urethane foam and other EPS blanks. Unlike urethanes, polystyrene materials (eps) are more environmentally friendly, 100% recyclable and due to the manufacturing process, a tighter cell structure with excellent fusion is achieved throughout the blank. The benefit of this level of fusion is it allows precision shaping without bead tear and prevents water absorption into the blank.

The blanks were designed specifically for the shapers with CNC cutting equipment, but they can also be hand shaped. The blanks currently available are a 7’6” with variable thickness and by the end of January we will offer a 6’8” and 6’3” blank with more sizes to follow.

Marko and Surflight representatives will be holding an open house at Volcom’s Boathaus, 1640 Pomona Ave, Costa Mesa, CA on Sunday, January 8, from noon to 5 p.m. Come see the new line of blanks and learn about the latest in surfboard construction for Jeff Johnston and Jim Richardson of Surflight Hawaii.

Ty Peterson, President (tpeterson@markofoam.com) 714 231 9146

Clay Peterson, R & D clay@markofoam.com 714 231 9149

Marko Foam Products, Inc.

341 Bonnie Circle #101

Corona, CA 92880

(909) 272-4700 FAX: (909) 272-4738

www.markofoam.com/blanks

4
Quote:

It’s funny cause I saw this website for the first time yesterday and thought that’s alot of blanks in that picture, someone must be using these guys, but they haven’t come up on Sways before.

Yup that’s exactly what I thought expescially since they are “molded” and not cut…

I wonder if the guys are making those blanks for that guy on Maui who’s selling molded blanks he was using for his “blue” softy boards they use in the Rabbit Kekai “Rabbit’s My Uncle” contest…

5

Thats Jim Richardson and Jeff Johnson working with those guys at Marko foam. Great idea but a very limited selection of blanks, a 7’6" funshape and 2 shortboard blanks in the works and the molds are expensive. Guys at the Waialua sugar mill that I talked to said they havent been able to supply any foam yet so most of the guys are cutting their own blanks.

6

Marko does not sell block foam. I called. Sticking with Insulfoam at this point. Go figure, once I have money in hand the guy won’t return my call so I can place the order.

7

HA! He must be lurking because as soon as I posted he called me!! $416.86 tax included for a 97"x39"x49" block of EPS #2 will call pick up from the Chino Plant.

8

That’s why they looked so familiar…

I already bought and used 6 of jim’s blanks and CMP bought a bunch too.

I was gonna order more but heard through the grapevine that he was backlogged…

Good for them though, I’m glad they’re finding a way to make back the money they spent on the molds and he’s bound to get more distribution on the west coast versus having to ship them back here to sell locally…

I really like them pretty much a board in the box concept about as close tolerant as you can get if you love the plug…

pulled in the nose a tad and I had a new stubb vector instead…

I’m thinking of giving those westside boys a ring though…

A 6’9"R sounds good…

That’s what Parmenter used to create his smooth little minigun in his 5 minute shaping video

But then CMP has a bunch to choose from as well.

I lregular like that quote about a world champ already using it in a WCT event…

Told you guys (Bert folks) that more was going on under the covers than people were let up to believe…

Unfortunately I wonder if that’s why he isn’t world champ any more…

EPS/epoxy was out there they just didn’t want any one to know what they were doing…

So instead of making your PU/PE to look like a Surftech you make your molded EPS/Resin Reserach Epoxy look like your PU/PE so there’s no questions about getting an advantage…

Kind of interesting huh…

9
Quote:

That’s why they looked so familiar…

I already bought and used 6 of jim’s blanks and CMP bought a bunch too.

I was gonna order more but heard through the grapevine that he was backlogged…

Good for them though, I’m glad they’re finding a way to make back the money they spent on the molds and he’s bound to get more distribution on the west coast versus having to ship them back here to sell locally…

I really like them pretty much a board in the box concept about as close tolerant as you can get if you love the plug…

pulled in the nose a tad and I had a new stubb vector instead…

I’m thinking of giving those westside boys a ring though…

A 6’9"R sounds good…

That’s what Parmenter used to create his smooth little minigun in his 5 minute shaping video

But then CMP has a bunch to choose from as well.

I lregular like that quote about a world champ already using it in a WCT event…

Told you guys (Bert folks) that more was going on under the covers than people were let up to believe…

Unfortunately I wonder if that’s why he isn’t world champ any more…

EPS/epoxy was out there they just didn’t want any one to know what they were doing…

So instead of making your PU/PE to look like a Surftech you make your molded EPS/Resin Reserach Epoxy look like your PU/PE so there’s no questions about getting an advantage…

Kind of interesting huh…

Yup EPS blanks are available right now from a growing number of sources. Oneula, the guys on the westside are also going to have an 8’4"R and an 8’7"R available possibly by monday.

EPS epoxy is growing steadily. So far all of the westside and a growing number here on the North shore have converted their shops to do epoxy and many of the pros have and still do ride em. Theres a learning curve though and its going to be some time before the boards are totally dialed in and on par with the east coast guys and im working hard to try to speed up the process but its hard to unlearn what alot of these guys have done for so long. Fortunately there are a surprising number of east coast guys working here and they have experience with EPS/epoxy.

I dont think the former world champ didnt reclaim the title because of any particular type of board/s he was riding. He gets so many boards he can pick and choose the magic ones. I just think that Kelly was just plain old better…take nothing away from Andy but Kellys a freak of nature.

10

UPDATE:

right off Jim’s site…

Interesting in that there’s no water absorbtion or need for sealing “molded” EPS.

 FUSION FOAM EPS SURFBOARD BLANKS

New from Surflight and Marko Foam

Fusion Foam pressure-molded eps surfboard blanks

Make boards lighter, stronger, and faster to shape

Two densities to choose from

1.5 pcf for ultralight boards (shortboards in the 4 lb range)

2.25 pcf for stronger boards (as hard as conventional foams but lighter)

  • Pressure-molded eps

  • Small well-fused beads machine well and finish shape nicely

  • Well fused beads do NOT absorb resin or water

  • No need to fill-coat before glassing

  • No air paths so no worries about heat expansion

  • Epoxy bonds well to the foam

  • 5 blank sizes available:

6’3 S,

6’10 JJ,

7’6 JJ Funboard 2.75 and 3.25,

and 7’6 JJ Semi-gun/Big guy board

For more information go to www.markofoam.com/blanks To Order in Hawaii

Email jim@surflight.com, call (808) 637-6900, FAX (808) 637-1284, or visit Surflight Hawaii, Waialua Sugar Mill, North Shore of Oahu.

11

[=1]

Quote:

[ 3]Interesting in that there’s no water absorbtion or need for sealing “molded” EPS. [/]

The smaller mold gets better fusion between the beads therefore eliminating the need to seal…not sure how well molded EPS takes an airbrush or color work though. From the boards ive seen it may still need to be sealed for really nice color work.[/]

12

the trick is getting some blanks. i emailed for information on purchasing 4 blanks and never heard back from them maybe i should order a pallet of them and that would get their attention

13

Talked with Stretch about these blanks last week. He’s going 100%. These blanks are very good and the finished product will be the best “shape and glass” boards you can make. The molds are quite pricy though so block molded foam will still make up a significant portion of things.

BTW the newer block molded stuff coming from Insulfoam, Advance and Imperial, is vastly improved as well. Very impressive.