Hello, this is my first post, so forgive me if it is the wrong place. I was wondering if there are any shapers in the San Francisco Bay area who would be interested in showing a newbie shaping. I’m a terrible surfer, to be honest, but I would love to make my own boards for my friends and for the artistic value. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!
Thanks for the reply, but how does buying a surfboard help me? Am I not getting the reply?
Anyhow, as I said, I would love to learn shaping. I could help out doing the menial tasks and help with your building materials costs. I don’t even have to keep the board, you can. I sincerely just want to learn. Any help would be great. Thanks!
UncleBobo,
I don’t know any shapers in SF. Have you checked out John Carper’s Shaping 101 video. It’s a pretty good place to start second only to the website you are now checking out. Look thru the archives, too. Read, ask questions, get your tools together, and do it. There’s nothing better than surfing on a board you made with your own hands. Well, one thing is better. mike
Thanks for the advice. I guess I’ll check out the video. I just question my own ability to learn via video, but if that’s all I can do, then I guess I at least have an opportunity. I can also go to Sonoma (Salmon Creek),Marin (Stinson, Bolinas, etc.) or just about anywhere in the Bay area that’s within an hour or so of Marin. Thanks for everyone’s help. You guys are totally helpful.
If you’re willing to take a weekend trip to LA, I’d be more than happy to show you the ins and outs of shaping.
Aloha
Bryan
That’s awesome of you Bryan. I might actually try to go see you shape! I just gotta pony up the time and the money to get to LA. It’s about a 9 hour trip for me (old diesel Mercedes, great on gas, but slower than a VW Bus!). Would it be cool if I contacted you in like a month or so! You can e-mail me if you like -Thanks.
Just get with me. soccer_kicker@hotmail.com
As long as you get the money for gas and to just get here and back, you’re covered. I’ll house ya and feed ya and all that jazz. If you wanna bring a blank with you we can try and get you a board shaped or something - up to you. Just email me and we’ll work something out. All I do is surf and shape on the weekends anyway.
Aloha
Bryan
I started shaping in '68, money for materials out of my pocket, buds laughing at the idea until around #8.
Nobody’s gonna hand you gold just because you ask for it. You have to invest some of your time, your money, your energy, show some knowledge and comprehesion, work for it.
Wise of Wise Surfboards started shaping in '66, making 4 boards for buds before going for it renting the shack at Wawona St. By the time I met him, he was on #9 or so, much better and more even than you’d ever believe. He was THE master craftsman of eveness and symetry.
Bill Hickey didn’t like his normal job, his friends all surfed as did he, so he just started making surfboards. He must be well over 10,000 by now.
Ricky Valera made boards first for the Kelly’s crowd, then got together with some buds and started OBSD.
Down at Pedro, Dick Keating has been making his own surfboards, and some for his buds, since 1964. He just bought the materials, and went for it.
Gordon Guptil is currently shaping boards also, another legendary Pedro surfer.
Ambrose on this forum has been making boards easily since '66, but it mushroomed when he moved to Kaui.
The shop at Noriega is supposed to be run by a surfer who shapes customs…talk to him, buy some materials, shape some boards.
Thanks for the reply LeeDD. I didn’t even know they had a shop on Noriega, but then, I’m not really an Ocean Beach or Ft. Point guy, so I stick with Marin/Sonoma shops. I’ll try to find it this weekend and talk with the guy, if he’s around/has time for a stupid newb.
I don’t expect to be handed gold for free, by the way. I am probably in the poorest 10% of a county full of millioneers, trust-fund babies and dot-commers. I work like a dog to pay our $1500 dollar rent for a freakin’ apartement in the bad part of town (my wife helps, to be honest). I scrubbed decks/toilets/aircraft for 4 years on an aircraft carrier to get college money to pay for my own damn education that I haven’t even finished. I feel that I have the time, energy and a little money to learn this. I do lack knowledge/comprehension, but that is what I’m trying to gain from this post! I’ve already said I would provide materials, do grunt work for you and let you keep the board, what else should I say. This is a sincere question, not sarcasm. I’m new to this and want to learn. I don’t want to get rich or even start my own business (unless it turns out to be my calling in life). I just appreciate the creative process, craftsmanship and art of the board. All I want is a since of satisfaction in creating a good quality board. The only thing selfish I can think of gaining from your knowlede/time is that I would LOVE to hear one of my friends or friend of a friend’s say,“Nate made me a rad board. He totally stoked me.”
So please, tell me what I need to do. I want to shape, but I learn visually and by doing. Books/videos are kind of hard for me to learn something that I have never seen been done before. Thanks, Nate
UB, I finished shaping my first board a week ago and I am getting it back from the glasser tomorrow. I had know idea how to start , so I bought the 101 dvd and watched it a few times and started. The folks on this forum are the best. Go for it and have fun.I am off to buy another blank this afternoon.I am hooked!!
I know you’re way up north but if you can make your way down to San Diego a bunch of us swaylockers are going to be shaping boards on the 17th, you’re welcome to participate if you can make it down here. No grunt work necessary…
Maybe someone up in your area wants to set up something similar. I know there are plenty of guys up your area, SF, Oakland, Santa Cruz, etc etc…
good luck, you can do it!
UncleBobo,
I’m a visual learner,too. The 101 tape is pretty good for us. The Damascus tape better after a few boards. I watched 101 15 times before I tried my first board. When I began I watched the first step, go up to the carput and do it. Watch the second step, go up to the carport and do it, etc. The first board took all day with touch ups the next day. The board looked great! Thought, ’ I’m a natural freakin shaper!.’ Boards 2 thru 26 taught me I am not a ‘natural.’ But, I can make a board that looks pretty good and surfs good too and have never been more stoked on surfing. I make them for me, friends, birthday presents, any excuse to make one. Like I said before,“if I can do it, so can you.” I’m far from an expert, but I don’t live as far from you as Keith, you can come watch me shape(bring a sixer) and/or bring a blank and you can use my tools and shape yourself a board. Mike
Nate, the shop in Bolinas is supposed to shape also.
Where do you live? I lived for 10 years 2 blocks from Ross, on the SanRafael side, off the Miracle Mile.
Click onto Clark Foam, and you can see exact specs for all their blanks. Notice that not much shaping is required!
Nearest materials are in SantaCruz, off Soquel St.
No one taught or showed any of the guys I mentioned in the other post. They just scratched out one, made some mistakes, corrected for each one after. That is the best way to learn, make the mistakes, mistakes noted.
And the shop in Bodega Bay is supposed to make customs, but not on site. Cliff Walker of Sebastapol used to be affiliated.
Wow, I can’t believe how helpful you guys are! Just wanted to say sorry for last night’s rant. It was my wife’s bithday and I had a few beers in me, to be honest.
ARTDKT-I had no interest in getting the shaping video, but since EVERYONE has recomended it and swears by it, I’m gonna order it next Friday (pay day). Don’t have many of my own tools, but I know a ton of people in construction, so I can probably borrow them until I get my own. Thanks.
Keith Melville-That’s a great offer. Mr. Lamb in LA. has also offered to show me. I wish I were in So.Cal, now. Maybe I’ll try to make it down to LA/SD at the end of summer/early fall. You all seem really cool and helpful.
rooster-Thanks for advice, I’m for sure getting the shaping DVD now.
LeeDD-Thanks for your post. I used to hang out in Bolinas, back when Reagan was President. Now I go there and they call me a tourist! LOL. I’m in Novato now (Marin’s bunghole) for financial reasons. I grew up in Fairfax/ San Anselmo. Went to Redwood for a while, so I knew a few Ross guys. Are you talking about 2 Mile surf in Bolinas? I just looked on the inter-web and I guess the guy who makes Mystic Surfboards is in Bolinas. John D. Moore is the guy’s name. Do you think the guys that run a business want newbies bugging them? The website says nothing about teaching/showing shaping. Thanks-Nate
Prolly they don’t want to spend the time, teaching anyone anything, as we’re all wrapped up in ourselves. Yeah, the shop in Bolinas is 2 mile.
I lived at SouthNovato Blvd across from the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center back in the mid '90’s.
Actually, almost no businesses wants to teach anyone anything real.
Funny. I live on Novato Blvd., but up towards San Marin. Used to live on Rowland Blvd. and worked at Vintage Oaks. In the early 990’s I lived on So. Novato Blvd. By the 7-11 at the crossroads.-Nate
Strange…
Mid '90’s lived above the 7-11.
Then moved to Rowland, but had to backstrack S to directly across from Vintage.
Bud of mine lives just off Novato Blvd., near SanMarin… Jason.
LOL Small freakin’ world!