I have yet to be impressed by a surfboard CNC machine.
Keep in mind that your scan (and cut for that matter) will only be as good as the guy who sets up and runs it - If you want something to be done to your standards, do it yourself. -
I don’t know what you’ve been looking at, but obviously not any of the names I mentionead above. I was pretty impressed 20 plus years ago when I swa my first CNC blank. Just the fact that it could come as close as it did was pretty amazing.
An exclusive club, with very few members. Welcome aboard.
WOW! Guess I struck a nerve. Mellow out and don’t assume you know my intentions! Look I’m 64 years old and I’ve been around this industry in one form or another since I was 14. I’ve surfed consistently since that age except for a brief layoff when I moved. I had my own shop called Orion surfboards for 5 years making short boards and longboards from 1969 to 1974. I’ve shaped and glassed 1000’s of boards and have a very good knowledge of the industry and manufacturing. I also spent 20 years in the computer industry with a background in manufacturing. So I’ve paid my dues. I also hold 2 patents.
So I bought a new board, spent $1000 and after the 6th time in the water it started to get really bad knee dents and the board looked like it might last 1 season. I returned it and decided if I was going to get what I wanted, and a board that would last, I should make my own board. Plus I didn’t want to wait 8-10 weeks for a custom board.
So that’s exactly what I did. This is when I discovered Swaylocks, and I’m thankful for the help I’ve received here. You see, what you don’t know is, I quit surfing when Clark Foam closed his doors and the industry went in the toilet. I was pissed when the board business got flooded and with pop outs and copying of designs. So after this all settles down I came back to surfing. Then add to it having a bad experience on a new board purchase.
So I set out to design what I wanted in a retro longboard. Then I decided to glass it as well. If you want to see it then check out my threads on the building process. I hadn’t made or shaped a board in 20+ years. So it’s great to be back making boards by hand. I’m a craftsman.
So I will always be a shaper first and will continue to shape surfboards and if I’m able pass on some of the old school knowledge and technique I used back then. Over the years I’ve met and done business with Bing Copeland, Dewey Weber, Sonny Vardeman, Phil Becker and Hobie Alter. Surfing is my roots!
Now about this CNC topic! So I make a board and go surfing and find out that overall it works well in beach break and point break waves, it rides the nose like crazy. It paddles good and catches waves with ease. So I’m going to have it scanned so I can look at the dimensions and see what I’ve got. You see I’m stoked and I’m going to find out exactly what I did to get the results I did. At that point I’ll decide if or what I’ll do.
So you guys that want to slam me for not being true to the craft! You’ve got it all wrong. But with my knowledge of computers and manufacturing, scanning it will allow me to analyze what I did and where to go from there. This is my Hobby and I love making things, I’m just smart enough to know where to get help and knowledge to progress in what I do!
Oh and Marsh, just for you here’s a picture of the board.
That board is unique…I’d deffinatie have it copywrighted. It totally looks differant that all othere long boards.
Whooo ya.
There are several things I like about it. It’s fast for a Longboard, it turns easy and when you get on the nose it does have a tendency to drop in fact it is fast and planes really well, I shaped the concave in a tear drop and it’s 3/8’ deep and ver long. I then beveled the rails and sharpend up the rails at the nose. Just like the tail on any board if the rails are flat and sharp it repells the way away from the edge. On a rounded rail board the water rolls up and over the deck. This board is rounded everywhere but the nose so it’s very loose and foergiving board. I’m still feeling it out but so far there’s not one thind I don’t like about it. I’m anxious to get it in over head waves.
Don’t let this place get to you. You made a good board, get it scanned, and make copies. It’s your design and hand shape. All the complaining about machines is BS. The guys that can do great shapes by hand but can’t use a machine or won’t should not complain about others. It’s like someone who will only use a hand tool complaining that the guys with power tools can do so much more work. It’s almost 2015, and people expect you to keep doing things the way it was done in 1965.
Well over ten years ago,(closer to 15 yrs) I had three different ‘‘magic boards’’ scanned, at KKL. A 9’7’’ longboard, an 8’7’’ gun, and a 7’10’’ HP Semi-Gun. This way I felt assured that whatever made them ‘‘magic’’, would be captured in that process. I’ve only used the scans a few times, but it’s there if I ever want to replicate one of those very special boards again. What you’re considering doing, is no different IMO.
Thank you!
You know what I find interesting? Not one of the guys that slammed me has responded, I find that ironic. If I do decide to start making these boards it’s my prerogative. For know I want to know what made this board work… Then I’ll figure out what to do next
Sounds like an excellent reason to me.
You should not have to justify yourself.
Find somebody who has a good reputation and a quality scanner and you should get some solid output…
Mike- hope you didnt take my comment as a slam. It wasnt meant to be that. Just something to think about. Even though the computer file may be good, in my experience, perfect replication has not been reality. I gave them a shot at one point and was never happy with the results.
Bill - thank you kindly.
Captain Mike - the key is getting a good scan with enough reference points to get a really precise representation of the shape if you want to figure it out. Something that allows you to visualize the rails well and get different perspectives on your curves with figures to qualify what you’re seeing and know looks good intuitively. That can be an informative view on shapes and therefore on shaping…
Enjoy the whole process. And enjoy tweaking your shape from a solid base if you want to afterwards. If you do get another cut, do keep in mind that blank choice makes a huge difference in the end product. In my very humble opinion you can also really fine-tune a ride with different stringer(s) - combinations and as importantly, woods - as well… but that’s another subject altogether!
Hey i use a Surform in my shaping process!! PLowel
…so do you say that you made 1000s of boards, shaped and glassed…then you asked in your thread how to do a gloss coat…that s very interesting to say something.
Oh no no no not at all. What you said makes total sense, that was my point. I was commenting of those who posted on this thread are all of a sudden very quiet… go figure
Yes sir that’s exactly what I did. Its been 20+ years since I glassed a board maybe longer. Was curious if things had changed.