How does a backyard shaper break into a career as a pro level shaper? Customs or production. I have just over a hundred boards under my belt. Many of which I have built for my self. But more than half of that has been custom shapes for friends and surfers referred to me by friends. I know that this is typically how it works. But for the amount of time I have dedicated to this I have relative poor results. Is working for a large volume board builder as a production shaper possibly an option since my business savvy is un equal to my handcrafting ability? And if so, is there anyone out there that knows of shaping work available or would be willing to help out?
I know this is probably a longshot but what the hell. I appreciate any and all input, thanks.
Most if not all the known shapers have at one time or the other worked production at some point in their careers. Others had to doing something outside the surf industry to keep a roof over their head and food on the table.
Take a couple of boards to a local shop and see if they have any room in the stable for another guy to mow foam.
“But for the amount of time I have dedicated to this I have relative poor results”
Get used to it.
There was a time when you could have gotten work finishing, or if you were good roughing out, boards for others. Than if you got profiecient at it, being a ghost shaper for a productive label. Now everthing is either machined or outsourced overseas. Work is hard to come by even for some very talented shapers. It is a cut throat business. Good luck.
Like music or Art you are either born with the ability or you will effort all your life. I know a kid who started shaping at 19 and now that he just turned 20 he is in big demand and even shapes for famous surfers.This kid will make it and without much effort. He’s a natural. From designing to using his hand tools. Perfect!!
Pat Rawson has always been good as well as EA, Donald T, Dick Brewer, Gary Linden, John Carper, Simon Anderson, MR, Al Merrick, YU, Bob Pearson, Billy Hamilton, Terry Martin, Mike Mitchington, Skip Frye, Rich Pavel, Rusty, Rennie Yater, Wayne Rich, STRETCH and so on. All these guy’s are naturals. If you are at that level seek a career as a shaper. If not keep it a glorified hobby and have fun with it.
Plus the production shaping jobs are all taken by guy’s that have done over 10,000 boards and these shapers are not famous however very talented. I can name over 100 guy’s that are so skilled and no one knows them.
To make Shaping a career is like wanting to be a movie star.
Only a few get the leading role the rest are co-stars and extras!
Don’t forget the stuntmen?
Thanks for the reply. Fortunately I do have a day job that for the most part keeps the bills paid. No pressure, just chasing dreams- It does seem that with the explosion of big surf business that there will always be a place for someone new.
I have grown to just accept the facts and am quite used to it at this point. I just figure that working production would increase my numbers and sharpen skills at a pro level. Outsourcing surfboards is a nightmare for the whole industry. Who buys surfboards at costco, no one that catches waves. The talented shapers out there are the reason I became interested in shaping in the first place. Rex, Dev, McElroy, Cole, Not to mention the guys I know that are behind the scenes. Its a hard industry to get into and very cut throat. At the very least I will always design and shape my own boards. Thanks for your input.
There will always be great achievers. Being sought after by pros after only a year sounds like a dream come true for a kid. Good for him! I have been blessed with the ability to work with my hands and have been a craftsmen for a good portion of my life. Everyone has started somewhere, dont you think. Shaping surfboards in particular is just something that I love to do and alwys will. Being the best or greatest is the furthest thing from my thoughts. Thanks for your reply-
You are right, the only way to get “good” is to develope a consistant technique. The way to develope that is “numbers”. I have been able to bang out a “living” shaping for over 30yrs. I was lucky to have been a “behind the scenes” guy for Eaton, Bing, Greg Noll and others. It can be done but if you have a good “real” job think long and hard before diving in.
Everybody here has given you great advice…cut throat was mentioned more than once, and I totally agree with Surfding’s comparison of the truly fortunae ones being like a movie star. You have a 1% chance…maybe.
I have to admit, sometimes I’m blown away by picking up the magazines and seeing guys that I helped that have become big names. I mean famous guys now, shaping in Hawaii and they have models available thru SurfTech and Boardworks. They show up in surf mags with riders touting their quivers and singing high praises of their work.
All of it is a bit ironic for me as I got my fair share of recognition with sailboards. If you look through past posts of mine, you will find I allude a lot to the sailboard years that spanned the 80’s. It was a rich period of development because the money was there to develop new ideas. This was the period that Brewer came over and borrowed my room, gave me a thumbs up on my work ,and Merrick referrred to Bob Krause and I as “the sailboard gurus”.
All of that was well deserved. We worked hard and with a lot of dedication like the rest of the guys that have posted here. Someone mentioned ghost shaping…I did that for some rich kid that wanted to be a shaper. He claimed he did them all but never allowed his customers to be in his shaping room…well, yeah, because his shaping room was my room far up north that he quietly came and picked up ‘his’ work.
There was a point early on that I talked to Al about production shaping for C.I. and he said to me “you should stick with what you’re doing, you have a really devoted following”. People have lots of opinions about Merrick, but in the end, Al is just a shaper too. Rusty still shapes. Biolas comes up with some aethestically beautiful stuff in my opinion.
Then there is the rest of us. Gazillions of guys you’ve never heard of. My friend Wayo (Whilar) in Peru…killer shaper and also an architect. That’s how he maintains his passion. Some guys sell real estate (a bust right now), insurance, do construction, are commercial fisherman, cab drivers, and a host of other jobs along with shaping.
Nowdays shapers are far and few between that can afford to only shape to pay the bills. This is a truly sad facet to our industry. I supplement my shaping by doing everything else. My reality was to calculate what I needed to make for each board order I get while determining a a fair price. The writing on the wall said “with the current market, you get to do the whole thing”. I’m fortunate to own property where I do not have to pay shop rent to someone else with all the other expenses like slip and fall insurance, fictitious business name permits, signage, Workers Comp., and the many related expenses that demand you make X amount of boards before you even start to break even.
In all the decades I’ve shaped, I’ve worn many other hats but always considered myself a designer shaper above anything else. Perhaps the new way of doing things means less to some people, but it will never mean less to me.
Work is hard to come by even for some very talented shapers.
As an observer, from my point of view, this is so true.
Keep your day job, make a very low overhead shaping room, get a big line of credit, and shape boards on the side.
Inspiring words and very well put. Nothing worth doing is ever easy, at least in my own experience. Some people lead a charmed life and everyone else has to work. I am ok with that. Just being able to shape on a daily basis would be an incredible experience. It seems ghost shaping or doing production boards for a big time label will be my best bet. If I give up before I try then failure is all that I have accomplished. Screw that I am gonna shape. Oppurtunity will knock and I will be at the door waiting, probably covered in foam- Thanks for the reply I appreciate the words of wisdom…
Be true to yourself, and remember that it has been said that if you do what you are absolutely passionate about you will never feel like you worked a day in your life.
…hello,
my question is if you knock knock some big shop door with your work under arm
and if so what was the reaction?
…like, no no now we dont need ghost shapers we use the machine, etc
thanks
My pops used to tell me the same thing. He bought me my first blank ever (Clark). I am in the process of getting a couple of shapes together to show my ability to some potential employers. Just do it, right? Thanks again-
Follow your heart.
[quote=“$1”]
How does a backyard shaper break into a career as a pro level shaper? Customs or production. I have just over a hundred boards under my belt. Many of which I have built for my self. But more than half of that has been custom shapes for friends and surfers referred to me by friends. I know that this is typically how it works. But for the amount of time I have dedicated to this I have relative poor results. Is working for a large volume board builder as a production shaper possibly an option since my business savvy is un equal to my handcrafting ability? And if so, is there anyone out there that knows of shaping work available or would be willing to help out?
I know this is probably a longshot but what the hell. I appreciate any and all input, thanks.
Here is a long shot reply:
My advice to any shaper still young and surfing a lot, is try to be ahead of the curve, and get a few local guys talking that you are the, "go to", guy for new performance, they could turn into lifelong customers. Consider what happened in, (Was it 1968?), There was something actually new, and the big brands were caught flatfooted, and in denial, and (many) never in the water. The vanguard So. CA/HA idea exchange for the mini-gun era was Trestles, (It was a more core than other spots, because of the wave quality, and the fact that you had to violate Federal trespassing law to surf there). There is a lag time before the established big labels start producing what surfers who are "on it" want to ride. When the short board revolution hit I lived in Costa Mesa, A guy who went to OC Jr. College had no factory, but had a yellow van with "Surfboards by Russell", professionally painted on it in big black letters. My friend, and others, used to tell him what shapes to make. The big guys thought they knew it all, because previously they did. Times change, and enough people wanted what he made that he got established despite having no surfing, or shaping hero status.
A more recent example would be the San Diego fish shapers, Originally Steve Lis made the fish, years passed, and came the long board resurgence when people who were serious about surfing, and knew they had no pro career to factor in, and not wanting to long board, chose the fish for part time or even full time use, With the epicenter in SD where it started, half a dozen fish specialist shapers are reportedly doing quite well, at least up to a year ago anyway.
The Campbell Bros., (and Mike Eaton), did it with the Bonzer, and the Clark Foam era EPS guys had their special niche.
The next example is more theoretical: Bill Thrailkill has shared with us his dual fin system that makes logical sense, and the concept has gotten several favorable reports. Have you made one, what if it is a true improvement? Have the big three tried one? Maybe they have, but I doubt it. (What are you waiting for?.) If you heard that someone changed something in board design to take additional advantage to his system, and then made some that worked, you could be the guy in the water, and the shaping room, who was the leader in your locale. The local surf shop motif clothing store would have none in stock, and often, no knowledgeable employees in the surf to try to source any.
If your day job keeps you from the beach, get a buddy who is friendly, extroverted, and can shred, to be your associate.
And .....Good luck, you deserve it!
Sickdog
i WONDER WHY MY PARAGRAPHS DO NOT SEPERATE?
That is pretty much the plan. I will have a better answer in the near future.
When you quote a previous post, add your reply after the [ /quote] bit.
If your reply is before this it will get included in the quote.
Come and visit me,
If you have a following, and need backing, let me know.