Shaping machine fear

Does anyone fear shaping machines taking over? The big guys like Rusty have so much volume that haveing a machine shape it is worth it. The gig guys already have the market so how can a little guy make it in shaping. Everyone wants a nice symmetrical board. Thoughts?

Does anyone fear shaping machines taking over? The big guys like Rusty > have so much volume that haveing a machine shape it is worth it. The gig > guys already have the market so how can a little guy make it in shaping. > Everyone wants a nice symmetrical board.>>> Thoughts? THE LITTLE GUY WILL ALWAYS BE IN THE MIX IF HE KEEPS HIS OVERHEAD DOWN AND IS KNOWLEDGABLE/COMPETENT IN ALL BUIDING PHASES INCLUDING AIRBRUSHING/GLASSING/DING REPAIR. SHAPING MACHINE USERS ARE KEEPING UP WITH THEIR DEMAND AND WILL HAVE TO ADD APPROX. $50-60. TO THEIR WHOLESALE PRICE OR HIRE A IRRESPONIBLE SURF RAT WHEN DEMAND EXPLODES IN LATE SPRING ONLY TO BE LAID OFF IN NOVEMBER WHEN DEMAND PLUMMITS, OR GO TO JAPAN 4 TIMES A YEAR(3 WEEKS) AND BE A SHAPING SLAVE. IF YOU WANNA DO IT, LEARN IT ALL SO YOU ARE MULTI TALENTED TO SUPPORT A FACTORIES DEMAND FLOW. OTHERWISE GET A REAL JOB…

Does anyone fear shaping machines taking over? The big guys like Rusty > have so much volume that haveing a machine shape it is worth it. The gig > guys already have the market so how can a little guy make it in shaping. > Everyone wants a nice symmetrical board.>>> Thoughts? What’s to fear? The big 3 can’t make someone buy a board. Every beach has it’s own resident gurus who stay busy shaping for their clientle. I am NEVER out of work, it’s like the old adage “Do a good job and we’ll have you back on Monday”. Should your customers buy a board that is less than symetrical? The machine recreates a proven design time and time again. I don’t know of any factories that use inexperienced guys to finish shape from the machine. It still requires a knowledge of shaping, a kook would still butcher a machine shape. Jim

Last week we had one of Merricks magic computer boards floating around the factory so I put it on my racks to see what the guru was up to recently. Beautiful board. Great curves and the like, but when I measured the wide point one side was almost 1\4 inch wider than the other. The calipers showed the right side 3\16 thicker. So much for symmetrical computer shapes. A couple of notes: 1) Computers have allowed some very talented shapers to actually make money(a good thing). Not just Rusty and Merrick, but guys that deserve a DECENT income after so many years of mowing foam until they were exhausted. These are soulful dudes that can now be soulful with a car that actually runs. 2)Computer shapes still have to be fine tuned, which is a VERY important step. 3)Nothing will ever take the place of a hand shaped board.Ken Auster can print off a bunch of his beautiful paintings, sign and number 'em (I have a couple)and they are authentic pieces of art, but nothing beats an original. aloha

Last week we had one of Merricks magic computer boards floating around the > factory so I put it on my racks to see what the guru was up to recently. > Beautiful board. Great curves and the like, but when I measured the wide > point one side was almost 1\4 inch wider than the other. The calipers > showed the right side 3\16 thicker. So much for symmetrical computer > shapes. A couple of notes: 1) Computers have allowed some very talented > shapers to actually make money(a good thing). Not just Rusty and Merrick, > but guys that deserve a DECENT income after so many years of mowing foam > until they were exhausted. These are soulful dudes that can now be soulful > with a car that actually runs. 2)Computer shapes still have to be fine > tuned, which is a VERY important step. 3)Nothing will ever take the place > of a hand shaped board.Ken Auster can print off a bunch of his beautiful > paintings, sign and number 'em (I have a couple)and they are authentic > pieces of art, but nothing beats an original. aloha If the center stick is bowed, the widths will “appear” to be wider on one side, but the board will still be symetrical. The difference in thickness although is a different matter. As the cutter removes foam from the first side , the blank tries to return to the original rocker that it was poured as. When the bottom is cut, more foam is removed, most of the volume. This results in the blank “relaxing” even more. All of the Machine shops have tried to solve this problem but it still exists, the blanks with the least problems are the ones that are designed off of natural rocker and wider, stiff stringers. I hope this explains some of the problems. I never take the attitude that a machine blank is “perfect”, look for flaws first, then sand away. Jim

Some of the most destroyed blanks I have ever seen came out of a CNC machine.Like Jim says look first before you leap!My friend Bob(Robert)Smith has a new machine that cuts very wide bands,and shapes the board entirely without nose or tail chunks.It also takes less time to clean-up because the ridges are lower.It’s going well,so well I hear from Steve Irwin that he plans on building 4 more…but even Bob would say there’s nothing that can beat a hand shaped board,Herb.

If the center stick is bowed, the widths will “appear” to be > wider on one side, but the board will still be symetrical. The difference > in thickness although is a different matter. As the cutter removes foam > from the first side , the blank tries to return to the original rocker > that it was poured as. When the bottom is cut, more foam is removed, most > of the volume. This results in the blank “relaxing” even more.>>> All of the Machine shops have tried to solve this problem but it still > exists, the blanks with the least problems are the ones that are designed > off of natural rocker and wider, stiff stringers.>>> I hope this explains some of the problems. I never take the attitude that > a machine blank is “perfect”, look for flaws first, then sand > away. Jim James, The stringer was dead straight, tom

James, The stringer was dead straight,>>> tom Tom, if the center sticks was a straight one, the blank got loaded off to one sine. Most of the machines are designed to self center off the tips of the strigers and to grip the tips. It beats the crap outta’ me! Jim

Tom, if the center sticks was a straight one, the blank got loaded off to > one sine. Most of the machines are designed to self center off the tips of > the strigers and to grip the tips. It beats the crap outta’ me! Jim James, The only thing I can think is the shaper doing the fine sanding overly screened one rail (a whole lot!). One of the best boards I’ve ever had was way off being even! Shaped after an afternoon luau! tom

I hate to admit it guys, but a properly centered blank on the KKL machine, with natural rocker, comes out very symmetrical. Earlier problems with the board twisting and relaxing have been solved. I don’t if you guys know that the top shapers and companies have there own natural rocker shapes not available to us. Yes, natural rockers, not special or custom rockers-entirely new blanks. A natural Rocker suits the hand shaper best as well. Those greedy little bastards that got rich off of shaping and try to put on this soul attitude in front of the public. Rusty: “I think you should watch as many shapers as you can in order to become a better shaper.” Bullshit Rusty, you are the biggest hipicrit!!! At least JC thinks that template tracing is a form of flattery,

I hate to admit it guys, but a properly centered blank on the KKL machine, > with natural rocker, comes out very symmetrical. Earlier problems with the > board twisting and relaxing have been solved. I don’t if you guys know > that the top shapers and companies have there own natural rocker shapes > not available to us. Yes, natural rockers, not special or custom > rockers-entirely new blanks.>>> A natural Rocker suits the hand shaper best as well.>>> Those greedy little bastards that got rich off of shaping and try to put > on this soul attitude in front of the public. Rusty: “I think you > should watch as many shapers as you can in order to become a better > shaper.” Bullshit Rusty, you are the biggest hipicrit!!! At least JC > thinks that template tracing is a form of flattery, When I first came back to California,I took my Western Shapers Services business cards to the San Diego ASR show and went to all the “big” manufacturers. The only person not to respond to my services is, you guessed it, AAAAARRRRRH. I use many of his blanks, starting back in the 80’S and all of them are so thick on the left side, standind at tail, deck up. Good team riders, ride anything well.