“When a surfer talks about riding a magic board? a board that responds precisely to each subtle motion as if it were an extension of the body rather than an inanimate piece of foam and fiberglass?he usually credits the shaper. Rarely, if ever, does he tip his hat to the board?s glasser, the person who spends hours finishing the board to his exact specifications…” http://www.transworldsurf.com/surf/surfbiz/article/0,15337,489137,00.html
Thanks for attaching the article, Dale… .They ARE underappreciated (the glassers) - for the most part - but talk to any shaper (exclusively) worth his salt, and I’m SURE that guy will sing high the praises of a together glassman.
Unfortunately those guys NEVER get any credit. For the surf media all the glory goes to the surfer and once in a while, the shaper.
Yea Tom V. I was just gonna post the same thing. Only like this- If you ask a shaper how important a good glasser is he MIGHT tell you “it’s everything”! But they will not go out of their way to relay that to their customers. In fact, they usually blame the glassers for lagging on their board, when(and you shapers know this is true)they are the ones who waited till the last minute to shape it, then expected everyone at the glasshop to drop everything to get the board done! Then complain because it didn’t come out perfect. I have seen everything from complaints on where why the nose lam wasn’t glassed at 5 inches down,when it was marked at 3", to no info on fin system, to no fin marks(common). Then nothing but bitching because the glasser didn’t guess right! Don’t get me wrong, I know about a hundred shapers, and many are my good friends, and great guys, but organized with their own businesses, they are not. The worst way to build a surboard is in a hurry!
Howzit Dale, St. Pierre really hit the nail on the head. I think that back yard glassers have a closer relationship with their customers though. Living and surfing in a small close community means that I personnally know most of the people who get boards from me. Having gained a reputation for quality,strong and light boards keeps people coming back to my shop which in a sense is the highest form of recognition. In fact I just got off the phone with 1 of the shapers I work with and he thanked me for glassing his boards. On Kauai most glassing is done by the underground glassers and they do the best work, the 1 real glassing factory doesn’t have a very good reputation(problem with sanding) and as one shaper states “it’s a turkey shoot” as far as how the finished board will turn out. I know that I have tried to give advise to the factory owner but he thinks he knows it all and won’t even listen to me or other glassers when we offer tips, I think I hear the death rales of this factory as I write this. Another aspect is that people are welcome to my shop,they can stop by and check the progress of their board or discuss a board they want glassed. If more glassers could interact with their customers they would get more recognition. Aloha, Kokua
I give all the respect and appreciation to glassers who do quality work and turn a shaped foam board into a “rideable work of art”. I currently only shape, and use a local pro glass shop. I know it would take me a long time to learn glassing, and make a board look decent enough for someone to want to buy it. I have tried glassing a couple times, but have decided it’s not for me; the garage shaper guy. My glass shop sometimes varies in their quality control in just about every aspect of the glassing process. If they could just improve the consistancy of their quality, they could probably charge 20-30% more. I hope glassers read this and take note. They have one of the toughest jobs in surfboard manufacturing. If a shaper makes a slight ding or uneven / symmetrical measurement on his blank, he usually has a chance to try and correct it before it goes to the glasser. The glasser’s work is “cast in stone” once he’s finished…unless of course he does a massive corrective repair job. “GLASSERS TAKE PRIDE IN YOUR CRAFT AND DON’T LET LET YOUR ART BECOME JUST A JOB!”
Howzit Grant, One problem with working in a factory is they make it a job. If the workers don’t go fast the co. doesn’t make as much money, so it’s always hurry, hurry, hurry. How many artists turn out 12 to 15 finished paintings a day for sale? Some artists take years and some say they never finish a painting. Pressure tends to stifle creative talent. When some one asks when a board will be done I just tell them, when it’s done. The next thing I ask them is do you want it done, or done right. As long as my shapers don’t bug me they know their boards will be done in 1 to 2 weeks (shorties) and about 3 weeks for a longboard that;s glossed and polished. Heck I can get them done faster but then I wouldn’t have time to chat with the boys on Swaylocks. Art is art and work is work and there’s a big gap between the two.Aloha, Kokua
don’t forget the sander-they could make or break how the board turns out and performs…
“The Sander/ Polisher”. Once again another quality skill that needs not to be rushed through when performing.
Howzit Matt, It’s amazing when you consider that a shaper gets anywhere form $10 to $15 a foot for carving the foam but a sander get’s $20 to $25 for the whole board no matter how long. Aloha, Kokua
Matt, What if a shapers job included having to sand the board also to get paid. When you think about it who better to sand the board than the person who originally shaped it. Aloha, Kokua
Sanders/polishers are shapers! Just shaping a harder substance. Most shapers I know get between $75 to $100.00 for just the shape,blank is extra. And can do one from scratch, in less than 2 hours. If they shape four a day…do the math. Polishers in so cal. are getting $25 for a longboard, and less then that for shorter ones. A good polisher takes one hour (of grueling work) per longboard. If you do eight in one day, your worked, and make $200.00 for 8 hours. Sanders get $16 to $17, and if fast, can do 3 an hour = $51 per hour, 8 hrs= $404.00. Trust me, both sanding and shaping are way less physically draining.
Howzit STL, A couple years back I spent some time in the shaping bay with Jeff Johnson and at that time he was shaping about 1600 to 1700 boards a year, now that’s some good money. He pumped out 6 shapes in 4 hours and 10 the next day, needless to say he’s fast and the shapes I saw were really nice.Now that’s some math and nice kala. Aloha, Kokua
i think you will find that most shapers have to pay for their team and promotion from their shaping fees!they might take an hour to shape the board but they need to spend an hour with the customer when he orders and probably half an hour after when he picks it up too! however glassers and sanders just do the job… and walk away to the next shaper who pays them more money or gets them more work! i know whats involved in all those jobs becuase i generally lam all my work here or sand it! http://www.feraldave.com
Hey kokua, what’s up? Surfed G-land a couple years ago with Jeff, and his brother Don. They were there with Gerry, and we scored some 6 foot peelers! Those guys just charged it like 2 foot beachbreak. I was traveling with Brian bulkley, and we ran into those guys in the taipei airport. Super cool guys for sure. Eh Feral, I hear ya man, I know your right in there doin’ it, don’t mean to rag the shapers too hard,but the Glassers pay with their health. If your doin Both…props brother!