As I’ve said all along, Swaylocks is not a spring board for me to hawk my wares. No boards for sale, but lots of info for those who need help. It has helped me in the way folks can utilize my skils on projects by legitimate mfgs. I am a business licensed, tax paying, established mfg., where does this put me? Should I not help those who are in the dark, when Cleanlines and I were first trying to build boards in Hawaii 40 years ago, we were greeted by slamming doors in our faces. It was trial and lots of error, look at at “pro” boards and try to figure out how they did that. I took guitar lesson for 2 years and still can’t play Stairway to Heaven, many of you will build a board or 2, some more, but very few will ever reach the point of actually having a name outside of your local beach. Becoming a sucessfull board builder is like making the major leagues and it is becoming harder everyday. Who of the major players didn’t start building boards in parents garage and selling them from the very same garage. It is when you don’t graduate from the garage and continue to operate under the radar that you become a problem to the majors and then the dime gets dropped. Am I even close to the answer? I don’t know, but I’d love to be back in the garage and under the radar if it was even close to reality
I dunno Jim we got some “help” from Chris Greene at Inter Island surfboards.We took a board down for a pro glass job and he called it a “Bumpy piece of crap”.It cracks me up that you still go ballistic when I mention this forty year old glitch.Thats all the help one got back then.However Dick Brewer did let us get foam and glass scraps for repairs though…as long as we got no where near the actual factory interior. R. Brucker
YOU GUYS ARE COOL, THANKS FOR SHARING…hEY DID YOU GUYS BUMP INTO BUNKER SPRECKELS BACK THEN? MY OLDER BROYHER AND SISTER WENT TO RADFORD HIGH BACK THEN!!! AS WELL AS JOHN PECK '61-'63.
Too bad you guys had such a cold reception from more experienced craftsmen when you were starting out. I was lucky enough to be able to watch underground north shore shaper Cort Gion shape a few boards before he moved. I’d just sit and watch. Although most of the things he was doing was a bit above my head at the time, I will always be thankful for to him for sharing his knowledge with me. Harold Iggy used to have a small shop with his shaping room in the back down the road from where I live and he’d let you watch him shape, I only wish I was into shaping back then…To Jim, RB, and all the other craftsmen, your sharing is much appreciated.
I am a gargage, small time hobbiest. Yea, I sell a few boards here and there. My boards aren’t that great by my own admission. My glass jobs suck. But, my board surf well, and that’s the point. I’m very fortunate to have gotten a chance to work at Cleanlines shop for a couple of months. My boards improved 100%. He would tell you they are still crap! To have a guy who has been at it for 40 years take the time to help a rank amateur, allowing me to use his shop, and share his tools is way off the chart of generosity. I think that’s what Swaylocks does also. It lets people of all abitilies, who share a common interest, share ideas and ask questions. Us fools ask questions, and the masters answer. Bitchin. Thanks to all who have given me answers in the past; Back before I used my real name and posted a “tuna.” Thanks, Harry Balzak
That’s it…I’m using my real name from now on, too! long live garage, and the smell of resin in the morning.
Hey… Hugh G. Rection…do you find in next to impossible to have yourself paged at major sporting events?
Only while he is at games with Mike Hunt