Who are the real men who helped you to learn how to build surfboards, those men that took the time to try to teach you, and what are the best things you can share about them?
The first 5-6 years I was trying on my own, you had a very hard time getting anyone to show you the ropes, job protection. By early '66 I was finally getting most of the process done OK to fairly well, but was no where near pro ranks, this was when I met up with Tinker and my PHD was well under way
G. Liddle
Tim Bowler
Mike Casey
Tim Phares
The people at Swaylocks taught me, and the best thing I can say about them is that they shared knowledge generously and selflessly, because they love making boards. To them I’d like to again say, “Thanks!”
Although my earliest days of surfboard building started when I met Dan Heritage in his original (?) factory in Sea Isle, NJ, Dan wasn’t too keen on teaching. I’d kind of just lurk around and watch him… mostly waiting for him to have a break to see if he’d sell me a blank and some cloth and resin. Mostly I felt like he tolerated me… but he did sell me stuff cheap, even if it was old, lumpy resin and f-d up blanks that didn’t meet his standards. But I was just a high school kid and I was greatful.
The guy who really taught me the most about building boards was a guy named Karl Toft, my high school science teacher (who later married my sister… but that’s another story). Before he became a teacher he owned a surf shop in Cape May, NJ, and built boards for the local guys. Although his boards were very good, he eventually got out of the business, but helped me build my first board… right in his science classroom!
The one thing I can say about him was that he was a teacher by nature. You don’t find that combination of talents very often… the combination of artist, board builder, scientist… and teacher. To have any one of those talents is rare enough, but to have them all together is exceptionally rare. He inspired me to follow a similar path… I became a science teacher and board builder myself, and have gone on to teach board building to kids of all ages.
Me.
The internet.
John Carper videos.
Sorry no cool names to drop but everyone here at Sways has been very generous with sharing info, it’s certainly appreciated.
Just the internet.
Got the basics from surfersteve.com for my first board (ugly but a good board though) and for the second board I had the advice of all the nice sway-members 
The good people here. Best thing i can say about them is that they are happy to share freely with a nobody like myself. The JC video also, but i've learnt much more here. Thanks guys!!
hanging out in Keith's backyard get togethers. Keith, ResinHead, Mark and StingRay. Then just being on this site paying attention and digging in the archives. Thank you Mike Paler....this one's for you!
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For the design, it was all boards that I have liked over the years - mostly my Wavehog, Aipa Singer and my Campbell bonzer.
For the technical parts, most of my knowledge comes from this website…
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Although my earliest days of surfboard building started when I met Dan Heritage in his original (?) factory in Sea Isle, NJ, Dan wasn't too keen on teaching. I'd kind of just lurk around and watch him... mostly waiting for him to have a break to see if he'd sell me a blank and some cloth and resin. Mostly I felt like he tolerated me... but he did sell me stuff cheap, even if it was old, lumpy resin and f-d up blanks that didn't meet his standards. But I was just a high school kid and I was greatful.
The guy who really taught me the most about building boards was a guy named Karl Toft, my high school science teacher (who later married my sister... but that's another story). Before he became a teacher he owned a surf shop in Cape May, NJ, and built boards for the local guys. Although his boards were very good, he eventually got out of the business, but helped me build my first board... right in his science classroom!
The one thing I can say about him was that he was a teacher by nature. You don't find that combination of talents very often... the combination of artist, board builder, scientist... and teacher. To have any one of those talents is rare enough, but to have them all together is exceptionally rare. He inspired me to follow a similar path... I became a science teacher and board builder myself, and have gone on to teach board building to kids of all ages.
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My story begins much like yours. My father was a childhood friend of Dan Heritage and my first exposure to board building was a few visits with my dad to the Heritage factory on Rt 9. I was about 12 at the time. That's where I got the bug. From there I am entirely self taught. The internet has definately made learning and progressing much easier.
Del Miller - he spent some time talking with me at his shaping room.
Terry Richardson - spent quite a bit of time talking design and riding his boards.
Rich Reed - watched him shape a couple boards
Phil Becker - spent time watching and talking in his shaping room.
Gordon Quigg - spent a lot of time talking design and watching him shape
and swaylock’s. thank you to all the folks on here that spend their time sharing what they know. a special mention to Brad Basham and Fred ( i think that was the name of the sander at his place back in the late '80s ) for letting me roam around his place and pick their brains.
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Who are the real men who helped you to learn how to build surfboards, those men that took the time to try to teach you, and what are the best things you can share about them?
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Self taught.
Bought a book. Watched a few videos. Learned to do ding repair. Searched the internet and found Swaylock's.com.
Lots of Cyber friends. No single mentor taking me under his wing. No plans of ever becoming a Pro or some sort of Guru.
Ray
Ditto what ThinRaySkin said. I had one lesson with a pro builder for my 45th B-Day. I have no pro aspirations, but think I am on a plateau and would love to have a pro show me more. Mike
Shaping and glassing by Doug Mann for the short time in the 80's when he left Hawaii to live in NC. Doug invented the Football Fin in an early attempt to find a design that would eliminate spinning out that was a problem then with the surfboard fins we used on windsurfers.
Greg Paul who was shaping and glassing the Hot Wax surfboards he sold in his Atlantic Beach shop.
Greg Loehr also provided a wealth of knowledge on epoxy, eps, and vacuum bagging as well as Ricky Carroll.
Also the guy at Meritex in Oakland who had a shaping machine in the early 80's and sold epoxy, eps and board kits. They actually used the term "Tufflite Construction" way before that other brand.
Jesse Fernandez mini course on channel bottoms and some other finer points of shaping at the US Fiberglass (WRV) blank warehouse where his shaping bay was located.
And even some memorable tips and advice from the late Robert "Red Man" Manville. I really think he spent the time with me because of my wife's big boobs. We would run into him at the US Fiberglass blank warehouse where his shaping bay was located before he fell ill.
A lot of tips and advice from Jimmy Keith, many years my junior who is a master of all things epoxy and poly but he's over been over the poly thing for years.
Lots of good epoxy info from Dr Rob Whitehead.
Loads and loads of knowledge on surfboard related chemicals (Epoxy, ResinX, and Waterborne Coatings) from Matt Campbell.
Finally of course Swaylocks.
Craig (John) Polliard. He got me back in the water after a 30 year life-got-in-the-way hiatus and then told me I had to build my own board. Let me use his room, his tools, and taught me all the way. He never touched the board, just guided me through each step. Forever indebted. Thank you, brother.
OOOH’
Lets see: not really taught , but would let me watch and ask
Mike Eaton - not only boards but boats , sailplanes, the ultimate toy professor
Robin Prodonovich- G & S time
ACE-(albert Craig Elliot) Grumpy, Bizaar, extremely creative and innovative , did I mention GRUMPY ?, UNDERGROUND,sticks to the old way
Brewer, not really , he"d chase me out of the shop in Haleiwa, I’d still sneak a peek
ACE, He always sets me up, after 35 years he knows…just dont ask dumb sh*t questions, did I mention Grumpy?
Self taught, internet, Surfer Steve, JC DVDs, GL DVDs....but was always inspired to learn from memories of watching Bernie Crouch shape and his brother Johnny glass. I guess I was only 12 or 13 years old. They'd let me hang around the "factory" for a little while at a time but would always run me off! Bernie is still one of my oldest and dearest friends.
Started playing with resin and fiberglass at the ge of 11 and was doing reair work for a shop at 15 and for our surf club. At the age of 19 I think, Gary thernagle the owner of Plastic Fantastic took me under his wing and put me through the apprenticeship and worked with him then statred learning to shape from watching our shapers and Steve Bigler helped and the rest was on my own.By the time I moved to Hawaii I could build boards from start to finish. Aloha,Kokua
I never really apprenticed under anyone, but have to thank the following people. Jeff Morita and Alan Hoshino, two high school friends who made their own boards; A Desert Foam video I purchased in '88 featuring LA shaper, Scott Anderson that I base my technique on; Cort Gion who let me watch him shape a board; and Ben Aipa who although I've never watched shape, is always open to talking story about board design and his surfing experience.