shaping your own board

[gkellop]

Hi All,

Has anyone shaped their own board before? I was toying around with the idea of doing it. Was thinking about buying a blank from these guys:

http://www.foamez.com

Anyone use them before?

What other tools do I need to pull this off?

Thanks!
gk

[gkellop]

ps - it would be a 9' longboard. classic shape, with maybe 1 back fin. And was thinking about inlaying veneer onto the bottom and the deck. Might be getting in too deep with that one. Dunno.

[jaffa1949]

That site is pretty comprehensive in what it offers both in blanks and tools, have a look in your shed you may have some suitable stuff already.
If you have friends with boards that you like get heavy cardboard or thin ply and take templates of the shape have a real good look on Youtube there is a shipload of shaping videos there, give yourself plenty of time and work cleanly well ventilated the dust and chemicals in the glassing part are not nice to be overexposed to.
Have fun, it is a great feeling to put your first shape into action
Please post pictures and reports of your progress.

[Seyrnahd]

shaping a board is great fun. so is shooting the flesh out of it when you find out it surfs like poo. I have done both numerous times. u get better at it. have a blast no matter what.

[gkellop]

shaping a board is great fun. so is shooting the flesh out of it when you find out it surfs like poo. I have done both numerous times. u get better at it. have a blast no matter what.

Ya, that's something I was apprehensive about. The other thing I was thinking about doing is getting an old board, de-glassing it (not sure how, on earth I'd do that, haha), and putting on a layer of wood veneer, and then reglassing it. That way my lack of shaping no-how won't get in the way, and I'd have a cool looking board, and also kinda giving an old board new life with a new glass job.

I probably have too many ideas. I should just start DO-ing. haha.

[tony g]

You will need a planer to cut the foam. Hitachi makes an inexpensive one. If you do not want that expense then you will need a good stanley surform to cut the foam.
http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=10762
I would buy a good how to video and learn as much as possible before dropping in. Remember once you take off the foam you can't put it back. Good luck...and remember (just like surfing) you get better with experience.

[Seyrnahd]

shaping a board is great fun. so is shooting the flesh out of it when you find out it surfs like poo. I have done both numerous times. u get better at it. have a blast no matter what.

Ya, that's something I was apprehensive about. The other thing I was thinking about doing is getting an old board, de-glassing it (not sure how, on earth I'd do that, haha), and putting on a layer of wood veneer, and then reglassing it. That way my lack of shaping no-how won't get in the way, and I'd have a cool looking board, and also kinda giving an old board new life with a new glass job.

I probably have too many ideas. I should just start DO-ing. haha.

De-glassing a board is no fun besides if you are not really careful you can end up ripping the foam to pieces. Besides, in my opinion more goes wrong in the glassing stages than the shaping stages - well at least it did on my first attempts

Anyway i like the idea of shaping something totally off the wall. Like my 4'10 now making a great archery target - to avoid that try shaping something semi conventional. Why spoil creativity by just redoing an existing board