THe process
"Built by One Pair of Hands," what does that even mean? It might mean I am crazy but ultimately it means that I truly enjoy the process of building a surfboard from foam to finish. Having my hands involved in every aspect of the board building process ensures that the product is executed at the highest integrity. Once I have the vision of the finished product no one can execute it the way I want it to be executed.
Upgrades
Stringer: Redwood, cedar, colored high density foam in any size, multiple glue ups, custom wood nose and tailblocks
Fiberglass: 8 or 10 oz. Volan
Fins: Custom wood or fiberglass glass-ons, Roger Hinds Hexcore fiberglass fins, Future or FCS made by Rainbow Fin Co.
Base Board
Foam: First Quality US Blanks
Stringer: Basswood
Fiberglass: JPS in 6oz/5oz/4oz fabric
Resin: Sylmar 249A Clear or Color
Fins: Future, FCS, and/or single box
Finish: Sand and Sealed -or- Glossed and Polished
All of my foam comes from US Blanks. I've been working with US Blanks since their inception in 2006 and have even had the opportunity to design a few of the plugs that their blanks are made of. They are truly a top notch organization that produce in my opinion the best surfboards blanks in the world. The blank in this photo was a beast, a 9 stringer glued up into 3 balsa/redwood T-bans.
I still use a lot of my original templates from the 70's that I used on the North Shore. Some have been modified and some are still in their original state. The key to a good outline is being able to connect the dots mentally. A good template is like a really great song, 30 years later its still delivers the same soul as it did the first time you experienced it.
Wood + Foam
When cutting into the outline I rough cut within a 1/16" to the outline.
Truing up the outline with my planer sets the foundation for me to connect the dots all the way through.
Fine tuning the outline with my sure form to create a perfect foundation.
Here I'm verifying the thickness of the blank before I start connecting my mental dots.
No matter how much wood and foam is ahead of me, once I have the vision of how I want the board to come out I get into a seamless groove to yield perfection.
Progress.......
Sighting the bottom, making sure the bottom curve is exactly how I envisioned it from the outset.
Marking the rail to determine the depth of the cut for when I ban the rail. The 50/50 rail is a classic rail shape from the 60's that wasn't modified until late '67. For a truly classic longboard inspired from the 60's, a 50/50 is the only way to go.
I use 8 different block planes for various results.
Wood, beautiful and challenging when there is lot of it. Working with these two different forms (foam/wood) keeps your shaping skills in check every time.
Adding some concave into the nose which creates lift for that dance to the nose we are all dreaming about every time we paddle out.
After I turn the rail with my sure form I screen it to the final shape that I want.
Last bit of planing on the rail.
Pre-wood tail block.
Final spec check, looking good!
I have log books that date back to some of my first shapes, calling out the blank, the rocker, and dims for future reference.
Taping off to laminate and do a cut lap.
Laminating...steady hand squeegee is key for consistency throughout.
When sanding all my shapes, my goal is to get the board flat and achieve the same edge that was I originally shaped into the foam.
Soft pad sand on the rail.
Hand sanding is very important to me. If not done with the same integrity as every other step it can really alter the shape of the rail.
