TRI FINS ARE DANGEROUS
Tom Curren status
Reged: 01/10/02
Posts: 12270
Loc: Pavement, CA USA
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It's been a wacky 30 days. 
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Surfboard Blog: Surfy Surfy
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Mr Doof
Phil Edwards status
Reged: 01/23/02
Posts: 6869
Loc: San Francisco, CA
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I'll guess you don't just mean due to the holidays. 
But, would you care to expand on your original statement?
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Loki
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 01/10/02
Posts: 2241
Loc: Lattitude 33
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Hey TFAD
Did anyone catch the story on KCAL 9 on Walker foam struggling to meet the new demand? Anything further on that aspect?
L
Here's the link:
http://cbs2.com/local/local_story_002161205.html
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"You can never ride the same wave twice." Book of Norman, Chapter 2, Verse 1
Edited by Loki (01/05/06 09:39 AM)
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TRI FINS ARE DANGEROUS
Tom Curren status
Reged: 01/10/02
Posts: 12270
Loc: Pavement, CA USA
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Here is your report/update:
There are at least a dozen serious players trying to start up new foam companies. Fortunes will be made and lost no doubt. In a year it will be great for you the surfer because you will be able to work with your shaper and pick and choose the best blank for the board you want.
In the meantime, containers of blanks are on the way from South Africa, Australia, Argentina and other locales. The quality will vary and shapers spoiled by Clark's low tolerance blanks will suffer while those with knowledge of rocker and skilled with a hand planer will emerge as the craftsmen that they are.
The cost of these blanks are all over the map and mostly unknown. How this will affect you, the surfboard buyer, is unknown.
It could be awhile before we see a foam company offer the wonderful variety of stringer options and layups that Clark offered, I suggest you buy any groovy board out there you with unique stringers you come across.
Surfers all over are bitter at the retail shops that jacked up the prices on boards while the shops that did one board per customer at the original prices earned respect.
Many glass shops have run out of blanks to work on and some are switching to epoxy. The question is, is it economically possible to work out the bugs of epoxy in a short time and do production so rent and bills get paid? The other main question is, which "epoxy" do they focus on? Which foam and which resin? Many glass shops are left hanging while shapers decide what path to take.
I haven't heard of any glass shops closing down yet but I fear it may happen soon. The honest glass shops may perish but hopefully they will get support from somewhere.
A lot of people don't realize this, especially in the surf media, but glass shops do not glass boards willy nilly. It is the SHAPERS who decide which foam they shape a board out of and how it will be glassed. The shapers decide which brand of cloth to use, how many layers, the width of the laps, patches, what resin to use, everything! Much of this influence comes from the retail shops who would rather have the cheapest whitest board possible instead the strongest.
I am trying to create a new paradigm in the surfboard industry where the glass shop can no longer be scapegoated by the shapers. From now on the shapers have to mark the fins correctly and have to fill out the order card accurately. No more, "Oops I forgot to shape that customer's board I will just blame the delay on the sander and shape it today and get the board rushed through and no extra expense to me."
Ever see that old Fritz Lang film Metropolis? The heart must be the mediator for the hands and the head.
On the home front typing this in my glass shop I see the racks full. It seems that everyone wants their last precious Clark blanks done with color work which we specialize in. People keep asking if we are going to start doing epoxy. I tell them that first the question should be, are you going to start doing epoxy AGAIN.
I am making a deal with the epoxy pundits, if a straight up honest California glass shop with legal employees and worker's comp. insurance can go one year doing epoxy without losing a ton of money and nobody has health problems then I will embrace it.
I am asking all surf magazine editors to stop publishing the word "unbreakable" with epoxy. This really puts everyone who makes surfboards in a tight spot. If a wave lands on a board right the board will break, I don't care what material or method it was made with. If the retail shop rat tells some kids mom that a board is unbreakable and the kid breaks it drama follows.
I think 2006 could be what I imagine 1968 was like, a lot of experimentation. Hopefully we will end up with fantastic interesting surfboards to ride. There is a chance the retail shops could be filled with cheap imported generic boards this summer. The flip side is that the custom movement seems to be energized by the threat of it going away.
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Surfboard Blog: Surfy Surfy
Edited by TRI FINS ARE DANGEROUS (01/06/06 12:27 PM)
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rice
Tom Curren status
Reged: 07/02/02
Posts: 13233
Loc: Central Coast, CA
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Quote:
the custom movement seems to be energized by the threat of it going away.
Thanks for the update/info.
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dk
Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Reged: 09/14/03
Posts: 9468
Loc: Leucadia
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nicely said 
glad to hear you guys are still glassing boards. Glad to hear you havent heard of anyone closing down. Glad the drug ring is still standing strong..
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www.dksurfboards.com
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rfe
Nep status
Reged: 07/15/03
Posts: 845
Loc: right around the corner
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With all foam coming in from who knows where, it's going to be interesting to see how the materials react to the different foams. I've seen some pretty crude blanks these last couple of weeks. It's going to be trial and error for the next 6 months or so. Hang on for the ride. 
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Too many clowns, not enough circuses
Edited by rfe (01/05/06 10:38 AM)
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alan
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 01/31/03
Posts: 1943
Loc: Encinitas, CA
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Quote:
From now on the shapers have to mark the fins correctly and have to fill out the order card accurately. No more, "Oops I forgot to shape that customer's board I will just blame the delay on the sander and shape it today and get the board rushed through and no extra expense to me."
This is for the "rack" boards, right TFAD? We'll still be able to mosey on over to the Moon Unit and fill out a card with you for custom beauties, right?
Alan
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My Place
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EHO
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 10/03/05
Posts: 259
Loc: San Diego
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Quote:
Surfers all over are bitter at the retail shops that jacked up the prices on boards while the shops that did one board per customer at the original prices earned respect.
Yeah, that was really interesting to see where different shops priorities were 
Does anyone know if Mitch's in LJ raised their prices?
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Breaks Selection Blog
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pickles
Miki Dora status
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 4376
Loc: Ventura, CA
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With no more close tolerance blanks, computer pre-shaping is going to really pay off for the people who have invested in it.
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Will STILL Surf For Money. Seriously.
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bobsurf
Tom Curren status
Reged: 01/10/03
Posts: 10456
Loc: Blue Oyster Bar
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Quote:
With no more close tolerance blanks, computer pre-shaping is going to really pay off for the people who have invested in it.
And I'll be curious to the ramifications of increased foam denting. As I've been told, the more you shave down into the blank, the foam becomes a bit easier to compress. For many years, glass shops have taken the majority of the heat in this department, even though the shaper might have been the contributing factor (choosing the wrong blank, shaving too much off the deck, etc.).
If close tolerance blanks go bye-bye, will people start getting heavier glass jobs on top? Inquiring minds want to know, indeed.
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pickles
Miki Dora status
Reged: 08/18/03
Posts: 4376
Loc: Ventura, CA
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Quote:
Quote:
With no more close tolerance blanks, computer pre-shaping is going to really pay off for the people who have invested in it.
And I'll be curious to the ramifications of increased foam denting. As I've been told, the more you shave down into the blank, the foam becomes a bit easier to compress. For many years, glass shops have taken the majority of the heat in this department, even though the shaper might have been the contributing factor (choosing the wrong blank, shaving too much off the deck, etc.).
If close tolerance blanks go bye-bye, will people start getting heavier glass jobs on top? Inquiring minds want to know, indeed.
Or maybe just start with denser blanks, expecting that you're going to remove most of the heavy material.
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Will STILL Surf For Money. Seriously.
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Rob Olliges
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 03/27/03
Posts: 2576
Loc: Retirement home
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Quote:
Here is your report/update:...
Post of the new era!
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Happiness comes in waves.
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20W-50 and blood
Tom Curren status
Reged: 02/04/04
Posts: 10287
Loc: SOCAL
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all i gotta say is TFAD for pope...and thats coming from someone who enjoys paying as little as possible for a stick.
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There's a ciggy in my beer?
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Zeltz
Nep status
Reged: 01/01/06
Posts: 869
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interestingly enough, I called Moonlight to see about getting a bonzer. Epoxies came up in the conversation, and I do not know if this is true or not, but the woman with whom I was speaking said that they were doing epoxies, but some glassers started getting blisters as well as getting really sick.... Can you verify this... seems pretty important. 
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Trefloater
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 05/31/05
Posts: 203
Loc: The DFW Airport break
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Quote:
If close tolerance blanks go bye-bye, will people start getting heavier glass jobs on top? Inquiring minds want to know, indeed.
Bob, heavier glass jobs on a board with a weak or (read...Ultralight) blank won't help with denting. Like Harbour said, "if you laid down a thin couple layers of glass on concrete and beat it, you won't see denting. That's because concrete won't dent." Blank density needs to be paid more attention to instead of how light the board is. Somehow, we got away from durability in favor of weight. The last batch of boards I had glassed were on supergreen blanks with deck patches and a double 6 deck. (I got tired of potato chips falling apart in the water. Besides heavier surf need better weight boards anyway.) 
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"Ride the big one"-Notch Johnson (Malibu Adjacent)
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TRI FINS ARE DANGEROUS
Tom Curren status
Reged: 01/10/02
Posts: 12270
Loc: Pavement, CA USA
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Every single person involved with starting new foam companies that I've talked to in the last month has said that less denting is a priority.
Denting was never a problem for me, I glass all my decks with 5 oz and 4 oz S-glass combo and UV resin and let cure 3 weeks.
I do like some denting, just like breaking in a new pair of flip flops I like the board to mold to my feet.
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Surfboard Blog: Surfy Surfy
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mandala
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 07/22/04
Posts: 385
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Thanks JP, it's been hectic, but we're still here. Thanks for the synoptic update...it'll be interesting to see how spring and summer turn out >>>
Australian foam...
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http://www.mandalacustomshapes.com
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hmmm
Kelly Slater status
Reged: 01/13/02
Posts: 8196
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Quote:
Every single person involved with starting new foam companies that I've talked to in the last month has said that less denting is a priority.
Denting was never a problem for me, I glass all my decks with 5 oz and 4 oz S-glass combo and UV resin and let cure 3 weeks.
I do like some denting, just like breaking in a new pair of flip flops I like the board to mold to my feet.
but doesn't denting lead to delams? its the gateway like how weed can leed to heavier drugs hehe...
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Cool waves and shaka-to-ya-frada-cause-youre-nothing-but-a-bradda
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rice
Tom Curren status
Reged: 07/02/02
Posts: 13233
Loc: Central Coast, CA
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Quote:
weed can leed to heavier drugs hehe...
LeeD?
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TRI FINS ARE DANGEROUS
Tom Curren status
Reged: 01/10/02
Posts: 12270
Loc: Pavement, CA USA
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Hopping leads to delams.
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Surfboard Blog: Surfy Surfy
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dk
Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Reged: 09/14/03
Posts: 9468
Loc: Leucadia
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The infamous dinosaur stomp. One of my buddies did this for years. I made fun of him so much he is afraid to shift his weight at all. I glass all of his boards with 6 oz
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www.dksurfboards.com
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DB1B
Nep status
Reged: 09/26/02
Posts: 927
Loc: Jacksonville Beach, FL, USA
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Thanks for the info, TFAD.
I just got my first Walker board. My friend Paul Barga shaped me a nice 6'4 and turned the thing out in only 3 days! That's the fastest I've ever gotten a board. Good timing too, because I'm going to PR next wed. Hopefully one week of curing is enough. I'll have to post a Walker dent report after the trip.
Hope everybody had a happy new year and survives the spring...
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rfe
Nep status
Reged: 07/15/03
Posts: 845
Loc: right around the corner
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Quote:
Thanks for the info, TFAD.
I just got my first Walker board. My friend Paul Barga shaped me a nice 6'4 and turned the thing out in only 3 days! That's the fastest I've ever gotten a board. Good timing too, because I'm going to PR next wed. Hopefully one week of curing is enough. I'll have to post a Walker dent report after the trip.
Hope everybody had a happy new year and survives the spring...
I thought Paul Barga retired. 
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Too many clowns, not enough circuses
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dk
Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Reged: 09/14/03
Posts: 9468
Loc: Leucadia
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might be why he got it in 3 days
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www.dksurfboards.com
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DB1B
Nep status
Reged: 09/26/02
Posts: 927
Loc: Jacksonville Beach, FL, USA
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Barga took a break for sure. Had some back problems that resulted in surgery, moved back to FL, etc. He can still crank out a nice shortboard.
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internettoughguy
Legend (inyourownmind)
Reged: 12/21/05
Posts: 272
Loc: The Internet
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I got my last board today at pre black monday prices. My last purchased boards. I can't belive it. My hero shaper known as the Al M just priced his boards to the point where I can get two Cooper longboards for the price of CI one. Or I could get 1000 cans of Pepsi One instead.
I bought my last american board, and I will not buy imports regardless if they are technically advanced but unrider friendly like surftech or if they are bruce irons non hawaiian quiver. Funny how I wish I could. Aussies do make boads. Good ones. All I see is JS or those aussie boards for the $450 I used to pwn boards. No more. But as my thoughts ran through my mind. My MBM or V or Flyer 1 is magic. But the magic died when clark's factory breathed its last.
I must enjoy this fleeting momement. A surfer no longer. A shaper I must go. Hard journey, based of off DK's story outlined in bytes floating in webspace. Or maybe I can become cynically jaded like Mr. B. Lamb? Or perhaps lose the shortboardness and join 10over? Perhaps go bonzerlicious. Or bomb waves on wood style like Roy Stewart or Tom W? Perhaps hook up with a composite manufacturer. A guy at a local church has works in aerosmith er aerospace who's daughter's hotness but bad attitude is forcing him to woo her off because he cannot have her live under his roof as she approaches adulthood. But love must be true, not material or fake.
Life must be as such. One tool per paycheck and a mad search to for someone to lend shaping space for the girl that I rent with her family house of antiques cannot allow hard labor or excessive shaping messes.
So the last board bought through my own money. The rest will be by my hand. However good or bad my craft, star craft might be.
Perhaps moonlight will be able to glass my surfboards. And they will laugh at the hackjobs or in broken spanish, jackhobs pronounched :hackshoavs"
YES!
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But I do know that, as long as we live, we must remain true to ourselves.
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dk
Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Reged: 09/14/03
Posts: 9468
Loc: Leucadia
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out of that whole post, all I got is that you drink Pepsi 1
but comeon..who actually drinks Pepsi One  
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www.dksurfboards.com
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RoyStewart
Michael Peterson status
Reged: 08/12/04
Posts: 2330
Loc: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
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Quote:
interestingly enough, I called Moonlight to see about getting a bonzer. Epoxies came up in the conversation, and I do not know if this is true or not, but the woman with whom I was speaking said that they were doing epoxies, but some glassers started getting blisters as well as getting really sick.... Can you verify this... seems pretty important.
If you are getting sick through using epoxy then you have sloppy habits. You can't get blisters from epoxy unless you get it on your skin. . . haven't they realised that it isn't supposed to be applied to the skin?
.
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Wooden Power Surfboards and tunnel fins
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jolly
Nep status
Reged: 02/27/05
Posts: 627
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I thought epoxy was gonna be a substitute for maple syrup?
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