Story and Photos by: Milton
Willis
Dedication
Knowledge on how to shape a great surfboard and surfboard
designs are prized and kept mostly secret. In the past
a shapers designs could be considered magic, were protected
as such and still are. Ability to earn a living, attract
and keep surfers on their shapes and an earnest desire
to build a better surfboard have contributed to the
cloak and dagger secretiveness of shaping Gurus. Professional
surfers, hard-core enthusiasts and surfers around the
world have benefited from shapers dedicated to excellence,
hardwork, and service. Surfer's owe thanks to the spirit
of the surfboard shaper.
Paying Dues
In the beginning just to break into the shaping field
one might have to apprenticeship repairing dings, sweeping
up and cleaning the shaping room for at least five years
before finally getting a chance to shape a board under
the watchful eye of a tutor. The whole process of shaping
a surfboard remained as mystical as the waves they were
meant to ride. That is until computers and programmers
and big business got into the act.
Modern times have eliminated much of the hand shapers
as they struggle to survive against the machine and
mass-produced surfboards. To help preserve the art of
shaping surfboards WBsurfing offers fundamental information
on how to shape a surfboard.
Shaping goes Global
Creative breakthroughs in surfboard design and function
come from those willing to push the limits and experiment
with new and fresh ideas and designs. Dedicated surfboard
shapers from around the world have helped make surfing
what it is today. Australians like Wayne Lynch, Cheyne
Horan, and Bob McTavish have seen the future and sparked
a full design revolution. Independent thinking Californians
like Duncan and Malcolm Camble, Carl Eckstrom, Mike
Hynson, Rusty Presendorfor, Al Merrick all helped define
the modern surfboard. Hawaiian shapers like Ben Aipa,
Dick Brewer, Gerry Lopez, Glen Minani, Eric Arakawa,
George Downing, Harold Iggy, Pat Rawson are just a few
of the great shapers to shape the rockets that propelled
surfboard performance to the outer limits. Great shapers
also come from Japan, Brazil Europe and other places
from around the world.
Becoming a master Foamsmith
The combination of 3 dimensional curves and proportions
that make up a surfboard are literally endless. Ultimately
be it a long board, short board, concave or vee bottom
or a new design you wish to try, you will need to know
how to take what you see in your mind and transfer it
to your hands to shape your dream surfboard.
For optimum shaping conditions, surfboards are
shaped in rooms specifically designed for shaping.
Shaping rooms a.k.a. shaping bays are usually narrow,
painted dark and with no windows, and designed to be sound
proof.  Shaping
racks are especially designed so the blank can be seen
and worked on from different angles. They should be centered
and adjusted to a comfortable height, usually around waist
level. Eight-foot long fluorescent lights are installed
slightly higher shaping rack height, parole with the floor.
A shelf over the light projects the right amount of light
back to the shape and also shields the shapers eyes from
glare. Shapers use the contrast of the dark walls and
light along with shadows on the blank to seeEthat the
shape stays true.
Some surfboard factories will rent out a shaping room
and provide all the necessary tools and templates. If
this isn't available never fear, the late Ricky Rassmussen,
United States surfing champion would shape a surfboard
with no electricity and only with hand tools in exotic
locations like Mexico and the jungles of Indonesia.
Floridas Greg Loehr would shape boards in a tent with
just a light bulb in the early E0s on the north shore
in Hawaii. Their shapes came out great.
While some tools used for shaping are specifically
designed most are standard carpentry tools.
Hand saw, surfoarm, electric planner, (Hitachi or skill
100 are the most popular), hand block plane, sanding
block and a soft foam pad.
Also needed: a level, t-square, tape measure and calipers
(to measure thickness), a pencil, sandpaper in 40, 80,
and 100 grit, and a sheet of 80 grit sanding screen.
Don't forget a shaping particle dust mask and
protective eyewear and earwear.
Getting Started
Shaping a good surfboard is not guess work. With a
good plan based on accurate expert knowledge your very
first shape can be great. Know before you shape what
it is you would like your finished shape to look like.
Use a surfboard you already like as a model. Study the
rails especially the bottom curve of the rail. Use a
level to see if the bottom shape is flat, concave or
has vee. Notice how some outlines are more pleasing
to the eye than others and how the curves flow together.
Start by choosing the blank best suited for
the shape and as close to the finished height and thickness
as possible.
Mowing the foam "planning"
With the electric planner take a thin cut to remove
the crustE Planner cuts should be done slowly so the
foam doesnt rip or tear. Planning a blank is called
mowing foamEbecause the cuts are even and overlapping
like mowing a lawn. Make the first cut around the outline
of the board and then follow that line. Go from one
side of the blank until one final cut down the wood
stringer and overlapping onto the opposite side the
width of a planner blade. Now start on the outside of
the other side, working toward the center. Cuts should
be level and smooth. Remember you can always take away
foam but you cannot put it back, so take your time and
shape with sensitivity and awareness. Enjoy the process.
Rushing and not checking measurements twice will slow
you down and produce mediocre results.
Template: Starting your outline
Once the bottom has been skinnedEit is time to draw on the template or outline.
Shapers universally measure with a t-square using the
stringer as the centerline. Nose width is measured a foot
back from the tip of the blank, tail width is measured
one foot up from the tail block. Wide point is usually
close to the center. Measure surfboards you like to find
out  measurements
that will work best for you. Once you have plotted out
your outline measurements it is time to draw on the template.
Many shapers rely
on others curves and take templates off others shapes
to duplicate the curves they like. Master shapers
with much practice can use a baton to produce desired
outline curve creating original outlines. Take time
to appreciate the many different types of outlines surfers
use to ride waves. Some prefer wide shapes while others
like narrow thin boards. Different size and types of
waves require different shapes.
Before cutting out the template and after, stand the
board up and really look at the outline curve. Are there
flat spots? Straight spots in the curve? How about bumbs
or dips? When cutting out the outline its very
important to keep the saw straight at a 90 degree angle.
Cut about a 1/16Eaway from the line allowing a little
room to come back and true up the outline.
Usually bumps or dips are the result of a sloppy cut
out. If this happens you may
have to re-template and carefully true up the outline.
Try and use the entire length of the surfoarm or sanding
block.
Truing up the outline. Turn the board on itsEside
to sight down the outline, looking for high and low
spots. One side at a time run the surform slowly and
smoothly around the outline taking the excess foam down
to the pencil line of the outline. Now walk the outline
end to end with sandpaper and a flat sanding block until
the outline is perfect.
Rocker: Bottom curve
Now is the time to shape in the bottom design and put
in the rocker. Rocker is the overall curve from the
tip of the nose to the tail. Most surfboards have a
gentle rocker for release in the tail and a smooth entry
rocker for catching waves and taking steep drops. Too
much tail or nose rocker will make a board paddle slow
and push water. It is important to select a blank that
is close to the finished rocker as possible. . Most
surfboard bottom designs use a combination of flat or
concave in the center with slight roll towards the rails.
Using the measurements of a surfboard you know works
can be very helpful. After the bottom design and rocker
have been shaped it is time to skin the deck of the
surfboard bringing the board to the desired thickness
in the nose, middle and tail. Most surfboards have the
thickest part at the wide point.
Turning the rails
Now that the thickness foil, rocker and bottom
contour have been shaped in, it is time to turn the
rails. Thickness of the rail determines a surfboards
sensitivity and floatation. Again before shaping your
own board look at many surfboard and see how the rails
blend into the deck and bottom. Generally the bottom
edge is very hard in the tail for water release. In
the middle rails are softer with some roundness so they
wont catch or dig into the wave. Personal taste and
experience will help you find the rail volume that best
suits your surfing. Rail templates can be used if desired.
Taking a flexible wire and bending it around
the shape of yourfavorite rail will make rail templates.
Working the top of the square rail or deck line down
will determine how thick and low the rails end up.
Keep that square and work the line down, blending
or doming it into the deck. Once the deck or top line
of the rail is as desired, hold off on putting on the
bottom rail.
Finishing
Sand out the bottom of the board with rough grit sandpaper
and a sanding block. Be sure and keep the stringer level
with the blank by constantly going over it with the
hand block plane.Now repeat the process smoothing
the deck and rails. Repeat the process using finer grit
sand paper.
Its now time to add the bottom rail.
Begin by taking long smooth surform cuts on the bottom edge
of the square. Take care not to go to far into the bottom
of the surfboard or to high toward the deck.Once
the bottom rail is just how you want it, break out the
sanding screen and begin the transition of blending
the top and bottom rails together. Pay close
attention to the bottom edge. High performance surfboards
have hard rails in the tail with some roll in the middle
and nose.
Go back and check your measurements in the nose middle
and tail to make sure they are still accurate. Check
nose tip and tail for symmetry. Nose tip and tail shapes
are the signature of a shaper and add a style or look
to a shape. Go over your bottom and make sure it is
even on both sides. Your shape is now ready
to mark the fins and send to the glasser.
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