Shape in the Box to Think Out of the Box!

The E-Z Shaping Box

We're happy to announce that Foam E-Z is now offering a shaping facility to rent. About three months ago, we purchased a 20ft cube container with a shaping bay built inside of it. We completely refurbished the shape room with new electrical, paint, and added a Clark Foam Vacuum System that sits outside the bay. The room is equipped with 8ft fluorescent lights (top and side), shelves, vacuum system, fan ventilation, full insulated walls, and professional style E-Z Shaping Racks (fixed to the floor). The room dimensions are 15'-5" long x 7' wide x 8' high. The Foam E-Z Shaping Box is a fully functional and professional shaping bay located directly behind Foam E-Z. It is completely insulated and ventilated helping it remain comfortable during your shaping experience.

We wanted to give the E-Z Shaping Box a good once over, so we invited Tim Stamps of www.SurfboardsbyStamps.com to give it a test drive. His goal was to hand shape RadRob, Foam E-Z star employee, a new 5-8 Quantum Quad Fish. Tim brought a few of his "special" tools and used some of ours in his attempt to make the room feel like home. He plugged his Skil 100 into our vacuum system and started mowing into a 6-2A US Blank (new red foam). After 2 hours of shaping and a 20 minute pizza break, (thanks to Kiri at Perry's Pizza) RadRob's board was finished.

Stamps says: "It was the next best thing to home! I give it a 5 out of 5 shakas."

Check out the video for the full experience.

Click here to view the YouTube video.

The shaping box is now available for anyone to rent. So if you're sick of shaping in your garage, using your trash cans as racks, or if you've wanted to start shaping but don't have a place to do it, we now have the answer for you. The "Box" is for rent by the board or by the day (Monday thru Friday 11-5pm) and comes complete with all the tools necessary to Shape Your Own Board (S.Y.O.B.). ***Additional tools available for rent. This is your chance to test out the tools before you buy them. "Shape in the Box to think out of the box!"

Hot Coating Tips for the Garage Glasser by Grant Ramey

All in all hot coating appears to be the simplest part of glassing a surfboard. The basic idea is to get the resin on the board. This is often one of the pitfalls that the novice glasser falls victim to. It is often rushed since it is either, or close to, the final step of sealing the surfboard before it is ready to be sanded and sometimes nerves and excitement take over instead of patience and a cool head. Here are few things to keep in mind when attempting to apply a hot coat for the first time.

Setup: This is very important because having your tools well organized and easily accessible will make it easier to bounce back from, or avoid a mistake. Some potential mistakes to plan for are dropping the brush. Since the brush is held and manipulated in a different fashion from a regular paint brush it might be difficult to control or get your hand used to. In order to avoid having the resin kick off in the bucket or before you have completely finished you hot coat, while you try to clean it you can just have one laying out that is ready to go.

Another thing that is helpful while learning is to have a safety bucket. This is a bucket that you have set up next to the brush in case you come up short with your first bucket. There is nothing worse than scrambling to get more resin set up while the partial hot coat on the board is kicking. Right next to the bucket you will want to have enough catalyst and surfacing agent measured out as well as a whisk in order to whip it up quickly and continue on. If you don't use the extra materials you can always pour them back and use them next time so it really is a win-win situation.

Applying the HotCoat

Even brush strokes

Flashing the "HotCoat"

Application: A good hot coat is smooth, free of pinholes, light, and is crisp in order to make the sander's job easier. Since most boards have convex on the deck and concave on the bottom there are a few areas where resin could potentially collect if there is an excess amount. It is common for beginners to leave too much resin on the deck which will lead to sag lines on the rail. This occurs because the weight of the resin is feeling the effects of gravity while it is kicking off. This creates more work for the sander, or in this case for yourself.

The same idea applies for the bottom concave and tail edge. If not enough resin is pulled off then it will settle in the concaves or even build up on the tail. Having a concave full of resin pretty much ruins the work that you did putting in the concave in the first place. It also creates a lot more sanding for the sander and instead of following the board's lines the sander has to get through the resin first and then begin sanding. Applying excess pressure and sanding in order to get through excess amounts of resin leads to extreme friction that causes heat which could ultimately cause a delamination.

One last thing to look out for is to not pull too much resin off of the board. If you do this it could lead to pin air or you could be setting yourself up for a quick burn through while sanding. A light hot coat is great but it has to be completely sealed in order for it to be effective. Also remember to always wrap the resin around the rails and to the bottom while hot coating the deck. This often gets overlooked because at eye level it looks like you have gotten the whole rail. If anything bend down and look up at the board and make sure you get that bottom rail nice and wet.

Dress: It is called hot coating for a reason. It's hot, super hot if you get it on your skin. This is because you generally use more catalyst to set off the resin which creates faster reaction and more heat. Wear shoes, an old pair of sweat pants, a long sleeve shirt, and don't forget to tape the sleeves so they don't drag along in the resin. You won't look cool but at least you'll look like you know what you are doing.

Extra: One way to minimize the smell of resin that might annoy your neighbors is to use the UV catalyst. This is also a good idea because it gives you an unlimited amount of time to work with the resin as long as you keep the board out of the sunlight or any other UV rays. When you feel you have completed a tight lamination or hot coat you can just walk the board out into the sunlight and it gels in a matter of seconds on a bright day which knocks down the smell dramatically. The last thing you want is the cops showing up because a neighbor complains. PRO TIP: The trick to hot coating with UV Catalyst is after you have brushed the resin on you need to "flash it" in the sunlight for 45 seconds. Then bring it back out of the sunlight to give the Surfacing Wax a chance to rise (approx 3-5 minutes). When you see that the wax has raised on the hot coat move the board back into the sun for approximately 10 minutes or till the resin is hard.

There are many tips and techniques that are better seen then explained. They can be viewed in the Glassing 101 or the Master Glasser series DVD's. There is so much more but these are just a few tips to get you going on your way to applying a solid, tight and light hot coat.

Summer of '68 by Art in the Head

For as long as I care to remember I've always been fascinated by the radical cultural shifts of the late 1960s. Going through my own adolescence in the following decade I know there was a lot of spillover into the Ô70s and many of us adopted much of our world views through the lens of the '60s generation. My coming of age during the mid Ô70s, for the most part, was filled with like minded folks trying to keep the party that had begun in 1967 going strong. Most of the designs and creativity during the '70s was just a rehashing of the real stuff that appeared from '67-'69. Throughout the art and music world things were really exploding just before the decade closed and it was no different in the shaping world.

The conventional surfer's thought always tends to frame the dialogue about how 1968 was the start of the shortboard revolution. But something you might want to explore if you're into riding longboards, and particularly if you're into mid-lengths, is getting your hands, or better yet, your feet, on an old board that was shaped in '68. The longboards from Ô68 just plain work; a claim you can't make about the shortboards made during that same time period. Longboards that were shaped by most of the top shops in 1968, even down to the individual backyard shaper, had it all figured out. These boards are not to be confused with the early '60s; beautiful durable logs that your grandfathers once surfed. Nope, these are the more refined designs that came to beaches after the 1966 World Surfing Contest winner Nat Young out maneuvered the rest of the contest hopefuls that radical day at Ocean Beach.

Before that a surfboard manufacturer's reputation was mostly built upon the ability to survive going over the falls with or without the rider at places like Redondo Breakwater, Killer Dana, Blacks, Rincon, Steamerlane, the Tijuana Sloughs, or if you were really lucky, Waimea. Actually being able to turn a surfboard during that time was not a given. No, I'm not talking about an early '60s board; I'm referring to the late '60s models.

Case in point: one of my favorite boards that passed through my collection was an 8'10 Bahne. I ended up being the highest bidder on eBay by way of a listing in Florida of a "1968 yellow tinted original Bahne surfboard." From the first time I viewed the crappy little .jpegs I could see the outline of the template as being very forgiving and functional. A month passed and I finally received the board. I was very happy as to the condition and feel. EBay can be a fickle mistress, but on this occasion my anxiety about what would arrive on my doorstep was totally unwarranted!

At this time in my surfing career my quiver consisted of all classic foam and most of the boards were well over 9 feet. Since this introduction I have picked up some transitional models like the Hansen 50-50 mini, Gordon & Smith Hot Curl, Challenger Micro, Bing Foil, Hobie Corky Carroll mini, and a few Vee bottoms. The Bahne was another awesome board that fits along these types of surfboards; designs I like to describe as real hotdog boards. These models do everything very well: noseride, turn, and perform for maximum involvement. I've ridden the Bahne in double overhead surf to double over ankle. This board would not be my first choice for the small gutless stuff, but on shoulder and above, it's a beautiful glide machine. I also had the longest noseride of my life on it, even though the nose is more pulled in, with a tiny bit of belly and being devoid of concave, I still scratch my head.

In any event I foolishly sold it raising funds to purchase an old wagon. I know we have all had boards that we unfortunately let pass through our hands but should have ultimately held onto. For me it was my old '68 Bahne from Florida.

A "Boonz" experience in the E-Z Shaping Box

A long time ago in a badly lit eight foot by eight foot bedroom located in the deepest depths of a dingy three bedroom apartment in a local barrio, I sat on the edge of my recently salvaged dumpster mattress sun burnt from hours of surfing, the "Morning of the Earth" playing over and over on my huge ten inch TV screen. Seeing those Aussies on the frontier of performance surfing, shaping their own boards in backyard sheds inspired me to do the same. Thus I made my way down to Foam E-Z and started down a path which has changed the way I surf, and look at all aspects of our fine way of life.

Let's just preface this if we will, with the simple fact that my first surfboard looks like the bastard lovechild of the early seventies with a severe amount of brain damage. My roommates still refer to that as the "White Christmas" of October. I covered my entire backyard with an inch of foam dust, including my hammock (which I still can't use) and the neighbor's cat (who just wanted to see what all the noise was about). On top of it all I didn't have any of the proper tools, being as I bought just the bare minimum. So my tool kit consisted of a serrated bread knife to cut out the outline, a block plane from 1908 that I borrowed from my grandpa, and a surform that I bought at the shop. I'm not even going to get into what happened in the glassing process...I'd need a whole newsletter dedicated entirely to my wordy description of how I got the resin caked tarp up off the concrete. The entire process was awesome, I had a great time and ended up with a board that rides fine, looks funny, and could have been just that much better had I the time or revenue to set up a proper shaping bay, with the proper tools.

There are many things that go into the building of a surfboard. In my opinion they can all be lumped together into two vastly all encompassing categories; Supplies and location (or place). Without these two things the construction of a surfboard can be a frustrating experience at best. With the addition of the shaping box Foam E-Z has just made the "two things" so much more accessible.

First of the two things is the place. Without a place to shape you will wind up with your very own White Christmas, whether it's in your garage, backyard, or neighbors backyard. This isn't just a place to reduce your mess. It is also a place to help you make a better more symmetrical surfboard. With dark blue walls to contrast the white foam, lights to cast shadows that will help you see imperfections and proper racks so you're not shaping on top of two old barstools that you also found in the dumpster. This shaping bay makes your experience much more positive. The best part about the bay for me is that I won't have to worry about neighbors freaking out and calling hazmat!

Next on my list of things, is the tool kit. If you have your own tools great, more power to you. But many people aren't sure how this whole shaping ordeal will work or do not want to make a large purchase the first time out. This is where the Guys at the Foam E-Z really stepped it up. They put together tool kits that you can rent out according to what tools you want to try. If you feel like you want to shape with the Hitachi industry standard planer but you don't want to spend big bucks on something you may only use once, then you can rent the deluxe kit. If you find that you weren't cut out for shaping, then you just saved yourself the depreciation of one brand new planer. Best thing is, you can try all the tools then go back and buy only the ones that worked well for you.

I just used the Shaping Box last month to make myself a new log. It worked out great, no White Christmas, fewer lumps and bumps, and a straighter outline. Plus, when I realized I didn't have a piece of sandpaper or screen, I was able to just run in and pick up whatever I happened to need. For everyone who's getting into shaping, stop by and check out "the Box". The use of proper equipment will greatly change the outcome of your surfboard building experience for the better.

Click here to see all of Dan's images

1. Your Name: Dan Howard.

2. Your Brand name: I just slapped a big ole DAN on the deck.

3. How did you hear about us? I heard about Foam E-Z through several shapers I have known over the years and was finally put in contact by my buddy Mark who works there.

4. How was your initial experience at Foam E-Z? It was good. There was plenty of inventory to browse through when selecting a blank, including seconds in almost every size, which helped me stay within a tight budget and still build a completely functional board. The staff were all really helpful and knowledgeable, and just seemed genuinely stoked to see me getting into shaping. Having access to a proper shaping bay was hands down the biggest benefit.

5. Why did you want to build your own board? As long as I've been surfing (12 years) I have been deeply fascinated by the colorful history of surfboard innovation and design. I love how each and every handcrafted surfboard is completely unique in its own way and the pure creative artistry that goes into that. I've been blessed with artistic abilities my entire life and always knew I had it in me to become a successful shaper but never actually tried. Finally I just decided it was time to make it happen. Paddling out for the first time on a board I built was easily my proudest day as a surfer.

6. Shape of finished board? Early 70's era single fin hot-dogger.

7. Size of finished board: Length 6'4' Nose 15' Width 21-1/2" Tail 15" Thickness 2-3/4"

8. What blank did you use? 6'10" A US Blanks (second).

9. How was your board building experience? This was my very first board. I had a fairly basic yet solid knowledge of the board building process and understood the specific mechanics behind different boards and how they will work in different waves.

10. Did you use videos, books, web, other? I had collected a lot of knowledge throughout the years through all kinds of sources, but mostly from listening to and watching other shapers. My buddy Mark from Foam E-Z was there to walk me through the whole process; so I owe most to him.

11. What videos, books, web, other did you use? Just a little bit of web browsing.

12. Do you recommend these resources? I honestly recommend talking with shapers, asking questions and watching anyone who will let you. I've sat in and watched Rich Harbour and Tim Stamps shape boards start to finish. They didn't explain what they were doing and I didn't bug them with questions, but I learned so much just from watching. If you can have anyone help you out through that first board that's got to be the best way.

13. What do you wish you knew going into this project? Honestly, I felt about as prepared as I could be. Having an experienced shaper there to help me out filled in all the gaps and gave me the confidence I needed to build the board I really wanted.

14. What would you recommend to someone else for their first time? Pretty much what I said to question 12. Look at every kind of surfboard and learn what it does, how and why... every kind of board. You've got to know the mechanics behind surfboards if you're going to have any chance of building a functional board. Ask and listen. If you can, get help.

15. What tools did you find most useful? The Hitachi power planer is a Godsend and I'll never shape without one. Other than that, a nice sharp sure-form and a proper sanding block made life nice and easy. Skip the 2x4 and spend the few extra bucks on a proper block and you'll save sanding time and come out with more even rails.

16. Where did you run into trouble? I was a bit sketched out about shaping my rails with the power planer at first, but after a little demonstration by Mark I realized how useful it was. During the glassing process it was a bit difficult tucking all the rails before the resin gelled and keeping bubbles out of the seams while laminating. We were really conserving resin though, so I'd probably recommend spending a few more bucks to buy some wiggle room. Defiantly don't try glassing your first board without help. Mark really saved my ass there...

17. What kind of fin system did you use? I fabricated an 8.5" raked single-fin glass-on from a box fin (the base got turned into the leash loop).

18. Did you glass the board and what was that experience like? Yeah, we glassed it in my garage on top of a card table and a cardboard box. As a mentioned for question 12, it was a bit difficult at parts, but not bad as long as you have somebody there who knows what they're doing. Shaping and glassing the board was even more rewarding. That's how they had to do it back in the day and it remains a skill I feel every shaper should have. Being able to call yourself not just a shaper but a "board builder" is pretty special these days.

19. What supplies were purchased from Foam E-Z? I picked up the blank and all the glassing materials from Foam E-Z and borrowed the tools from Mark. I plan on purchasing my own set of tools through Foam E-Z for the next board. The selection is quality and the prices seem reasonable.