Andrew Wells from Grown Surfboards always busy building great looking boards
The “Jelly Bean” with Lennox Heads in the background
5ft 8″ mini egg built from all Paulownia and a great looking resin tint.
Posts Tagged ‘building’
The “Jelly Bean” with Lennox Heads in the background
5ft 8″ mini egg built from all Paulownia and a great looking resin tint.
The King Has Entered The Building
Kelly Slater has rolled in to the Gold Coast in time for the season opening Quiksilver Pro at Snapper. After a few days of surfing attracting headlines for the wrong reasons, it’s awesome to see the Greatest Of All Time kicking it with the kids on the beach, signing plenty of autographs, and lighting up an otherwise dreary day at Duranbah.
Full Story on SurfingLife.com
Joe Larkin , still building boards
This is Joe Larkin glueing up the blank for a 1931 Waikiki chambered Mick Dooley 12 footer. I am not sure what age Joe is these days but he has been doing it for ever and still going strong.He has built many a classic board . His craftsmanship is second to none.Will have some more shots as it comes together.
Board building class offered in Wales
Paul Leonard is a surfer / boat builder in Wales and just contacted me to let you know of a class he is organising next Febuary. He will be hosting a workshop with Rich Blundall ( Tree to Sea ). For more info check out the site : Treetosea.org
Venue: The venue for this workshop is a an old converted Victorian coach house on the west coast of Wales. The workspace is heated and has a sound-system, a large kitchen, toilets, a bar, and also provides an option to move out into an adjacent courtyard if it’s warm enough outside.
Board building classes offered
Rich Blundell, the co-founder of Grain Surfboards in the USA and who is responsible for the Tree to Sea forum, the largest Wooden Surfboard Builders forum of its kind in the world, will be visiting Australia in 2011. He will be running two Workshops on building your own Hollow Wooden Surfboard in Victoria.
Using his patent-pending Strip & Feather method, participants will be instructed in the art of building a Hollow Wooden Surfboard using one of his many proven designs, or Rich can design one especially for you.
Each Workshop will be limited to 8 participants and will run for Two Days.
At the completion, each participant will take home a Hollow Wooden Surfboard that they have made themselves, ready for final sanding and fibreglassing.
Both Workshops will be held on the Mornington Peninsula in Mount Eliza, Victoria in March 2011.
So if you have ever thought of building your own Hollow Wooden Surfboard, but don`t know how, or you have already built one and would like to try Richs` newly refined method of construction, this is your chance.
For further information and Workshop dates visit the Website treetosea.org
Or phone Robert Ivers 0409 211751
Paul Jensen Wooden board building classes
Paul Jensen from Washington State USA is a credited with the revival in hollow wooden boards and has set about conducting classes in his construction method.Paul uses the same internal frame method as say the Grain construction but varies in his rail build out.
Paul’s boards use laminated cork and bending ply rails as above. Where as the Grain method is cove and bead more akin to their boat building roots.The difference with Paul’s courses is that he is mobile and will come to you where ever you are to conduct the class , as long as you have the minimum numbers and a venue for a week to build the boards in.He has conducted classes in many countries in all sorts of situations , so he is very adaptable.
“During a workshop under my guidance you will build a hollow wood board starting with the assembly of a supplied frame kit. After that you will create the deck and bottom “skins” from very thin solid wood strips, fiberglass and epoxy. Next the skins are attached and tensioned to the wood frame. You will then build the outer rails onto the board with bending plywood and cork. Finally the rails are hand shaped and the board is given a light final sanding. At the end of the class the board you have built will ready to take home to be glassed. I will also show you how to apply those epoxy and fiberglass layers when you get home. There are several to choose from.”
Paul has options on his classes as well:
Five day – Build Your Own Board workshops ,will have up to ten participant build their own board ready for glassing.The actual cost of materials will vary, depending on location. Some places things cost less than others.
Three day – Collaborative Board workshops ,will have up to twenty participant building two collaborative boards, ready for glassing.
Again, the “How To” CD will be included, as will a Template Kit .
The finished collaborative boards will be offered for sale (for the cost of the materials)
to selected class participants, chosen by a random drawing .
If you are interested in being a part of one of these workshops, or would like to organise one in your area , contact him at:
Grain Surfboard Building Classes
If you are looking for a class to learn the ins and outs of building a wooden board for yourself then there are a couple of ways to go. Grain Surfboards in York , Maine hold classes throughout the year . They run with a number of options and you build the boards right in their factory with the guys who work there with all the tools and gear you need to get the job done.
Here is a list of their classes for next year so you can plan ahead.
2011 Scheduled Classes
Nov 14- 20 2010…… Last available class for 2010, sign up now!
Feb 6- 12 …… Any Kit
April 10- 16 …. Any Kit
May 8- 14 …….. Any Kit
June 3- 5 …….. 3- Day Board Blitz
June 19- 25……. Any Kit
July 17- 23 …… Any Kit
Aug 5- 7 …….. 3- Day Board Blitz
Aug 21- 27 …. Any Kit
Sept 8- 10 …. Alaia class with Jon Wegener
Sept 11 …. Handplane class with Cyrus Sutton
Sept 18- 24 …. Any Kit
Oct 9- 15 …. Any Kit
Nov 6- 12 …. Any Kit
So you see they have a variety of options and special ones with guest shapers on hand as well.So not just their kits , but Alaia classes and handplane classes.” The 3 Day Board Blitz is an interesting one as well .Teams of two students together build a single board with a Grain board builder directly helping as needed to keep on schedule. Giving the phrase “team-building” a whole new meaning, this six-person, three-team class is designed not to help you build your own board in class, but as an affordable way to teach the method for those planning to build a HomeGrown Kit at home, and for those non-surfers that are merely curious about how it’s done. Great chance to do something cool with a buddy or your sweetie.”
Then there is:
Surfboard Builder’s Fantasy Camp
“Surfers can be loners – their ideal is a deserted break with no one out. That’s why we decided to offer a one-on-one class in board building and/or glassing. For a week or two, it’s just you at your own shaping stand with your own board builder guiding you through the process of building a board you’ll have forever. This is the only class where we will help you build any board in our line of kits and custom boards.
Fantasy Camp is also perfect if you can’t make dates in our schedule, can’t get into a full class, or want to share a really unique experience with just one other friend. So if you need some alone time, or dig the idea of being just another builder in our shop for the week, think about the Builder’s Fantasy Camp.
Any board, any time, your own builder. Pretty sweet.”
So I think they have it pretty well covered .They have had people coming from all over the world, Japan, Mexico, Australia, Singapore, Norway and France to build boards.So if you want to take a break and travel then this could be right up your alley.
Check them out at :
Grain Surfboards
