How to shape a mini-Simmons
Recently Swellnet's Coffs Harbour surf reporter, Tom Woods, watched his brother Joe make a pair of mini-Simmons boards. It was a first time operation so Tom grabbed the camera and filmed Joe each step of the way. The rest of the Woods tribe even got in on the act!
Check Tom's great video below. Hopefully it inspires you to set aside a bit of room in the garage and sculpt your own piece of foam.
After repairing a surfboard that I ran over in my car (a board which I called a write off) my brother Joe got the gist of a few of the skills needed to shape a board from scratch - something he’s always wanted to have a crack at. I suggested these mini-Simmons style boards would be a good shape to start with. They are flat-rockered, with a basic outline and they are an unreal fun board in small waves.
I got introduced to them by Thomas Bexon and Jake Bowrey from Thomas Surfboards when I was doing some filming of them in Noosa. The boards are wild, I've always wanted one, so talked him into making one for me as well.
What started as just one board became two. Then I declared I would film the whole process and make a clip. The champion dudes from Shapers got us sorted with the necessary materials and strong blanks. Then Joe did the research online and found a epic website called Mini-Simmons Surfboards, he got all the outline and fin templates he needed as well as some handy tips through the forums and blogs…and we were away! Albeit very slowly.
In the process we found out the Woods family was a pretty creative bunch: Joe with his newfound handy skills, me on the lens, our Mum chipped in with a lino print graphic of a Boab tree, and Sherrin made some rad boardcovers one night on the sewing machine.
This is in no way an instructional video; we went in with no idea and I bet real shapers will recoil in horror at some of the techniques used. But we had a stack of fun and we now have two boards that not only float, but have brought us a ton of joy especially over the summer flat spells. Check our journey in the video below:
Massive thanks goes out to the guys at Shapers who had all the necessary gear and passed on some helpful advice. They actually have DIY shaping kits for anyone that is inspired to make their own board.
This article was originally posted on ST Images, Tom's blog and photography site.
Comments
That was so cool.
Nice.
Was there a nod to Morning of the Earth in there? Shaping outdoors, foam dust flying everywhere on the ground. Even a horse galloping by in the background to give the back to nature vibe. And it ends with the same stoke of riding a self shaped board.
Well done Tom and Joe.
such a cool video...great opportunity for young kids to be inspired to take up the dark art...
What was the estimated value / spendings including tools and stuff from "No Idea No Gear" to "All the gear & some Idea + finished sled?"
First, no expert here, but having recently (past couple of years started playing around making my own) my $0.02 worth ...
- Stands: make 'em your self from some old timber, bucket full of sand, etc (cost bugger all, less than $20)
- Buy a factory seconds blank ... boys at shapers, can help ya there
- Get some 'basic' tools ... I'd start with a shapers square, some velcro foam sanding blocks (medium and soft) a few sheet of sandpaper (grits 80, 120, 180, 240 and 320)
- grab a spoke shave or simple little planner for the stringer
- Get some resin, go the 4 litre options of laminating and filler resins
- go the uv solar catayst rather than MEKP (much more time friendly when your starting)
- get some acetone, but remember hot soapy water will wash up most stuff
- Get some cloth, 4oz, do double or triple on deck, and single layer or double on bottom
- go the glass in plugs rather than glass on fins
So, all up for about 2/3 the price of a new board and you'll be set up ;)
Ha ha..sounds like you're thinking what I'm thinking. After watching the vid I'm eyeing off the quiet corner of the shed and wondering if I can mow foam and splash resin around without getting a visit from the EPA and/or poisoning the kids.
The best board in the world is the one you make yourself. I would encourage everyone to shape a board at least once in their life. There is so much information on YouTube it's hard to go wrong. Shaping surfboards for a living is the best job in the world!
Great vid and def makes you want to try shape something yourself!
I certainly am! maybe thinking of getting an old mal of Gumtree for 100 bucks and cutting it down... I've got a room perfect for it too.. dark, little airflow, mouldy and creeky. Perfect shaping conditions right? How much do these mini-Simmons cost to make?
click on the links at the bottom ofthe artical and you can see the pricing on the DYI kits
Sik video!!!
If anyone wanted a different model.... try this.
Outside shaping feels groovy and is probably better for your health but good luck picking all that foam up. Shit goes everywhere.
By now, you've all seen the video documenting the shaping of this mini pole... Fishie's craft seems to go much better than the throwback Simmons slab.
Such is progress.
http://vimeo.com/87064536
I made a 5ft one about 18 months ago. Good fun in the right sort of waves, best of all the extra foam provides plenty of paddle power!
I'm currently getting the shed in order to make a board(s), building a shaping block and sourcing materials. If anyone is interested I found this website that has a range of templates to print off.
http://www.blendingcurves.com/
Stu, maybe put a hold on the shed...
in China folks are printing out homes.
3D print shaped blanks must be here already.
http://khon2.com/2014/04/18/chinas-first-buildings-made-with-3d-printing...
Blanks? my bad... how 'bout complete boards!
http://3dprintingindustry.com/2014/01/31/nz-surfboard-designer-rides-3d-...
http://mashable.com/2013/07/17/smartboards-3d-printed-surfboards/
Interesting looking blank that 'surfboard' is made from. Thanks anyway but I might just go old skool foam mowing.
Thinking of having a go at shaping one of these (using a machined blank)...
Has anyone had go at it?