This may be a little out the area But check out Barbwiredsurfboards.com this my younger brothers business out of Newark, Md. its about 15min outside of ocean city, md. as a reference of location. he has been shaping and glassing for about 2 years now hes been surfing since he was a grom and knows his stuff. his prices are cheap and his boards are on point, he will generally have a customer come right to his shop and and shape the blank in front of you with all of your input going right into the board. there really isnt much money in shaping boards he does it for the love of surfing{ the way it should be }. he acctually works full time with me as a carpenter, so his boards take a little longer to complete but are worth the wait. you wont be disappointed as the board is made custom for your size and weight. as his biggest critic i wouldn't have posted this if i didn't firmly belive the customer would be 100%satisfied. he and i have shaped 3 boards together for myself and now i dont wana ride anything else, also he will do eps or poly and let u design a custom paint job, anyway check it out, thanks for reading this post Sincerely Rob Barbely.
To every surfer who is thinking about buying a CUSTOM made board from a local shaper. Go online and do some cost research, look up blanks, epoxy and poly resin, fiberglass 4 and 6 oz, sandpaper,finboxes and fins, leashplugs, speed spray and gloss coats. Then factor in labor time, electricity for the shop, longer flip time for epoxy. Most important I build all my boards from start to finish. Now Google chinese surfboard factory and watch 20 chinese women glassing all the pop outs that came off a cnc machine. Now go to your local surfshop with a ruler and see if the finboxes are identically spaced apart and measure from the stringer to the outside rail and see if the width is off. All they want is the boards to look pretty to catch your eye, that's why all the sheep buy them. Each board I make is custom designed to the surfers ability, weight, height, a summer board or a balls to the wall hurricane/ winter board that requires more float due to the extra weight of the wetsuit and bigger waves, you won't find that in a factory over seas. Bottom line is you get what you pay for, do research before buying your next board, knowledge is power. Everybody I build a board for becomes my friend, I surf with them and I hangout with them, which in return gives me constant feedback on my designs to take it to the next level Tom
I know Marcus and he is a Stand up Dude, I went to school with him and he is a Cape May local . He makes pretty sick shapes and he knows his stuff. Jim Barnes who makes and owns Legend Surfboards make some of the best Epoxy boards I have ridden and can make you pretty much anything u want Brain Wynn makes some sick shapes aswell Epoxy and Poly he can do it all as well. Best thing you can do is talk to a few shapers and who ever can understand what u want and take that info and convert it to foam and glass is the one u go with
Talking about custom boards. It's funny seeing the people who rent in the summer or just use the house as a summer house surfing at my local spot. These rich guys all have customs but can hardly stand up. They go straight on their custom longboards and can't even trim. Then, we you sit on the inside still out of their way, they give you a look when trying to catch the wave even though the wave breaks a good deal behind you. They don't have any wave knowledge but talk crap about their custom board. That is the biggest joke of all. I'm all about customs and have two. I think Wynn is great but I can't believe there are people forking this money over for $1000 custom longboards when they can't even surf and should probably learn on a softtop. Sorry, just ranting and I'm all about customs accept with these old posers yuppie scum. These yuppies went from "Do your own thing" to "Just Say No!". They went from "Love is all you need" to "Whoever winds up with the most toys wins" and they went from "Cocaine" to "Rogaine". I had to throw that George Carlin bit in there because it describes these yuppies perfectly.
Seems that there has been a lot of bs on here about local shapers. If somebody wants a surfboard made by someone in there town then fine. But whats annoying is people who haven't shaped even 200 board saying that they make custom surfboards. Now it may be custom in the sense that a guy can say i want a 5'10" fish and you make them a fish with some custom art. But to me and you can ask any of the top "shapers", most agree that you can't call yourself a shaper until 2,000 boards. To know how to tailor rocker, foil, fin placement, concave, etc. to a riders needs is something that you can only develop by shaping that many boards. So that being said buy boards from the local guys if you are stoked and they are stoked then there's no problem. But to pay 450 for a board that is maybe #50 from the guy is a little crazy, compensate the price for what they are getting is all.
Mitchell... I understand your point completely, brother. I didn't think you had a "tone" at all. Good, pressure molded EPS is more expensive than billet EPS, but it builds a better board. Here's why... It has to do with the fusion between the beads and the reduced tendency for the foam to "breath" during the building process and/or suck water if dinged or if pinholes are present. All EPS is closed cell. The beads of foam do not absorb water. The spaces between them do. A mix of beads of different diameters is usually used to reduce spaces between the beads, but billet foam never reaches the degree of fusion pressure molded foam does. Steam is injected into the mold, and the beads are pressed and sort of melted into eachother under pressure. Billet EPS has inconsistent density and fusion when compared to pressure molded EPS. EPS is harder to shape than PU, so it shapes slower, and requires a different set of skills. EPS has to be sealed after finish shaping, and that requires an extra step, and extra materials. You do one side, then it has to sit until cured, then flipped and the same thing to the other side. Then, most of the time, this sealing step has to be done twice for best results... again, more time, more materials. Now you go to glassing... Usually you want heavier glass because the advantage of an EPS core is that it's super light. So you glass heavier to build a stronger board. Otherwise, you lose the EPS advantage. So you go with 6oz glass or even S glass, both of which cost more than your standard 4oz glass bill for PU/PE. Now look at your epoxy choices... the best around is RR, which is more expensive than poly. But if you're a good glasser, experienced with epoxy, you can use less and cut waste... and try to save some bucks there. But that all depends on the skill of the glasser. Flip times are hours instead of minutes, so again... time is money. Now hotcoat... new brush for each side.... two 4 inch brushes... in the garbage after one use. No cleaning and re-suing like with poly. Longer flip times, again... Install your hardware, then sand. After that, check for pinholes. If you tried to save a few bucks, and used billet EPS, chances are you need to do a second hotcoat. Both sides. More time, more materials. PU/PE is one sanded hotcoat, standard. When you're trying to make money at board building, and still put out a good, strong, quality product, it takes more time, and more expensive materials. And when you're in business, time is money. Board builders should be compensated not only for their skill, but for their standards and the materials that must be used for those standards to be met. Oh... and 2,000 boards? Really?
Yup 2,000 give or take. You can't tell me that the shapers with only a couple hundred boards under their belts can shape a board as good if not better than someone else. The problem with this area is, is that everyone that buy a planer and 20 blanks thinks they need to create a website offering custom boards. All I am is saying is that for a person to spend $450 to $500 on a board when they can easily get one shaped from someone who really knows what they are doing is kind of stupid. In Cali there are dozens of shapers who don't have websites, who don't talk every 5 secs about custom boards, and just do it. Its great that guys want to make boards, but all i am is saying is don't parade around as this shaping guru and shooting down name brand shapers who can put you in your place real quick. Just make the boards, shut up, and let people come to you. Thats all.
Here is two people that know how to make custom surfboards if you guys can compete and make something as good as them then i guess i was wrong. http://vimeo.com/21167605 http://vimeo.com/23838055
First... There's no quota on talent, brother. Some people got it, some people don't. There's no magic number you have to hit to shape a great board... or glass a great board... or polish out a mirror finish. If you know what you're looking at, you can see quality work, whether it comes from a legit guru like Phillips, or out of somebody's garage. The REAL problem around here, IMHO, is that most people DON'T know what they're looking at, and that's WHY they feel the need to get a board from a major label. For me, personally, it's all about doing it yourself. I'd rather guys go out and build their own boards than buy them at all... from anybody. I don't think anybody here is "parading around like a guru." I think for the most part people are here to share information and maybe open somebody's mind to some different options. There's no mystery in building a great board. Just knowledge and skill.
I dont see any Shapers on this site talking about all the custom boards they make . I only see the happy people that bought them here. It also not how many boards a shaper has made either . A good shaper has ability to talk to the customer and take what they want and convert it into Foam and glass. It not just dimensions but they have to balance what the customer wants cause of what they think they now and what type of wave the board will be used and find a happy medium. If a board dont work the shaper get the blame even if its what the customer ordered. So when a shaper can take that and mix it to what will work best for the surfer then they are at the top of there game
i dont think anyone meant to pick any random person with a shed and some tools. most areas have the local go to guy. ashton in md,busbey in hatteras,yinger and fernandez in their neck of the woods,etc. it does take time to get it wired but theres no set number,besides, you dont think merrick or biolos or other major label guys actually touch every board do you?
I hope I'm not one of the local shapers you were refering to. If I am Corky Carroll would disagree with you
I totally understand what you guys are saying. I think that building your own board is amazing, its the labor of love. The point i am trying to make is that for most people buying a board off the rack that has been tested a 1000 times over across the world is better than taking a chance on a local surfboard. Brian Wynn makes great surfboards and he has great surfers testing his boards for feedback, but he is on a different level than someone who has been shaping boards for a couple of years. I just don't see the point of someone paying $500 for a local made board, when for $50 more they can get a Sharpeye, Xanadu, WRV, etc. that is rider proven. Believe it or not there are a lot of gullible people out here and a lot of them read this forum. I am just offering a different perspective to make sure they don't make the wrong decision.
Wasn't referring to anyone in particular. You make some nice boards and probably make a lot of people stoked which is sick! More of what i am referring too is the guys whom say they will make you custom boards and when you check out the boards on the website, the damn things look asymmetrical without them even trying.
thats the local eccentric not the area go to guy. theyre the go to guy cuz theyre proven on a local level. i get your point too but you can tell right away which is which. everyones a local somewhere.
Paging mgarbutt, paging mgarbutt! Mr. KelliSlhater was wetting his pants over the Rocket you were selling on another post. Assuming it's one of your shapes I hope you're over the 2000 mark or how dare he even consider laying his eyes on it? Oh the horror! Hey KelliSlhater, the ...Lost shaping machine must be a 'master shaper' since it's most likely done more than 10,000 boards. Educate me you say? Come to Greenlight and we'll help enlighten you... that's what we do. +1 for Mahady. No shame in giving props to my man, that's what these forums are all about right? Like Big Daddy Mahady said, if you want a custom board there do your research and pick whoever you feel will help you be a better surfer (aka have more fun in the water) ~Brian www.greenlightsurfsupply.com Shape Your Surfing Experience
Mr. Mahady, I have a feeling your friend KelliSlhater has no clue who Corky Carroll is since he has proven pretty under-educated on surfing in general so there's the Wikilink for his reference. ~Brian www.greenlightsurfsupply.com Shaper Your Surfing Experience
I'm kinda with KelliSlhater on this. I think everyone knows that someone with less than 2000 boards is capable of shaping a great board. The point is that someone with a couple of years under his belt could not possibly be a master at the craft of making a surfboard. To list yourself as a local shaper capable of taking feedback from a customer and making a magic board is BS. And to sucker some poor sole into paying $450 for one is a crime. I have shaped about 8 boards and let me tell you they all work, even the first horid one. But there is no way I could repeat one or even come close to what someone wants with a custom. There is so much that goes into making a surfboard I can't imagine how you could master the skills so fast. I would think with dedication I could consitently shape a good board 50 boards in the future but would still lack the skill to custom tweak a board for local conditions. Don't get me wrong I'm into American made boards but don't think I have to buy it local to get a great board that will work well in our waves . I don't give a crap if it is a proven design that was rough shaped by a machine as long as it works. I'm not going to close with a qualifying remark giving props to my local shapers, it's great they do what they do but everyone should be able to buy what they want without fear of the local shaper police silencing them for buying the board that inspires. Also not sure I get the negative vibe against KelliSlhater for making a valid point.
