Wooden Surfboard Building

Balsa wood surfboard build. Bottom planks and rails.

2011-11-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Building up the bottom deck surfboard planking. I set the planks on a pre-cut rocker table, the same Table I use to build the rails on. This gives the planks a little memory to the shape of the surfboard, for when the planks are attached to the surfboard. I use all sorts of weights and clamps to keep the planks in place while they are glued together with only a couple cross pieces, to hold all the planks together. Don't forget your wax paper, don't glue your surfboard to your tools.

You must be extremely careful of the balsa wood, it dents so easy. The soft nature of the wood is why I lay so many weights out on the board, while it is being glued together.

The weights hold the wood pieces down without denting, all the clamps have wood in between the two heads of the clamps to keep them from marking the wood with dents all over.

After the planks setup i give 12 hrs or so before I start working with anything
glued in most cases.
You sure wouldn't want your new surfboard falling apart on you while you build it.

When the fiber glass resin has setup, I cut the shape of the surfboard out of the planks that I glued together. After cuting out the surfboard template in the planks I A-line the frame of the balsa wood surfboard to the bottom planks. I always leave some extra room over lap. Using the rocker table.

This way the bottom planks and the surfboard rail line up nicely. following the same

clamping procedure. The frame and the bottom planks are now one piece. I will now carry this surfboard everywhere with me and show it off un finished :) love surfboards so much....lol

So now that the bottom planks and the rails are together. I can sand some shape into the surfboards rails. I also have a huge step ahead of me putting in a whole bunch more, of what I call the surfboards skeleton.
I also have a center stringer to install down the surfboard. There will also be a-lot of cross pieces being installed. Its time to strengthen her up.

Balsa wood surfboard frame

2011-10-19T14:22:00.000-07:00

I use wax paper as my release surface from my rocker table, As I build the surfboard up. There are other ways of doing this.But my pocket book holds me back.

I also use duct tape to hold the wax paper to the underside of the table, this way the paper remains tight and secure. And if you don't have to much runoff after you glass your joints, layers or however your building your wood surfboard, you wont rip the paper while you remove your surfboard frame.

All building aspects of wood surfboard construction take time, planning, money, and some space to work.

If you do not have the tools right off hand or any boat or ship right experiences building, there is going to be a huge learning curve ahead of you.With a couple surfboards under my belt now, with failed and completed boards, I really do like working with the balsa wood for the first time this stuff is just so great.

Three strips of wax paper run the table, just in case a spill.
I don't want to glue my board to the table.
Three strips works best with this width.

I use some old sockets wrapped with wax paper
to hold some of the thin wood in place

cloths pin seem to work great in this application.

After the small thin pieces of wood are all in place as the skeleton of the surfboard.

I then begin to build the surfboard skeleton up in thickness. This is detail time, make sure everything is square and true. You need the frame of the surfboard to be extremely perfect, for a epic outcome.

New surfboard build with balsa wood.

2011-10-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Short video below on balsa wood shaping.

Building with balsa is Great!
I really like the results that I am getting with this surfboard build.
The surfboard is going to have a red cedar bottom and a balsa wood top deck.With balsa wood rails.

Ordering the balsa wood was no problem at all, arrived at my doorstep within a week from ordering it.
I went right to work building my next board. Trying a design I have for small mushie waves, to about overhead wave size.
The surfboard will have a quad fin setup and a double concave tail for channeling the water at the fins while on rail.

So excited to open. I couldn't waite to get the
wood to my shop to open it.

My shipment of balsa wood
20 board ft plus a couple 1 1/2" 3' balsa sticks.

I cut the wood down into small workable pieces.
That's the begging layout on the template table.

Small Waves, Salt Creek, W.A.

2011-09-23T11:52:00.000-07:00

south side bluff salt creek W.A

(ff-01) Fat Fish at salt creek

South side bluff salt creek.
small swells about 1.5'

One of the first things I noticed, was the boards ability to catch the waves early.
I hope the pics do the waves justice on how small the swell was.
Would have been a good day for a paddle board, or a longer single fin longboard. Was still able to glide out on a couple small waves.
I have also decided that the board should be a single fin setup, the thruster fin setup acts as if it is complicating the surfboard. And it is possible the the extra fins are creating to much drag, turbulence under the surfboard.
Removing the extra fins will hopefully help produce a little extra smoothness in the board on turns and in the flat and through the white wash.
The idea of shaving down the underside of the rails to make a more 50/50 layout on the rails has also crossed my mind. Taking the rails down a bit would hopefully hold the board in the wave better. With the harder rails that are currently on the board, give great planning ability but not much hold in the wave.
The paddling ability of the surfboard is so nice you glide right on top the water with little effort. More reason to keep making some more surfboards.
Enjoying the ability to take the board back to the shop for changes and new custom features.
This last ride has created a huge stoke inside me.
I would like to make a paddle board for the salt creek, area. Fun place to go out and explore, also catch a couple waves. Less than one hr outside P.A.
More surfboards and adventures to come.

Out to test the board.

2011-09-08T13:39:00.000-07:00

I am back after heading out of town to test the Big Fish Surfboard.(Designed and built) by Bridger and Ross.The board has a little to much displacement for a guy of my size 5'9" 150lb.
Once again, very first board, finished proper and, sent to the water to ride waves!

I was reading in a book one time. Of how it was the way of a tribe or tribes that surfed to build their first board for surfing,as a young man..

The drive to neaha bay
At one point a flagger was joking around
spinning the sign.
And stepped out
as if to stop
me,at the last sec and smiled.
waving me by..

Wanted to mention a brief indication of how I felt, heading for the ocean A 3hr. approx.drive.from where I'm located in Wa. Filled with anticipation.Reading that the swell and wave reports have been small slow and weak, but far apart. I was not expecting much in incredible waves. I was expecting a nice peaceful getaway with me and my girlfriend.So not to only go surfing, but to spend time away from working, and just the daily stuff.

Big Fish surfboard trial.aka...(Ff-01)

2011-09-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

Blank cut out fins.
Two held in the clamp.

Slightly molded fins

Side Thruster Fins glassed in place.With a wood joint to the bottom deck.

Recent update.

After breaking the fins off of a finished board. (aka The Big Fish F-01) a double fin setup I cant seem to find pics of.

I had to cut out new fins. Fit them to the board, measure in my fin lines, wood joint and glass them in. My first time riding a surfboard home built. Well really riding anything in the water that was all built by my own hands.Just that in its self feels great. Now to take the board out for a second test spin.

As the first one only lasted a 30 min. period or so. Didn't give me to high of hopes for the board.

She felt really loose and felt like she wanted to travel all over the place,with just two small fins. They also broke off easy,reason for the second test run. Going to head up to LaPush, Wa. and Neah Bay, Wa. for some mushy surf, as the reports haven't showed much of anything good.

fins attached to the board.

For the second trial run I will go with the modern 3 fin setup.But as you can see i didn't follow modern design. I still wanted the board to have a nice fast ability, to turn and jump around.Still feel alive and not just cruse down the line.Why would i put such a big fin on.??

I have a idea on how the surfboards react to the water.

I will report back shortly after returning from the nw pacific ocean...!!!

Try to do it

2011-08-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

I have gone to the ocean.I had been in the water before.
Never! had I been thrown around so bad..lol.. Like I was crawling on my knees trying to hold onto the board the best I could. OOoops.. Over the falls once more.
This is just plan crazy, Well looks like i will not be doing any big wave riding soon.

As we drove home after that trip, he told me several more little secrets.Saying things like time the board and the wave as you try to get up. And when paddling out, (the duck dive and turtle.)sure helps allot now after yrs of practice.
Having the ability to read the waves and watch their movement. Seeing and feeling the rip. Having the time to just go out and play, and feel the board, aka catching waves laying down or on your knees.

Feeling the waves, seeing them, tasting the ocean a-lot ,the sun in my eyes all day. What could it be that keeps calling me back over and over again.
I never like to stay away from the water for to long. Sure will bring tears to my eyes,if somebody takes that salt air spray away. :)

My buddy tells me about hard rails,soft rails,50/50...At the time I could only look on and listen and study in books Internet as my time in the water with different boards has been limited. And his technical knowledge of surfing seemed endless.
Short boards,long boards, sup's, gun's, eggs, fish, tankers, min long's, and on and on he go'es.
information and ideas..flying around my head... shapes and ideas hoping to discover something new.
What has not been done?. What hasn't been done.? and why?

Endless Summer with the Duke. Pictures of the wood boards I see online so shiny and pretty and the statements made about how they ride.And my buddys consistent talk of wood boards..made me make the decision to go ahead and give it a try.

wooden boards

2011-08-18T21:32:00.000-07:00

That two piece lake suite, he gave me for protection against Wa. frigged 46 deg. Water.!
I am not going to do that to people..Only some goof like my self would like to try that. Even in summer time, you can spot the person in a cut off suit, or just some trunks but its usually a weeks long warm spell. That can cause a person to do that lol.
All the other times you see full suite gloves, booties, and even a hood attached to the suite.

He wants to build wooden surf boards<?>.I can not even paddle on this once broken in half pearson arrow board...let alone surf the thing...!!
I'm on my board 6-7 sec before I get thrown of buy some big nasty disaster of a slush bucket Pacific Nww wave. Crap this is hard. I watched my self so many times in my head gliding down a wave so nice and clean,(on the way down in the drivers seat of the truck.)

first long board

fl-.01

first ideas on fins.long board ideas.

shot of the work space.and a tip of the board.=fl-.01

BUILDING SURFBOARDS

2011-08-18T18:33:00.001-07:00

Building surfboards will be continued shortly..
Began as one extra special surf trip with a old buddy of mine.
He took me for a short trip to West Port Wa.
lol He was out riding waves as I was getting smashed, trying to pound threw them. The age old classic sight too see ,(now I realize).
Still soo much fun was had as he would stroll in and ask if I was doing ok .. MY FAVORITE WAY OF TEACHING NOW!!.. HAHAHAH.
As I was in the waves I had a brink moment of sight. I could see the swells turning to a breaking wave ,so fast did it turn.
as a couple 2-3 guys drive a line right by me.WOW that sure looks fun.! Now I'm freezing.