Shaper (surfboard)
Encyclopedia
A shaper is someone who builds and designs surfboard
s by hand. Originally made from wood, most modern surfboards are made from pre-formed polyurethane
blanks or styrofoam
and then fine shaped by the shaper using an array of tools ranging from surform
s, rasps, sanding machines and power planers. When the form is sculpted in the foam core, the shaper may complete the build by layering fiberglass sheets over the deck and bottom and laminating these with a thermosetting resin such as polyester.
Most shapers nowadays design surfboards using various computer programs which are then supplied to a computer cutting facility which will mill the raw foam blank within 90% of the finished shape leaving the shaper to fine tune the blank to its final state before glassing . This method allows the shaper to have a very exacting and reproducible design which can be easily fine-tuned and adjusted.
Wooden surfboards are making a comeback as an eco friendly alternative, requiring ultra-light boatbuilding skills.
Many professional shapers actually outsource the highly specialized lamination to specialized "glassers", one who laminates fiberglass
to a foam core of a surfboard using thermosetting resins
like polyester
or epoxy
. Fins and assorted plugs are usually installed after this process and the final product is fine sanded and often glossed with buffing compound and special glossing resin. When shaping, the shaper often takes into account the specifications of the client surfer, and molds his medium to best accommodate the user's personal surfing style and wave of choice.
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
s by hand. Originally made from wood, most modern surfboards are made from pre-formed polyurethane
Polyurethane
A polyurethane is any polymer composed of a chain of organic units joined by carbamate links. Polyurethane polymers are formed through step-growth polymerization, by reacting a monomer with another monomer in the presence of a catalyst.Polyurethanes are...
blanks or styrofoam
Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a trademark of The Dow Chemical Company for closed-cell currently made for thermal insulation and craft applications. In 1941, researchers in Dow's Chemical Physics Lab found a way to make foamed polystyrene...
and then fine shaped by the shaper using an array of tools ranging from surform
Surform
A surform tool features perforated sheet metal and resembles a food grater. A surform tool consists of a steel strip with holes punched out and the rim of each hole sharpened to form a cutting edge. The strip is mounted in a carriage or handle...
s, rasps, sanding machines and power planers. When the form is sculpted in the foam core, the shaper may complete the build by layering fiberglass sheets over the deck and bottom and laminating these with a thermosetting resin such as polyester.
Most shapers nowadays design surfboards using various computer programs which are then supplied to a computer cutting facility which will mill the raw foam blank within 90% of the finished shape leaving the shaper to fine tune the blank to its final state before glassing . This method allows the shaper to have a very exacting and reproducible design which can be easily fine-tuned and adjusted.
Wooden surfboards are making a comeback as an eco friendly alternative, requiring ultra-light boatbuilding skills.
Many professional shapers actually outsource the highly specialized lamination to specialized "glassers", one who laminates fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
to a foam core of a surfboard using thermosetting resins
Thermosetting plastic
A thermosetting plastic, also known as a thermoset, is polymer material that irreversibly cures. The cure may be done through heat , through a chemical reaction , or irradiation such as electron beam processing.Thermoset materials are usually liquid or malleable prior to curing and designed to be...
like polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
or epoxy
Epoxy
Epoxy, also known as polyepoxide, is a thermosetting polymer formed from reaction of an epoxide "resin" with polyamine "hardener". Epoxy has a wide range of applications, including fiber-reinforced plastic materials and general purpose adhesives....
. Fins and assorted plugs are usually installed after this process and the final product is fine sanded and often glossed with buffing compound and special glossing resin. When shaping, the shaper often takes into account the specifications of the client surfer, and molds his medium to best accommodate the user's personal surfing style and wave of choice.
Notable shapers
- Skip EngblomSkip EngblomSkip Engblom was one of the co-founders of the Jeff Ho Surfboards and Zephyr Productions Surf Shop in Santa Monica, California. He also was the owner of the Zephyr skate team, he currently owns and runs Santa Monica Airlines, a skateboard company.Engblom helped to create the Zephyr Surf Team and...
- Hobie Alter
- Robert AugustRobert AugustRobert August is an American surfer and surfboard shaper. Raised in Huntington Beach, California, he attended Huntington Beach High School where he was ASB President his senior year. He is most famous as one of the subjects of Bruce Brown's 1966 surf documentary The Endless Summer, along with his...
- Mickey MunozMickey MunozMickey Munoz, born in New York City in 1937, is one of the early pioneers of surfing but is perhaps more famous for his work as a surfboard shaper. Munoz, a historical figure in the surfing world, has been featured in many popular surfing documentaries such as the 2004 film Riding Giants...
- John Whitmore
- Simon AndersonSimon AndersonSimon Anderson is an Australian surfer and surfboard shaper, noted for creating the Thruster design of three equal-sized fins on a surfboard, a design now used on most shortboards.-Early life:...