Shaper du jour?

[paipodude]

I really miss Austin Saunders from Virginia Beach. Top flight craftsman in all aspects of board building and could he ever build to a design specification/design concept. He also built a solid board as in survivable solid. And an artist with colors and resin work. Malcolm Campbell also built me a gem. Kudos to both of them.

 

[Bruce Fowler]

Austin apparently has the ability to OPEN HIS EARS and relay it to gifted hands.

That's frequently not the case of many shapers, who nod to you as though they are listening then go about making what they always make and are comfortable
in making figuring THEY KNOW WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU.

I hardly call that a custom................... never take the custom outta customer.

 

[sintered]

Hit Jim up, he's a hoot, its a fun time.

Absolutely agree. Jim shaped me a lovely 11'0 maybe 12 years ago and was gracious enough to let me watch the shaping for five hours. A master indeed! I screwed it up telling him too much about how it should look and not how it should surf. He shaped another 11' glider that week, saw it on racks next to mine and thought "I would rather have that one." Dammit. Live and learn.

Dan

 

[Bruce Fowler]

There is custom, then there is "giving creative license?.
The best boards I've ever made were the when I had C.L.
When I shape stock boards, I always shape them like I'm shaping a custom for someone.

 

[Niau]

There is custom, then there is "giving creative license?.
The best boards I've ever made were the when I had C.L.
When I shape stock boards, I always shape them like I'm shaping a custom for someone.

Curious, if you care to answer. If you’re a production shaper, how often do you give different shapes a personal trial run in the water?

 

[Patrick Riley]

Man - I would absolutely love this. Have a shaper there to help me understand / explain how my specific board works/ is going to work. The two hand-shaped boards I've purchased have been little more than filling out a form - where I plug in weight, height, etc... anyway - wish more shapers offered this ^^

I’ve been in the bay for multiple boards shaped in the past, but most were boards I was familiar with. This last weekend I had the pleasure of watching @JBorbone shape my 10’10 glider. He was super informative with explaining the why’s of how the bottom contours worked and some of past theory, and theory he has modified. Considering this is my first glider, I’m still very curious, and at a point in my life where the details of this craft still fascinate me; in what seems like an exponential rate.

It’s an amazing thing to watch someone do something they are passionate about, and that earnest passion was clearly conveyed by his eagerness to explain. Lucky to have him as a friend, and lucky to watch him work.


Last photo taken by @ColeH

 

[NCJohn]

Nice to see my shaper du jour isn't listed here. But I've always wanted to have a custom Phillips and this thread sealed the deal for me. Great thread!