Surfboard shaper
The process of surfboard shaping has evolved over the years, and the shaper often tailors his or her work to meet the requirements of a client or a certain wave.
While originally made from wood, most modern surfboards are now constructed from pre-formed polyurethane or Styrofoam EPS blanks.
The surfboard is then shaped using an array of tools, including but not limited to the following: surforms, rasps, grinders, sanders, and planes.
[6] The next technological change in the surfboard shaping industry came with the introduction of the “Hollow Board” by Hawaiian resident Tom Blake.
In 1926, Blake acquired an ancient olo surfboard from Honolulu's Bishop Museum; the board was originally 16 feet long and weighed 150 pounds.
In an effort to replicate the structure of the olo board, Blake drilled holes in a redwood blank and sealed the top of with wood with sheets of veneer, effectively creating the first “hollow” surfboard.
[8] The beginning of the 1940s marked the introduction of fiberglass resin, which allowed shapers to construct surfboards that were strong, light, and waterproof.
[7] Furthermore, surfboard shapers began to utilize alternate base materials, including both plastic and polyurethane foam.
These computer programs allow the shaper to create an exacting and reproducible design that can be easily fine-tuned and adjusted.
In 1950, Hobie first began shaping balsa-wood surfboards in his family's Laguna Beach garage; however, it wasn't until a few years later that he opened the first Southern California surf shop in Dana Point.
In 1966, Ho began working as an apprentice to Bob Milner at Robert's Surfboards in Playa del Ray, California.
While the Zephyr shop has been closed since 1976, Jeff Ho continues to shape surfboards as a personal Hobby to this day.
He began shaping surfboards out of wooden railway ties as a young boy; however, in 1957, he moved to California to apprentice under the legendary shaper Dale Velzy.
In 1980, after viewing the work of shaper Frank Williams, Anderson constructed a surfboard with a square tail and three identical fins.
