shaping bay monthly all-access rentals SD area

Hello,

First post on swaylocks, though I’ve read through quite a bit on here.  I’m shaping boards in the garage of my rented house currently in Sorrento Valley.  Was looking for a setup outside of my house.  Somewhere I can go 24 hours a day seven days a week to make templates, shape a board, and glass a board.  I’m only doing a board month right now, so I can imagine that I could share the space with someone–just need to find them!   

 

I know that some glass shops have offered to rent out their shaping bays but I’d rather have all around access and to use it as a place to store my tools/supplies.  Is anyone out there have (a) a space already set up like this that I could split rent with, or rent from on a monthly basis in the fashion described above, or (b) have any input on renting out a storage unit/other commercial space affordably that could be built into a shaping studio in this area of San Diego?

 

Any input appreciated.  Still trying to come up with a good alternative to my current setup and hopefully connect with the local board building community in the process.

Honestly you’re not going to find someone who will  rent or share space in their shop or factory.  You might find someone who will allow you access to a bay while they are there.   But most guys won’t allow a renter to have 24 hr access unless they know you or you come highly recommended to them by someone else in the Industry who is reputable.  Key world reputable.  The best way to start is to rent a bay during business hours or use a free bay and give the factory you’re getting the shaping bay from the Glassing.  I used the shaping bay at Aloha Glass many times for free as long as I gave the blank to Steve to be glassed.  When I was on Maui I had a small factory that I was able to rent where I could Shape, Glass, Paint and Sand.  I started having a few blanks glassed at Gott’s Glassing at the Pauwela Cannery.  Over a period of time people up at the Cannery got to know me and I was able to borrow and then eventually rent a shaping bay up there that I could access 24/7.  As a stranger and unknown you won’t be able to walk into a situation like that.  And 99% you will not be allowed to glass in a situation like I described above.   If you want to rise to the next level, have a contract glasser Glass your boards.  75% improvement over night and you will make friends and learn a lot.

I’m curious about the reverse situation, learning to glass. Not in SD particularly, but in general. How does one get into glassing?

How does one get into glassing? The same way as anything else - by doing. 

Pretty much what he said.  Also, you don’t have to learn the materials on a surfboard.  start glassing scraps of foam, buy a $10.00 trashed board strip it and glass sections. 

If you use a “Contract Glasser” you’ll learn something every time you drop off or pick up a board.  You can learn by doing, but you can also learn how to do it incorrectly and pick up a lot of bad habits along the way as you experiment.  In the late 60’s I learned by doing, but the first time I walked in Tony Channin’s Glass Shop in Del Mar in about 1969;  My eyes were opened.  Since then and even now I learn something new every time I walk into a “lam room” whether it’s a one stand room or there are ten stands lined up down the middle of the room.  I’ve got to watch a few “Masters” over the years.  A couple of years ago Pete and I watched Roger Hinds cut a lap.  Pretty amazing.  If you get to watch somebody on that level;  keep your mouth shut.  Watch and learn.

Thanks. In your experience are glassers prone to divulge information or is it more of a closely guarded secret in which you need to be a member of the club?

I have found that Tacos, Beer, and Chips, are a good lubricant for conversation.

In terms of a standard poly or epoxy glass job. 

 

with anything from color, cutlaps, gloss and polish is all easily available information to get. If you have not seen someone’s work up lose and personal, I’d regard all information they give as not tested. Pictures can sure make a turd look amazing! 

 

we used to die from not having enough food to eat - now we die from eating too much food. 

 

 

There’s no club.  They’re just too busy to stop and explain every little detail or quirk.  A novice in the lam room asking questions is a distraction.  They just don’t have time for it.

Man that’s for sure!  Especially Gloss & Polish.  There’s no way you can see all those “swirl marks” and “scratches” on a polished up turd in a photo on the internet.

Yeah, pretty cool story there, Macding.  hawaii sounds sick.  I’m leaning more towards renting the bays and getting the foot in the door.  Plus the glass shop did point out some parts of my shape that I hadn’t noticed.  Everything was pretty cool at my house for a while, until I starting upping the shaping activity and then once I started glassing, well all that styrene dreaming and man…I guess some people just don’t go for that sort of thing.  Trouble is that this really ups the overhead for me.  But with the glass shop glass job, people definitely want to buy the boards, at least the last fish I shaped.  If it takes 4 hours for one board, which is about how long the last one was, thats an extra 50+ per board right there.  Not looking to get rich, but the small business aspect is still a little daunting.  If I could fund the building of my own boards by selling others that would be sufficient for now.

Here’s the fish that someone bought after I’d ridden it a handful of times.  It went pretty fast, the deep single concave gave it lift, and the curvy outline made it super skatey.  Like riding a skateboard.  It actually ripped.  

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sounds more like you need to work on improving your skills, not your business plan. 

 

enjoy it, if money comes then great. 

 

Every unhappy person in surfboard production I’ve ever met is trying to grind it out and make money, that guy is usually being hit at both ends by some massive company with deep pockets and well guys like you trying to undercut out of the garage. 

awesome man, thanks for your comment!  I definitely do enjoy it.  There was something incredibily carthartic about sanding down the last board I did.  I work full time so I did the sanding late into the night listening to music.  It was like the board finally came alive, came to light what it was going to be.  Maybe I was just glad I got the glassjob to pan out.  Probably the best experience I’ve had in the last five years.  Making boards is spiritual.

 

Yeah I mean guys like me would be lucky to shape ten a year, and glassing them is going to cost us all a fortune and cause all our girlfriends to break up with us.  How many guys like me are actually out there?  I was at Lowes the other day and saw some dude with blonde hair walking around carrying masonite and sanding block…very interesting…He looked determined.  If that is all the pressure it takes to throw the socal shops out of whack then…the surfboard makers are not being innovative enough.  Well established that the technology hasn’t changed much in the last forty years.  Small businesses actually result in a healthier economy, the government will give a loan to start one!  We are the ones creating jobs and driving innovation and thats the best argument in existence for a capitalist system.  Making new foams, making new resins, rethinking designs, creating new markets.  The large, unregulated companies that exploit our markets, take the jobs overseas, drastically undercut retail prices, the amazons, the walmarts, the wavestorms, these are going to be the real, unchangeable threat to the unhappy person in surfboard production, in my opinion.  I’m not an economist but I have read a lot into Marx.  I would say, write your congressman to and tell them your situation.  Cause I agree the situation is pretty fucked up right now.  But it’s not the small guys fault. 

Wow!  Wide a wack.  You have your finger on the pulse of the Surf Industry,  I can tell.