For those builders who are interested in creating their own wooden surfboard I have compiled the information I gathered to build my board, along with tips and tricks, in a start to finish how to guide. Please see the link below.
https://www.scribd.com/document/482881578/Hollow-Wooden-Surfboard-Instructions
Thanks for sharing! Nice presentation.
I wondered what program one would use to design a board and scale out the parts? Hopefully an easy to use program without the need for extensive CAD experience? I want to eventually build a longboard cruiser or maybe even a SUP.
Thanks
Hey Hey! I like to use Microsoft Visio. It is very user friendly for the layman. I am one of those guys. I like to draw the board on sketch paper, but to get the dimensions down and fair the curves Visio is nice to use. I like to see the board proportionally against its own parts. Plus when I create the board in Visio I can print it on 8.5" x11" paper, cut it out, and paste it to the wood. That way I have a template for the bandsaw and drill press. Try it.
I’m using it to build a proa outrigger sailing canoe. It will be a hybrid stitch and glue on a wood frame. Visio has allow me to mock up 4’ x8’ plywood template and play with the curves for the parts of the stitch and glue hull. I can print, cut them out, then tape it together to see the 3D lines.
Jquan, That is an awesome guide. Awesome board in the pictures also. I didn’t read through the entire thing, but it seems extremely thorough. I wish there was something like this back when I built my first board. I had tree to sea, but as Huck said it eventually got overrun with spam. Also as with most forums eventually pictures get deleted from whatever host website. Did you plan on expanded it at all with additional build styles, like alternate rails(hucks rails, paul jensen rails, or triangle rails) or chambered?
Spkrrpr, Not to speak for everyone, but I think most guys use akushaper, boardcad, or shape3d. Akushaper and shape3d have limited free/trial software. Boardcad is free, but also semi limiting for more complex shapes. Personally I use boardcad. The program itself is realatively easy to use compared to a full blown 3d CAD program. You just choose a general board shape, move control points around to change the shape, and a scale button to scale it to exact dimensions. If you are planning to build a wooden board there are a few work arounds to get printable plans, but that can either be discussed in a PM or a dedicated thread.
Jquan, I thought Visio was for flow charts and what not. How do you generate plans using it? Also curious if you’ve ever tried kayak forge for your canoes and boaty type stuff.
Should we create a new/separate forum for wood surfboards? Always hesitant to tribalize…
https://www.swaylocks.com/node/109338/should-swaylocks-create-newseparate-forum-wood-surfboards
Would it be possible to have it as a sub-forum in the General Discussion section forum, since a lot of build threads get posted in General Discussion?
I’m gonna say no. And here’s why -
Cross-fertilisation: learning from each other. Nobody working with foam is forced to read a wood surfboards thread or vice versa. You click or you don’t.
But if you do, chances are you’ll learn something. It’s interesting to see how the other guy does it. Which can only be good. The wood guys are, naturally, way ahead on woodworking technique and such. The foam guys, well, maybe ahead in some ways on shapes and resin tech - perhaps. We can all learn from each other. Get ideas about how to do it better.
and isn’t that the purpose of this whole thing?
doc…
Thank you for the kind encouragement fellow surfers and shapers. It is my pleasure to contribute to the surf community as surfing has been a life saver for me. Its my church, my spiritual quite place.
I have never tried the design programs you mentioned but I am intrigued for sure. I have played with rail contruction during the R&D process. It is always a challange to balance the weight of a wood board with function and quality. I am trying to find a design where the weight is minimized as much as possible without sacraficeing the robustness a board needs.
If anyone has a suggestion where else I can upload my file I would love to spread the good word! I can try emailing it to anyone who sends me their contact info.
To answer you question about Visio, yes it is for flow charts. I use it daily for work so it was an easy way to tinker on breaks. I use it to manipulate shapes and orientations of lines for what I am trying to design in 2D. You can group and manipulate shapes with the tool bars. I use the dimensions tool to get rough measurements of the 2D parts. I then scale the design for a printable model and when I am happy I scale it for full printable plans. It took me a while to get my process down, but it works for me.
As for boat building I still use my hand sketches then Visio to work out lines. I have an ongoing project for a skin on frame canoe outrigger. I used Visio to get the rough lines. I should try your recommended software. I am just not a technology guy. I am more old school, plus tech get me frustrated when it begings to breakdown. I actually enjoy hand drafting, it is relaxing. I made my tiny home with hand drafted plans. I was very happy with the outcome. Hopefully these boats will come out as well as I think they can.
I lied, the software is kayak foundry not kayak forge.
Ever since I started building surfboards I have wanted to build a ocean canoe. My big issue is physical space contraints.
I say keep it here as a sub- forum, and see where it goes from there. That way one can visit if they want. Sort of a “one stop shopping” type of thing.
I would also vote along lines of sub-forum here rather than a separate forum.
I do miss what T2S was before the spam, esp. the collection of vintage HWB plans, and appreiciate the efforts of trying to keep something going in its place.
You have posted your interpretation of the Blundel / Grain method… Others have too… It would have been inspiring to see some originality in the design compared to a second hand version of a decades old method…