After I started making small surfboards, it was inevitable that I would make more.
Then I got an order for 24 more. 12 were to be the original large size, which I’m now calling cheese & cracker surfboards. The order was also for another 12 in a new medium size. The 12 large ones were to be identical, and the 12 medium ones would come in 2 designs, 6 each.
OK, go.
Here’s the photo story of making the 12 large ones.
It starts at a lumber yard: in this case, Peterman’s in Oxnard.
Too much lumber to fit into the rack, so it has to stand up until processing can begin.
Hardwood is sold in odd sizes … so seemingly no matter what you need, there’s always waste.
Hard Maple sorted into pieces I need, pieces that I’ll use later … and waste.
And sometimes the waste is cracked. The grade of lumber generally available for sale assumes – assumes! – 20% waste in everything I buy.
Oak.
The stacks of parts are ready for what I call “picking and processing” the boards.
The last board.
The boards get taped up after the pieces are selected … to make them easy to move around the shop prior to gluing.
12 boards … well, I made 13 … ready for glue-up.
I have the best tools. I’ve been using the whipped topping bowls for years!
You can never have enough clamps … or room to store the ones you do have.
13 blanks, glued up and ready for smoothing and shaping.
Ends trimmed, and the shape of the final surfboard is drawn onto the blank so I know which side is going to be up.
This is the table saw set up for cove cuts, the sweeping curves under each edge of the large surfboards. The board placed across the saw becomes the fence that the boards are pushed into as they go through the blade.
When the top of the board is only 1/4″ thick, the cove cuts are done.
These are the “not a surfboard” pieces, cut off at the bandsaw. Now, everything is ready to sand, oil and finish.
24 surfboards, ready for delivery.
Large Surfboard for Anacapa Homes. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Cherry & Red Oak.
Medium Surfboard for Anacapa Homes, # 1. Hard Maple, Padauk & Yellowheart.
Medium Surfboard for Anacapa Homes. # 2. Cherry, Hard Maple & Black Walnut.
