No one hand shapes EPS, apparently.

[surfcowboy]

At least that's what I heard from my local surf supply when I was buying pigment, and some others supplies.

Also, apparently all SUP's are machine shaped. (I suspect that to be fair the majority are). But still, this seemed strange from a guy who's livelihood depends on selling guys like me supplies.

I was asking about taking shaping lessons and shaping bay rentals and he was trying to steer me to shape a prone board out of PU for my first one (which I could agree with, if it was EPS since that's what I want to work with.) Smaller is easier.

So I put it to you all, should I just find a teacher that will teach me to hand shape eps or do all of you machine shape or use PU? Let's hear it Obi Wans.

For now, while I search for some assistance (let me know if you know anyone in SoCal who could help a backyard shaper get started) I'm starting a hand plane out of eps.

[supuk]

Only ever hand shaped eps by hand, if there was a cnc in the uk i would have probably used it by now but there is nothing that will do anything above 10' and thats when it starts getting tricky. 12'6 are not too bad to hand shape but i find going to 14 things get a lot harder and i have now nearly finished building my own cnc to shape up to 18'.   i never actually even shaped pu although i would lie to as it looks a little nicer to work but now i have just got into kite surfing i may have a reason to try one or two.

eps is nice as its relatively cheap and you can buy big blocks and then just hot wire it down to your exact needs epoxy is all so quite different to work with that pe.

 i think i have hand shaped about 25 boards now for my self ranging from 7 to 18' and just starting to get a little more comfortable and faster.

[SUPflorida]

Sound like you need a new source ...you need to talk to shapers and glasses, not a salesman. Where does this guy think all the boards came from in the past?...CNC is the new kid on the block...the first two surfboards I shaped back in 1968 were EPS because my dad was a contractor and it was easily available... no CNC machines back then...surfboards, wave skis , sailboard, Sup...tons are hand shaped...not too long ago a surfer wouldn't be caught dead riding a pop out...with SUP the pendulum seems to have swung to the other extreme and everyone is clamoring to buy the next mass produced incarnation.

[SUP-poser]

I've been wondering about this too. Shaped several Clark foam PU blank boards back in the sixties-eighties when they were available. I've wondered about the new EPS blank workability. I suppose these blanks are not like the packing material-type EPS I've seen, but I assume it cuts and responds to surforms and planers differently than the old Clark foam blanks which shaped, planed, and sanded pretty nicely and without too much tearing or separation of cottage-cheese type chunks that I associate with packing foam.

[Dwight (DW)]

None of the guys making a living doing it, hand shape anymore. There are some rare exceptions.

Even the small guys who do it for a living, have figured out ways to setup their own CNC in house.

For those that haven't been fortunate to setup CNC in house, they order everything CNC cut direct from someone like Marko.

That said, I've developed my own garage builder methods for avoiding endless hours of mowing foam. Mowing a SUP is not fun. Too much foam. I can hotwire the blank to the point where it only takes limited scrubbing to finish.

There are lots of shaping videos. Buy a few. Worth it, if you're serious. Nobody wants to suffer through 100 dumb questions. Get yourself most of the way there watching videos. Then shapers are more willing to help.

Get Greg Lehor's videos and John Carper's videos.

[Dwight (DW)]

I suppose these blanks are not like the packing material-type EPS I've seen,

That is exactly what is used in ultra light raceboards.  Surfing SUPs use denser foam that shapes way better.

[surfcowboy]

Thanks guys. In further irony, they sell the shaping and glassing epoxy 101 DVDs.

I'll grab those and I hadn't thought about buying a CNC'd blank. I'll have to check into that. Sort of cheating but maybe a good place to start.

[Dwight (DW)]

Ask around and try to find a sled cut blank. Those are a nice starting points for a home shaper. Then enjoy your first experience.

Trying to use CAD/CNC can be tricky. Sometimes, even for pros, they don't come off the machine exactly right. As a home builder, you can't afford pay for one that doesn't come out like you planned.

[surfcowboy]

I actually took the Marko 9'0" into a graphics program and it looks like I could make a 7'6" Simmons out of it pretty easily without too much real "shaping".

Now I just have to let this sit in my craw a bit. I'm going to Home Depot to get some EPS to make a hand plane out of to get the feel for sanding and cutting the material.

If that goes well, I'll see about dropping some coin on a blank. As always, thanks to all of you who answer questions here.

[TallDude]

Cowboy,
This is all you need to have some low speed sculpting fun. Foam is by far the easiest, most consistent material I've ever worked with. No grain direction, or varying hardness to deal with. Work it in any direction. When I work it slow, the beads just drop to the floor. Very little mess in my shop, and very little noise. Once i get the router or planer going, it gets dusty, even with 2 vacuums and air cleaner running. Plus I can't hear my music over all that noise!

(I use sanding screen as well, which is not shown in the picture.)

[createinquiry]

While I have a small fraction of the skill and experience of others who contribute their works of art here, I'm at least one other person hand shaping EPS. EPS is a blast. If no one is shaping with it, below is a board I started the process of not shaping a few minutes ago.

I order these shapes with the outline and thickness that I want. On a recent order the foam factory floor workers misread the cut order and I ended up getting 5 of the board halves (14' race) that you see below for $75. On a first board, the 1.5 pounds/square foot is great to work with and smooth out without too much tearing, but the ultralight stuff DW mentions for me is 1 pound per square inch and drops people's jaws when they lift one of these boards.

Far from a good shaper, but new enough that I remember the first things that I was trying to figure out when I began looking for info.

[surfcowboy]

Thanks guys, Talldude, I got a foam sanding wheel/pad recently and it changed my life. That was exactly my thought. Get it close with hotwire or a pre cut blank and then sand it into shape. I'm in no hurry.

Bought some sheets of insulation eps last night and I'm gonna take a crack at that hand plane and build from there.

[Dwight (DW)]

Buy this

http://www.foamez.com/ez-shaping-pad-combo-p-861.html

Use the most aggressive grit for EPS.

It will be the tool you use more than any other. Fiberglass Hawaii also sells a pad just like it.

[55NSup]

For me, as a hobby builder, the shaping is all the fun. Lamination and finishing I would contract out if I could. Talked with a Sup retailer,  the biggest in Sweden, and he told me that over the years several board builders have come and gone up here. All of them loved shaping and  got tired of the lamination and finish work.

I use eps from the building supply store. Found a supplier of block up in Stockholm, but they have maximum 4 meter length, and im looking for 5,5 m.  Might as well keep using the blocks I glue together with PU wood glue.