Does anyone know of any wooden surfboard classes or builders in Perth?
I've found a lot of info on the East Coast scene but surely there's a few around Perth. I'm really keen to learn a bit about the process or do some classes so if your hear of anything along those lines give us a shout!
There was a guy from the states that did a work shop out Perth way a year or so ago. But that's the only one I know of. Check out the tree to sea forum there's heaps of info in there.
Give the furniture institute in Fremantle a call. They were running course last year for building wooden boards. Even if they are not running a course they guys down there can help you out.
What sort of board are you planning on building? I have tried building a board with internal frames and strip planked skin and also a solid Palownia board that I then hollowed out. The second board worked better as it was easier to keep the rocker. With a framed board you need to be careful when clamping not to flatten out the rocker which so an issue on my first board.
Yeah Freo Furniture's phone number isn't working and I've emailed them a few times. The wooden surfboard guru has gone back to the states but I might just head down to the shed today and try and catch one in person.
TimB did you find the 2nd method pretty wasteful? The board would have weighed a bit hey?!
But yeah I've been hitting up Tree to Sea its a pretty good forum, but I'd rather work hands on with someone.
The poor old furniture manufactures have probably gone belly up due to the cheap Chinese 
Fremantle School of Fine Furniture (http://www.fremantleschooloffinefurniture.com/bathersbeach.htm)
are the guys to get hold of. Paul Jensen came out from the states and ran a course but Rick who works at the school has built several boards since and is right up to speed on Paul's method. Paul Jensen has a good web site just google it.
The solid board was a bit heavy because my wood working is a bit rough and I was not too keen on making the skin thickness too skinny. The board has not glass and is sealed with an orange oil extract. Palownia timber is water repellant so sealing is not really required. It is super light but strong and grows super fast. The idea was to build a board with as little chemicals as possible and try be as green as possible.
Have timber for a new board is it will be much lighter as I now know where weight can come out.
Hey Tim
On your chambered board how thin do you think you can you go on the skins? I was thinking 5-10mm.
Was thinking of making a wood hull of either solid balsa or chambered Palownia.
I am sure there was a thread on timber boards a while back,someone from the states was hosting a timber board making course sometime ago.
Hey try to get in contact with peeps from either cott or mulleloo longboard clubs, i remember a while ago some of the old boys talkin boat wooden boards
I had 4mm on the board I skinned with a 4oz glass layer. It did not survive a beating down at denmark and I cracked the skin but too much sanding may have reduced this thickness some what.
On the solid board I when about 8mm and no glass and as yet no cracking issues. Just problems where the fool driving the router managed to get off track and cause a thin spot I sanded through. With more router control I think you could go thinner. The main issue is not sanding off too much and making ultra thin skins.
Balsa is only good if you are going to glass or seal as it absorbs water. Palownia repells it.
Yeah I'm not afraid to do a bit of glass work.
One thing I saw on the T2S forum was that the guys doing chambered boards were "tacking" them together with glue sanding them up and then breaking the sticks apart to chamber them before glueing back together for good and giving them a "finish"sand.
Cool I'll cruise down to cott or mulleloo clubs and say hello.
Haven't had the chance to go to the J-sheds today will go tomorrow. Toby down at that North Freo longboard store has a Tom Wegener short Alaia down there I saw it today was pretty sweet!! Will sus J-sheds tomorrow. I never did any woodwork at highschool, did all the "useful" 
subjects like calc/phys/chem so just chasing some basic woodwork teaching I suppose. Otherwise I'll source some Paulownia next payday and start this journey myself, which isn't a bad thing at all.
I tacked together, shaped, sanded and then pulled out and chambered. It went back together OK but still needed more sanding. My wood working is average at best and it is tough to get everyhting perfectly back together perfectly.
IF you use this method, don't over clamp. If you need to put a heap of force on the clamps to get the bit to stick together you then have issues rejoining after chambering.
Another issue with over clamping or forcing is that I think encourages. On one board I did that took heaps of clamps the timber split along the grain after a hit in the shore dump that was not at all bad. I think the timber was already straining against force trying to spring it apart so a small dump was enough to split it.
Went down to the J-Sheds to Freo Fine Furniture. Richard the guy who ran the classes has sold the place so courses aren't going there. The guys there gave me his number I got in touch. At the moment he's on holiday or something but send all enquiries to:
info@fremantleschooloffinefurniture.com
The more people who show interest the sooner he'll do a course!!
I have built a couple of hollows out of paulownia and a vacuum bagged timber skin composite over EPS. Checkout sway locks for more info on building HWS and surfboards in general.
Not to hard to do just takes a bit of time and planning. Drop me a Pm with your contact details if you want more info or post questions on here happy to help. i am in perth as well.
cheers
I saw a classic old style timber board and Greeny on Saturday afternoon. The tide was high and the waves full. This board looked about 16ft long, I think it was even hollow with a metal cap on the nose and no fin. It was a classic. Pity I didn't get a picture.
check out grain surf forum or order a template its quite easy if you have the time.
remember you dont need to rush it ,
my one took 2 months not full time.
i found a pretty cool wooden surfboard guide on the net
www.instructables.com/id/Surfboard/
it is a 15 step guide with good detail and photos. plus there are heaps of other constructions plans on the site for your household stuff. kinda like a DIY site
