How stiff are they Roy? From what I have been reading the materials are not yet available to make a 3D printed fin with equivalent stiffness to a traditonal fiberglass fin?
I've got a head for technology and education/qualifications in chemistry...but..with surfing we've seen where Surftech went ( am I wrong to say Tuflite is no where near as saleable/desirable as it was say 10 years ago)..So ok it's innovation etc etc..but the majority of surfers are more inclined to stay with the old school, cost effective product..I might be on the wrong track..correct me if I am 
Select to expand quoteTux said..
How stiff are they Roy? From what I have been reading the materials are not yet available to make a 3D printed fin with equivalent stiffness to a traditonal fiberglass fin?
Fibreglass fins are overly stiff, to get any significant flex they have to be thinner than is ideal in most applications.
The surfer article was referrring to strength rather than flex, we are using polycarbonate and each fin is strength tested, they are all good. Most people can't print polycarbonate as it requires a very expensive machine with high temperatures and a fair amount of skill to get right.
Surfer are low on the scale of thoroughness when it comes to article writing, there are plenty of more in depth 3d printing articles out there.
Stiffness wise the fins are good, with a low to moderate flex depending on the design.
Select to expand quotesurfbroker said..
I've got a head for technology and education/qualifications in chemistry...but..with surfing we've seen where Surftech went ( am I wrong to say Tuflite is no where near as saleable/desirable as it was say 10 years ago)..So ok it's innovation etc etc..but the majority of surfers are more inclined to stay with the old school, cost effective product..I might be on the wrong track..correct me if I am
I don't see what this has to do with Surftech.
3D printing enables one off designs, about a third of our orders are custom. We have a fin making method, it doesn't imply anything regarding fin shape or popularity, except that it is more expensive to do than mass market moulded fins. 3D printing is almost the opposite of mass market pop out products. We sell directly, the fins can only be bought from us and we deal with each customer one on one... often customising fins for them. Not exactly surftech's business model. The technology is not akin to surftech's tufflite either, not even remotely.
Cost effectiveness is impossible to calculate since performance and customer satisfaction can't be measured in dollars. it's an attempt to compare apples and oranges.
Regarding what most surfers do, it doesn't matter, we are happy to go out of the box and have a niche.
some people still live in 2d
- take mac for example, he really is just a cartoon/comic strip
Select to expand quoteRoyStuart said..surfbroker said..
I've got a head for technology and education/qualifications in chemistry...but..with surfing we've seen where Surftech went ( am I wrong to say Tuflite is no where near as saleable/desirable as it was say 10 years ago)..So ok it's innovation etc etc..but the majority of surfers are more inclined to stay with the old school, cost effective product..I might be on the wrong track..correct me if I am
I don't see what this has to do with Surftech.
Hey Roy..don't get me wrong...my Surftech comparison is about new technology VS old...that was my point..I like your idea 
I dream of a day when turn up with no boards at my destination and have my file loaded n a board is 'printed out' similar to what Roy is doing. After I am finished my trip it's recylced and helps to reproduce the next blokes. I honestly believe this is the future
I love technology and applaud what RS is doing. Surfing has been devoid of innovation for too long - compared to other industries of a similar scale. What other industry is still using the same technology 50yrs later for a vast proportion of the volumes? Not many.
In terms of tuff light - they may not have taken off with the hArdcore surfer but in terms of units sold I reckon they have done wonders.
Select to expand quoteTed the Kiwi said..
I dream of a day when turn up with no boards at my destination and have my file loaded n a board is 'printed out' similar to what Roy is doing. After I am finished my trip it's recylced and helps to reproduce the next blokes. I honestly believe this is the future
I love technology and applaud what RS is doing. Surfing has been devoid of innovation for too long - compared to other industries of a similar scale. What other industry is still using the same technology 50yrs later for a vast proportion of the volumes? Not many.
In terms of tuff light - they may not have taken off with the hArdcore surfer but in terms of units sold I reckon they have done wonders.
take your rubbish/ outer islands gun home ted. grind it down, put in a bucket then rebuild your nano when you get home
But I need both even if they are both under utilised right now as I drink a beer on the banks of the Yarra
The pic is for Scotty who has rightly abused my phone pics for too long - now I have new technology in my hands
Select to expand quotesurfbroker said...RoyStuart said..surfbroker said..
I've got a head for technology and education/qualifications in chemistry...but..with surfing we've seen where Surftech went ( am I wrong to say Tuflite is no where near as saleable/desirable as it was say 10 years ago)..So ok it's innovation etc etc..but the majority of surfers are more inclined to stay with the old school, cost effective product..I might be on the wrong track..correct me if I am
I don't see what this has to do with Surftech.
Hey Roy..don't get me wrong...my Surftech comparison is about new technology VS old...that was my point..I like your idea
Meh! Hand crafted products have a soul, there's true beauty in the imperfection... I'm old school and I'll compromise ultimate performance for something "real" any day of the week...
Select to expand quoteTed the Kiwi said..
But I need both even if they are both under utilised right now as I drink a beer on the banks of the Yarra
The pic is for Scotty who has rightly abused my phone pics for too long - now I have new technology in my hands
there is a very sad reason behind the design of that beer glass….
glassing was so common in the UK that it lead a A&E Doctor to look for a solution. That bulge makes the glass stronger to a point and then when it breaks, the way it breaks, it is likely to do less damage than a normal glass.
Select to expand quoteRoyStuart said..
What's stupid about it, in your opinion?
Whats stupid about your post(s)?
You knew no one else on this forum would have a 3d printer
You bag out other people designs on boards and fins like your the chosen one and your way is the best.
You start a post shamelessly asking others to like your fins on facebook, when realistically no one would have ever held one let alone used one, really is that the kind of marketing you want? There are very skilled craftsmen who don't need to advertise because of word of mouth and repeat business, no need to pimp on multiple forums.
As for your fins, well maybe they are great, I don't know don't care and will never use one. All I know is I would never ever take anyone's opinion seriously who thought this was an acceptable fin setup for a board
There you go some more free advertising before you roy
Whatever Stu... here's a ride report for the 3.5" Spitfire Nubster:
www.roystuart.biz/2014/11/the-mighty-wd-nubster-markos-ride-report.html
"Righto...so my take on the nubster. Surfed today in 3-5 foot plus surf. Frickin sweet so far! Super drivey for the size of it,
really fast going down the line or straight. Adjusted to top turning with it by starting the turn a bit earlier - which could have
just been magnet being fat and offshore. Really noticed that foot placement over it made a difference, very sensitive to it.
Handled size really well. No squirelliness which I thought it could have."
Select to expand quoteTed the Kiwi said..
I dream of a day when turn up with no boards at my destination and have my file loaded n a board is 'printed out' similar to what Roy is doing. After I am finished my trip it's recylced and helps to reproduce the next blokes. I honestly believe this is the future
I love technology and applaud what RS is doing. Surfing has been devoid of innovation for too long - compared to other industries of a similar scale. What other industry is still using the same technology 50yrs later for a vast proportion of the volumes? Not many.
In terms of tuff light - they may not have taken off with the hArdcore surfer but in terms of units sold I reckon they have done wonders.
Cheers Ted.
Select to expand quotesurferstu said..
RoyStuart said..
What's stupid about it, in your opinion?
As for your fins, well maybe they are great, I don't know don't care and will never use one. All I know is I would never ever take anyone's opinion seriously who thought this was an acceptable fin setup for a board
There you go some more free advertising before you roy
Sorry to disappoint you Stu..here's a pic from 1964..Tunnel is NOT new ..Thank you Geoff Cator Surfresearch.
BTW..as they say "Any publicity is good publicity"..and we're fuelin' the fire Stu.
Stu didn't say that tunnel fins are new.
We developed our tunnels independently while living off the grid in 1998, the tunnel plus one and tunnel plus two setups which we have been using since then are our original invention.
A few tunnels were done in the 60's notably by Bob Bolen but they were not applied to the right kind of board, and died out as a result.
Select to expand quoteAndyrooMac said..surfbroker said...RoyStuart said..surfbroker said..
I've got a head for technology and education/qualifications in chemistry...but..with surfing we've seen where Surftech went ( am I wrong to say Tuflite is no where near as saleable/desirable as it was say 10 years ago)..So ok it's innovation etc etc..but the majority of surfers are more inclined to stay with the old school, cost effective product..I might be on the wrong track..correct me if I am
I don't see what this has to do with Surftech.
Hey Roy..don't get me wrong...my Surftech comparison is about new technology VS old...that was my point..I like your idea
Meh! Hand crafted products have a soul, there's true beauty in the imperfection... I'm old school and I'll compromise ultimate performance for something "real" any day of the week...
Why do hand shapes have more soul than anything?? That would mean that anything done by a machine is crap and that isnt right. 95% of all boards come of a machine.
At the end of the day most people dont have a soul so what hope has a plastic fin????
Indeed, and let us remember that 'hand shapes' are not in fact shaped by the hand without machines or other tools. Let those who shape with the fingernails stand forth!
All shapes are creations of the mind, the means by which these are made manifest as physical objects are various, I see no reason why some methods should be seen as soulful or kosher and others not.
Regarding plastic, almost all so called 'hand shapes' have their soulfully shaped industrial chemicals encased in plastic.. for resin is in fact, plastic.
I rest my case.
To me there's a huge difference between guys like SDR and a brand like JS or DHD. All made in Aus and all machine shaped / hand finished...but With SDR you can have a beer with him and talk about what you want ... good luck trying to do that with JS. Your board will be more of a pop out than one made in China with that fella. I inherited one of his boards pretty much new and it's as weak as piss. Only surfed it probably 3 times and the deck is fully caved in.
Select to expand quoteCtngoodvibes said...
To me there's a huge difference between guys like SDR and a brand like JS or DHD. All made in Aus and all machine shaped / hand finished...but With SDR you can have a beer with him and talk about what you want ... good luck trying to do that with JS. Your board will be more of a pop out than one made in China with that fella. I inherited one of his boards pretty much new and it's as weak as piss. Only surfed it probably 3 times and the deck is fully caved in.
Agree,does JS or others even touch their boards before sale?
There is a super cool shaper, Gavin UPSON from 1-da shapes,well he has designed steph Gilmores boards and Mick's,not just a ghost shaper for DHD but a major.designer for him. I would.far.rather get a one on one board.From him or sdr and know that their expertise, and the final.eye off is doing my sled.
The amount of.big brands out there getting done without a shaper even seeing it is sad. Marketing is amazing tool....car park experts are also amazing tools
I'm all.for.the tech side,but sometimes the older stuff just works.better
Select to expand quoteTed the Kiwi said..
I dream of a day when turn up with no boards at my destination and have my file loaded n a board is 'printed out' similar to what Roy is doing. After I am finished my trip it's recylced and helps to reproduce the next blokes. I honestly believe this is the future
I love technology and applaud what RS is doing. Surfing has been devoid of innovation for too long - compared to other industries of a similar scale. What other industry is still using the same technology 50yrs later for a vast proportion of the volumes? Not many.
In terms of tuff light - they may not have taken off with the hArdcore surfer but in terms of units sold I reckon they have done wonders.
A few years ago Ted I was doing some work with the Australian Surf Craft Industry Association. With family in Education and having recently completed some Training and Assessing quals I was helping them at that time on the development of formal trade qualifications for surfboard manufacturers.
The benefits were many, creating a credible qual for little Johnny to see some kind of career path by linking it to Composites Tech qualifications and pathways to advanced applications outside of the Surfing Industry.
The largest win I believed was that as part of any trade qualification in this day and age would be to teach apprentices about other techniques instead of just the old PU and Poly standards.
Just imagine if you will an industry full of people with skills to mould, vacuum bag, explore other materials and generally not be afraid to experiment. Throw in youth, excitement and competition and where would we end up??
To cut a long story short the "experts" at that time could see no sense in teaching anyone anything other than the standard materials... Opportunity lost.
Select to expand quoteRoyStuart said..
Indeed, and let us remember that 'hand shapes' are not in fact shaped by the hand without machines or other tools. Let those who shape with the fingernails stand forth!
All shapes are creations of the mind, the means by which these are made manifest as physical objects are various, I see no reason why some methods should be seen as soulful or kosher and others not.
Regarding plastic, almost all so called 'hand shapes' have their soulfully shaped industrial chemicals encased in plastic.. for resin is in fact, plastic.
I rest my case.
Spot on Roy!
Select to expand quoteMacaha said..
Vending machine who wants coffee from one
No thanks it's 2014
coffee addicts raved about the coffee coming out of vending machines in japan when I skied there mac.
in the same machine were some awesome Japanese beer too
