This is really an age old topic and one that I have lost steam for over the years so I decided to blog my thoughts. These thought have been made up over time with real life experience from both sides of the fence. Like everything this article is my though on this topic as of 11/10/2012 I rerserve the right to change my mind at anytime as the future may show a path most unexpected.
I have hand shaped, glassed, designed, sold, distributed, repaired, dealt with really good surfers that know surfboards, some surfers who think they know surfboards "which usually can't barely surf", designed machines and software/manufactured machines/software and finally supported the products I have created
What is intriguing is the amount of truly uneducated opinions on both sides. I really am now biased but easily ride the fence on the topic as I understand the importance of both disciplines. YES! I said disciplines! Both hand shaping and to successfully use a shaping system have value. Lets take a deep breath and commit to understand and reflect on the below.
1. Hand shaping. What is it "To me"?
* This is the art of creating a sculptured functioning shape for a determined application out of typically a like crude form or surfboard blank. The craftsmen will remove sections of the blank using typically a power tool or power tools that "ASSIST" him at the task until he is satisfied with the outcome.
***Power tools
Here is the issue I have.. Using a powered tool is this really a hand shape? The ancient Hawaiians climbed steep mountains looking for just the right Wili, Koa tree to drop with a handmade stone or bone tool. They prayed and drug the giant tree to a place they could carve down the fallen timber into a Ol'o or Ala'ia Hawaiian sliding board or surfboard. To me this is a true hand shape and when this art was lost so was the hand shape "to me". Man making a man powered tool for true man powered work or shaping. In fact most of the surfboards made today or created with materials by machines and chemicals man made during World War I, not a natural giant tree grown from the soil of earth. So even if we decide to fire up the old Skil 100, Hitachi and walk back and fourth hacking away at blanks a powered "USING ELECTRICITY" tool is used that assists man in his efforts.
*** Concept and Inception of a surf craft.
More important lets consider where the base of the board design is conceived? Well that my friend starts in your Cranium that's right your brain. Hopefully being a shaper you still get to surf and ride/test the designs you create for others. This is the nucleus of designing surf craft or any product.
Your experience on a particular design vs changing surf and wind conditions. Even your physical ability and health vs time and space matter.. Let's face it most of us in our later years don't surf like we did when we were 16 LOL.. Not saying its impossible to create good boards if you don't surf but having that experience first hand is priceless. So if we use our brains to conjure up how a board design should work and what attributes should be carved into a blank, we have ourselves a little issue here. Don't we?
Do we throw our beloved planers in the trash?? By using the power planer does this make our work have no soul? After all it's a power tool! What really the difference between using a power planer or a CNC machine? I will tell you my opinion later.
Maybe at some point us humans will reach an age of enlightenment where we can use more then 10% of our brain, wave our hands around a blank and make magic shapes appear "kinda like using the force". Now that would be the ultimate Soul made board man... Far out maaaannnn!
*** Machines and surfboards
Machines are created to assist ones brilliant mind. They were made to save ones aging body the same reason power planers were introduced. They were made to help speed the manufacturing process so its master could spend more time exercising his or her brain on further pushing the limits of their craft, having time to grow and serve their customer base.
Machines are designed and made by man usually men that exercise their brains to a higher level that understand the advantage the machine is as a tool. It takes mans hands to build the machine. The machine is controlled by you similar to a power planer by using your mind and hands which are always tied to your soul.
Design good boards or bad boards its up to you. The machine only acts as your power planer does removing material. Before you walk out and start hacking and sanding at foam with a machine system you sit back, take time and use your brain to design a board from the inside out.
Most important to understand is most machines take the blank to a specified level of finish which then the shaper has to fine tunes edges, convex, concaves and the overall flow of the design (BY HAND).. So you still have to scrub the pre-shape to achieve the desired end result.. Yes Hands still are used.
*** CNC Machining the art of the craft
Like everything worth anything mastering something takes time dedication and skill. A good example is mastering the use of a power planer to shape boards.
There are good hand shapers and bad hand shapers "is there such a thing anymore? see above if your lost" There are good board designers and bad board designers. There are good machine operators and bad machine operators. This is the soul, the core value that cannot be faked.
Most humans have always strived to get better at whatever road we choose, is it to hand shape, machine shape or no shape our will, dedication, effort and discipline decides who we are and what we become in our own eyes and the opinions of others.
Designing boards digitally and operating a machine take a whole lot of skill, patience and intelligence. I have train lots of shapers with different skill levels. Some are fast learners and some take extra work and time to train. In the end where they decide to take this knowledge and skill I teach them either makes them successful or not. Just because they have access to a machine doens't make their boards great. Some have a natural gift and others have to work hard at it this is a standard issue whatever industry you are in.
Whats interesting to me a few times I heard someone complaining about machines in my presence. "Machines are taking away business from all the hand shapers!" "Machines are the reason for all these off-shore boards!" "Machines are the reason I can't make any money!" This shaper looked like a cave man, his board designs I inspected were pretty stiff for the most part and I immediately decided not to even try to educate this PLANER using shaper as he was older then me and most likely happy building the same old boards off the same old templates, making the same amount of money. His words made it appear he had some real struggles not only in his business but in life. I have a athletic background and my coach had a saying "Do you have the will to win or will you give the effort to endure", "If it is to be its up to me". Pretty smart huh? See we create our own beds and lie in them. No machine or man can dictate how I live or what I do, my life is my responsibility and refuse to make excuses when I have hurdles to overcome. No disrespect if this is who you are and want to be great go fourth.
Not all the of the designated "hand" shapers are like this.. In fact I know very reputable and highly intelligent shapers that respect machines, understand them and have mastered the art of using them, but just enjoy and are content using their power planers to shape boards. Some even use cutting centers to aid their production when needed.
So if you are a individuals that believes using machines creates a "Souless" product. Please save it for when you are around other caveman like individuals who probably don't own cell phones and get to work via horse and buggy. It really comes off as ignorant and makes you look like your stuck in a toilet bowl time warp. My god man it's 2013 these machines have been around forever and they are not going away. Have pride and deal with it.
I also understand they are expensive for most and are hard to justify if you make 20 boards or less a year so if this is what drives your insecurity fair enough. If you choose to never work with a machine that is up to you, maybe you should ditch the power planer too..
Having tons of machines around only can boost the viability and profitbility of your handshape. In essence your hand shape abilities should justify a higher price tag on your retail/wholesale product as true Hand crafted products warrant higher margins. Take a look at some of the high end import sport cars like Bugatti a $1,000,000 hand crafted masterpiece. Your board marketed as a hand shaped product even though you most likely got help from a powered tool or planer should fetch you top dollar!! :)
*** How can a small shaper justify a machine
The hard facts. You need to make a decision what you want out of your craft. Do you want to make it a business, are you already an established business, do you plan on growing your business? Do you want to be leading edge working toward the future and what I consider the I generation (I-phone-Ipad etc.)? What is your philosophy and aspirations?
For me if I do anything I want to do it very well and give myself every advantage I can to compete in a very competitive market.
What does the machine do for a small shaper? It allows him faster and more predictable manufacturing while giving him or her the time to do the not so fun things about starting/owning a business. Material management, vendor relations, accounting, marketing, distribution and service.. Thats right these six "and their are many more" will destroy a business fast and actually take up more time then producing boards.. Ask anyone doing 150 hand shaped boards a year. That's right only 150 sometimes less if he glasses and sands his own.. Then try to balance the six mentioned above and your personal life and whammo you quickly seek assistance. Machines can help you with this if used appropriately.
My philosophy with the Precision Shaper Surfboard shaping machine was always to empower the small and medium shapers. I never was really interested in working with the large surfboard manufacturer as I really dislike marketing built monopoly. To assist new shapers that have passion for board building. Remember no one lives forever and as time passes so do torches. It is important to encourage anyone interested in board building if we in America are to regain the production lost to Asia.. This is the reason we have always tried to make the most affordable machine on the market without sacrificing quality, performance and support.. Believe me this is not an easy task but it's my passion and therefore I'm committed to further developing the system into the future with the hopes to help small and medium craftsmen around the world..
***** The Evils of Asia and the role of the machine
Hmmmmm. Shall we think a bit together? Why have we lost production to over seas manufacturing? Is it because of machines?? Hell no! It's because the surf industry at one point could not keep up with its own production needs.. As surfing stumbled into the limelight a new consumer market was opened. The I want it right now, for less and I have a credit card. This consumer forced manufacturers to seek faster production while at the same time a larger margin per part was desired for both the manufacturer and retailers.
In walks China, Thailand etc. etc and what I call the easy way out. Shapers also got hit over the head by retailers. Retailers wanted to make more money for a product that takes up a whole lot of space. They also get tired of late deliveries, damaged boards with a too bad "well I can fix it" policy. This is what really hurt the machine complaining Shapers in my opinion, the inability to deliver, support, deal with attrition of their own product while the ever greedy, squeezing retailer forced them into exile. All the while with arms wide open for Asian consignment term boards they could make 2.5 x the amount of profit on..
The decision made is based on simple business principle.. We want to make more money but don't want to invest in ourselves to do so at this point. Why? Because investing in ones self means, more real estate (super expensive), more employees ( but where to find quality dependable craftsmen that don't aspire to have their own label) etc. etc. Ahhh hell let's just ship and send some production overseas to make a line of pop outs for the masses who really only surf on 4th of July weekend and their birthday. We can sell the general public these pop-outs as they won't know any better. It will keep our custom production manageable for the real dedicated surfers and our margins will be better on the overseas boards allowing us to continue our core value bro deals and sponsorship attempts all the while supporting a slack work environment where actual surfing is of most importance.
**** My final thoughts ( Take it or throw it over your shoulder like cow crap)
As humans we have always advanced ourselves with knowledge and the ability to create things that enrich our lives. This is why we run planet earth at least for now ;) When we decide to settle the earth will stand still and that day as humans we no longer are special. The desire to learn is inherently built into our DNA. Why deny yourself the ability to be better educated to step into the future with open arms while having the ability to apply the knowledge and know how from the past.. I'm not saying hand shaping should go away, I believe that true hand shapes should be held in high regard especially by those who have worked to become and are recognized as master craftsmen. These master craftsmen hand shapes should in turn be offered at premium prices. Like anything more hands on more money!
In turn true hand shapers should respect those who have mastered the art of machining products. You have good designers/operators and bad just like everything.. One thing I have said since building my first machine was that it seemed easier to teach someone how to hand shape. Some watch video's, bug shapers their senior, read books all on how to shape a surfboard. They in general very quickly can make something that looks like a surfboard. I challenge the most heralded hand shaper in the world to sit in front of the machine I designed, hand built, programmed and created software for, to try making just one board with little to no assistance designing or attempting to run mine or any machine.. As simple as we have designed the Precision Shaper without the training we provide it is near impossible to have much success without blowing through blank after blank..
So in essence my point is both disciplines deserve respect as each inherently take skill. Whatever you decide there is one truth machines are here to stay and they will continue to aquire shaper market share. The younger generation has grown up with computers and are very comfortable with machines.. Hell they carry pc's in their pockets and have integrated their whole life into these devices.. More and more machine shaped boards will be the norm and will become the vw of the surfboard industry. This will open the door for those deserving craftsmen to finally get paid for what they deserve as their life dedicated to the amazing art and craft they consider shaping..
So choose a side.. Like Fleetwood mac "Go your own way" but respect and educate yourself before you go poppin off because you may find yourself lookin like a "hodad/kook" in the eyes of potential customers.
Again just my opinions on the topic. I don't consider myself a great shaper, even if I was I would never admit to it. I can make a nice lookin surfboard using my power planer that rides extremely well "I have been told".
I also made my own cnc shaping system that is now being used by shapers around the globe both novice and experienced all of which to date have increased their business and revenues supporting their local surf community.
You may think I'm an A-hole, my opinions incorrect and I don't know anything about this topic maybe so. I have spent about an hour to jot down this blog and will forever hold my peace but in the darkest corner of my lab will continue on my path of creating more affordable, dependable and highly accurate tools for those with the aptitude to use them.
Before you make up your mind I ask you to close your eyes and really think it through whichever side of the fence you sit.
I just love surfing and the art of board building regardless of how it gets done.. One thing is true.. Surfing is always FUN and should always stay the main focus of this debate.
Wow if you read all this you must be bored!!! LOL Good Luck, Stay Healthy, Be positive...
Mike
