New Recycler Paipo project...

I always start projects and never seem to reconnect with them till months later. I stripped the glass from the nose of HAARRRRYYYY's old Stewart and templated out one of the Tomb Stone templates on it months ago. Then, a few weeks ago I spent a day ripping wood for cutting boards. I ripped a piece of white cedar I found in the rafters for outside stringers on the paipo randomly during that session. I cut the blank and finally started gluing in the stringers tonight. This is what she looks like so far.

^^Before glue^^

^^Glued Up^^

These Recycler projects are fun little projects. I think I'm going to make recycled wood flooring d-fins on this. It should be interesting to see how this one turn out.

"The Duke" large surf sculpture

"The Duke"

This is a large surf sculpture that measures approx. 4' tall. The board is about 3' and made from red oak, mahogany, and yellow heart with a purple heart and maple fin. The base is made from a found cedar log with other various driftwoods attached. The shorts are hand sewn from a pair of the infamous DJ Bobby K's original shorts which ripped @ a surf contest a few years ago.

This sculpture is available. Please contact me for information and shipping prices.

Wall hanging LIS Fish tide clock...

This tide clock is modeled after a classic twin fin fish.

The board is glued up from 1/4 sawn red oak, with a black walnut and maple t-band. The fins are made from a maple and mahogany glue up.

For sale on my Etsy site HERE

Finishing the alaia

To finish the boards I'm using a linseed oil and bees wax solution that I melt down and mix together. Most guys are using just one coat b/c paulownia is salt water resistant. Buuut, I believe in overkill, so I do 2.

The logos and my signature are burnt into the wood.

Finish sanding the alaia

For the final sanding of the Alaias I go through a few grits of paper. I start w/ 100 grit to knock down the hard edges on the rails and add the concave in the back. Then I smooth everything out w/ 150 grit, and finally 220.

concave

Nick talking about how cool the grain is in

the bookmatched alaia

Bookmatched paulownia alaia

for Xmas

Shop alaia

Planing out the alaia rail bands

I've found that hand planing my rail bands is easier than using the power planer on the paulownia. I use my smaller block plane to run the rails, then I go to my grinder/sander to finish them off.

Alaias outlined and rough cut...

The 6' Alaia for an Xmas present and the shop Alaia have been templated and cut out. 1st step was to clean up the blanks, so I planed down the high spots w/ an old block plane that I have. Then I put a piece of masonite down that I have cut to the exact size template I want and draw it on the blanks. Then I cut them out w/ a jig saw.

Alaias' for X-mas...

Working on a few Christmas presents. One for a customer and a few for shop use. The customer project is a 6' paulownia alaia. For shop experimentation we are building a 6' paulownia alaia and a 3' paulownia paipo. I might even add in a few hand planes for good measure.

The wood was milled yesterday and we joined, biscuited, glued and clamped the customer alaia. Glue ups for the shop boards will be done today.

I'll keep you all updated on the outline cutout and shaping.

3' paipo ready for glue up

6' Alaia - Paulownia w/ red cedar stringers

(for shop experimentation)

Alaia Xmas present glued and clamped

Joined and biscuit

Milling the paulownia

Sooooooooo....

what else do I do? I fix surfboards. I've been fixing boards for about 20 years now, and do it all. Here are some before and after pics of a delaminated nose I just got finished.

Good as new. Thanks Tim.

Fresh Alaias...

"Kaya" 7'4" swallow tail alaia

"KiKi" 5'1 alaia

I just finished off 2 alaias. The first one is "KiKi" a 5'1" made from laminated yellow pine finished w/ a beeswax / linseed oil mixture.

The second is "Kaya" a 7'4 swallow tail alaia made of paulownia wood with a mahogany noseblock finished with a beeswax / linseed oil mixture. The paulownia wood blank came from John Wegener of Wegener Surfboards in Cali. Paulownia wood is beautiful to work with and it's light as a feather. If you would like info on John's paulownia blanks he can be contacted through his website www.wegenersurfboards.com.

Both alaias, plus the 7'8" Philippino mahogany one, will be on display @ the Art Of Surfing Festival on the Music Pier in Ocean City, NJ - Aug 6-8th.

The Alaia project update...

7'8 Philippino Mahogany Alaia

I started working on this Alaia and the Paipo early this year. This Alaia is made from Philippino Mahogany, with a Purple Heart noseblock, and an Ash & Mahogany diamond inlay.

dimentions- 7'8 long, 7/8" thin with no fin

The Alaia project...

I started the "Alaia Project" @ the beginning of January. I went off to the mill inspired by the works of Tom Wegner and some video on YouTube of guys like Christian Wach riding Alaias. I began looking for home grown Jerzy wood. I thought a white cedar would be a good local wood to use keeping the wood locally harvested, glued and shaped.

Well, so much for that at this moment. I ended up with Philippino Mahogany for the first few boards, w/ full intention of bringing it full circle back to a total jersey project.

I glued up 2 blanks so far. 1 for a 7'8 Alaia & 1 for a 4' Paipo (Pipe' o) or bodyboard.

I finished off the Paipo the other day. Here is a bottom shot. Now off to work on the Alaia.