Making a quality bodyboard is an art. Master bodyboard shaper Ken Brown has made 20,000 bodyboards over the last 15 years. This is his article which he has gladly let me use.

Please visit Ken's site Foamcat.com. I'm sure he will gladly answer any questions you have about making bodyboards too.

---

Custom Bodyboard Shaping- The following is a simplified process for making your own bodyboard using tools around your house or available at the hardware store.

Tools you will need:

1. Sharp kitchen knife
2. Rough sandpaper
3. A "hot" gun (paint stripper)
4. pair of welders's gloves
5. flat razor blades
6. tape
7. Hot glue gun, glue sticks

Inspect your blank, the best side will be the bottom. Look at your board you have now, what don't you like? Is the nose too wide, board too long, or what? Look at the thickness. Is it thin, or is it thick compared to most boards? Measure that thickness and write it down. Subtract the average thickness of a foam top, 2 layers of contact cement, and a surlyn bottom.

New foam tops= 3/16" + surlyn bottom= 2/16" + 2 layers glue= 1/16"

3/16 +2/16+ 1/16= 6/16"-- subtract that off the total thickness of your old board thickness- that will be how thick your blank will have to be.

I use a Bosch 3'X21" belt sander with 24 grit resin bond sandpaper. Turbo sells an Arcel blank that is already precision sanded down to 1 5/16". This will save you alot of time.

Let's get started-

1. CUT NOSE BEVEL- Mark a 3/4" mark on nose of blank. Make it up to 1" if you want a super thick nose. 3/4" is standard for most boards. Now cut with knife.

 

2. SAND, and CENTERLINE- With rough sandpaper (24-40 grit) on a beltsander or with sanding block, sand nose bevel and both top and bottom of blank so no shiny areas are left. Now with a pencil, mark the center line completely around the blank.

 

3. MEASURE, MARK, CUT- Find a board you like and measure the bottom surlyn. Do you want the nose wider, or the tail, or what? Copy the dimensions and shape you like to the bottom of your blank (beveled side) using your centerline. Now cut tail curve straight down with knife. Make an angle checker. It's two pieces of wood with a tight nut and bolt. Use this to check angles you like and compare them to your rails that you cut.

 

4. CUT BOTTOM RAILS- Look at rails you like. With a knife cut that same angle (plus a little extra) following the template you have drawn on the bottom of your board. Sand rails. Flip over blank, and copy the bottom template to the top of the blank. Cut rail chine angles you like, and sand. Check your angles with angle checker.

 

5. GLUE BOTTOM- Cross hatch (sand) your bottom material (the foam side, if surlyn bottom. Or rough plastic side if plastic bottom, not the shiny good side!) Put sanded side up on table and pin down edges. Spread contact cement over bottom of blank (2 thin coats). Do the same to the bottom material. Let dry for 10-15 minutes until still tacky to the touch, but not wet looking. Have friend hold tight other end of bottom piece while you position it so it lines up perfectly with the nose of your blank. Lay down your nose first, then his end. Rub down flat handed with a damp rag several times. Wait 15 minutes, then rub it again. Make sure it is stuck good.

 

6. CUT OFF EXCESS, SHAPE TOP- cut off any excess bottom material as best you can with utility knife or sharp knife. True out (sand, make perfect) tail and nose. Check your top shape, is it perfect? Fix it now with sanding block.

 

7. GLUE TOP- Lightly mark a center mark on nose and tail of best side of top foam. Lay sanded top piece up (best side would be the board's top and the junk side would be sanded) on table and pin down. Glue nose, top of blank, top chine rail, tail. Glue top piece. Let dry. Have friend help you lay down top, lining up foam center marks with blank center lines. Leave a little nose overhang of top foam. Rub down top, then tail, (try putting a few cuts in the foam tail excess to allow the tail to bond down easy without wrinkles) then nose, then push down top chine foam (avoid making wrinkles, push toward center of blank). Trim off excess with knife and razor.

 

8. SAND RAILS- Sand rails nice and flat with block.

 

9. BOND ON RAILS- With either a hot gun (paint stripper) or contact cement, bond on rails. Trim excess.

 

10. HOT GUN RAILS- With wet rag, use hot gun to smooth all trimmed foam so the foam cells seal.

 

11. CLEAN BOARD, PUT ON DECAL

 

Tips:

 

1. Cut foam at an angle and use a spray of silicone on your blades for smoother cuts.

2. Use contact cement in well ventilated area.

3. When laying down glued foam, remember it's called contact cement. You usually have only one chance to position the foam properly before laying down.

4. Use welders gloves for heat protection when using a hot gun.

5. Contact cement doesn't stick good in cold or wet weather. Glue when dry and warm.

6. Any surfaces that will be glued must be sanded.