Prior to Lotus Earth I held a contractor’s license in master carpentry. My focus was historical restoration.
With this background I had a large workshop with just about every tool on the market.
I quickly learned that many of the tools required for shaping surfboards are specific to this art.
In fact the entire room used for shaping a surfboard is unique.
There’s a stand in the center of the room. On either side of this stand are florescent lights mounted to cast a shadow and show any deviation in the pure white foam.
The room itself is painted a bright solid color (usually blue) to further the process of creating perfectly smooth lines.
I love the peaceful color and ever present aroma of fiberglass.
Today I decided to display some of the tools used for shaping.
Check it out:
Starting from the bottom of the photo:
1)Various paint brushes with natural bristles.
2)A dark artist pencil named “The General”
3)Two squares & angle finder for setting fins
4)Razor Blades by the Hundreds
5)Handmade Leash Plug Guide
6)Circular Rasp for the Fish Swallowtails
7)Handmade scribe for cut laps & pin lines
8)Two planes- One large, one tiny.
9)Standard Tape Measure
10)Whisk for thoroughly mixing resin tints
11)Handmade Sanding Block- Oak/Foam
12)Handmade Calipers
13)Various Sureforms- Quintessential Shaping Tool
14)Silver Spoon (which I was born with)
15)Trusty Stanley Hand Saw
16)Squeegee for laminating- I have several sizes
17)My original Steve Lis Keel Fin Template
18)Hand built “Fred Tool” for the rails
19)Hand built Two Foot Flat Sanding Block
20) Si’ Si’ Tool for perfect tape lines
21) Paint Stirrers/Tongue Depressors by the case
22) Catalyst Dispenser
23) Expensive Tape Various Widths by the case
Lotus Earth 