Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wood is Good !
Half the pleasure of riding the Alaia is knowing your board has almost no environmental footprint. Apart from the small amount of glue used in making the blank, every other aspect of the board is natural and bio-degradable. Even the off-cuts and woodshavings can be used in things like garden beds and furniture, or even for making sanding blocks and profilers. Being able to shape and re-shape with just a few simple tools makes the Alaia the most accessible type of surfboard available anywhere.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
Very nice boards. Which sizes work the best for you? I was thinking of making some of my own here in California.
6-7ft seems to be the most versatile length, 15-16inches wide and 3/4 to 1 1/4inch thick. Flex is your friend on the Alaia !
That sounds right from what I have been reading. What kind of wood do you use? Paulownia? I heard that this wood is very flexible, but I am not sure where to get it here in California. I want to experiment with Koa, bradfruit and wiliwili, which are the traditional Hawaiian woods (that is where I am from), but I want flex. What would you recommend?
Also, do you use slabs of wood, or glue two or three pieces together?
I have a source here in Melbourne where I get slabs already glued up and milled. I know Tom Wegener glues and mills his own. As for those other timbers, I don't really have any experience with them, but hey, thats where these boards came from, so I reckon go for it !
Very nice boards, and very nice words in your blog..when I found it while searching for alaia's informations, gave me a lot of energy to begin with the construction of my first alaia..now that is almost completed, but I don't how to seal it..linseed oil, boiled linseed oil or what else?what would you recommend?thanks
As far as Paulownia in California try Jon Wegener in Southern California, in Nor-Cal for now there is not much. I am trying Black Acacia next which is similar to Koa.
Post a Comment