UV Polyester Resin Laminating Demo at Foam E-Z

Check out some footage of Dave from Revchem glassing this polyurethane surfboard blank. The board was glassed with UV cure polyester resin. It went from a shaped blank to ready for sanding in one hour. Thanks to Dave and the sun for the awesome demo!

Stay posted for more video and pics from the event.

Foam E-Z 15 Years of Shaping it, Glassing it, and Surfing it!

The party/event was one for the ages. Here's a short slide show put together by one of our friends. Enjoy and there will be more to come. It was great to see everyone who was there although it was so busy we might not have got a chance to meet everyone in person. Thanks to everyone who was involved.
Brad

"What a Great Celebration!" Terry Price (Cerritos College)

Here's a letter we received from one of the vendors at the show. Look for more pics, videos, and a complete run down of day coming soon.

"Congratulations to you and your team for a very successful 15th anniversary celebration.

We were very pleased with your invitation to help you celebrate with your customers. Your program was one for the books, demo’s, entertainment, food and all the vendors who support your efforts. Wow, what a great forum for everyone getting answers to any kind of question possible.

We had so many individuals come by our display and thanked us for being there to help them understand that if 13-year-old middle school girls (Surfer Diva’s) could make a surfboard, that they certainly could take a stab at it. We were also happy to help provide guidance and understanding as well as support in taking the mystery out of surfboard making.

We had a huge success with our drawing for a “Free” class in Surfboard Construction in our upcoming Fall Semester; I think it will catch on.

We hope our relationship will continue to grow and prosper for many years to come.

Again, thanks to you and your team for a great day. You promised what you delivered, good networking."

Terry L. Price
Chairman
Composites Training Center (CTC)
Cerritos College
11110 Alondra Blvd.
Norwalk, CA 90650
(562) 860-2451 ext. 2927
tprice@cerritos.edu
www.mfgskills.com

It's Party Time!!!

Just a reminder that our Party/Event is tomorrow Saturday May 31st. It's gonna be a doozy! So many giveaways it's hard to mention them all. Let's just say there will be at least five (5) complete board kits that include PU foam (US Blanks) with UV Resin and Hexel cloth (Composite Resources), EPS Parabolics (US Blanks and Marko) with Resin Research Epoxy and BGF Cloth (Graphite Master/Greg Loehr) and more. Of course there will be plenty of free food and refreshments. Make the drive it will be worth your while.

For all the info about the event check out previous blogs below.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

Brad

All Graphics Supplies 15% off!!!

This week, from Sunday May 26th thru Saturday May 31st, the sale category is GRAPHIC SUPPLIES. Customers save 15% and can either come into the shop to make the purchase or can purchase online with the redemption code 15YRGRAPH4. Stay tuned, it's gonna be a great month!

Don't forget our 15 Year Anniversary Party Event THIS SATURDAY (May 31st) from 11-3pm. It will take place behind our shop and will include: Giveaways, Raffles, Food/Drinks, Board Building Demos, Live Music, and a Storewide 15% off Sale.



The Guys at www.FoamEZ.com

Glassing Supplies 15% Off Sale at Foam E-Z!!!

In celebration of our 15 years in business we are having a month long sale! Each week a different product category will be highlighted and all customers will be able to save fifteen percent (15%) on that category. This week, from Sunday May 18th thru Saturday May 24th, the sale category is GLASSING SUPPLIES. Customers can either come into the shop to make the purchase or you can purchase online with the redemption code 15YRGLASS3. Look for a new category and redemption code next Sunday May 18th. Stay tuned, it’s gonna be a great month!

Don't forget our 15 Year Anniversary Party Event from 11-3pm on Saturday May 31st. It will take place behind our shop and will include: Giveaways, Raffles, Food/Drinks, Board Building Demos, and a Storewide 15% off Sale.

The Guys at www.FoamEZ.com
THE ORIGINAL ONE-STOP SURFBOARD SUPPLY SHOP!
www.FoamEZ.com
Foam E-Z, Inc.
ph.714.896.8233
fax.714.896.0001
Support@FoamEZ.com

Since 1993

Shaping Supplies 15% Off Sale

In celebration of our 15 years in business we are having a month long sale! Each week a different product category will be highlighted and all customers will be able to save fifteen percent (15%) on that category. This week, from Sunday May 11th thru Saturday May 17th, the sale category is SHAPING SUPPLIES. Customers can either come into the shop to make the purchase or you can purchase online with the redemption code 15YRSHAPE2. Look for a new category and redemption code next Sunday May 18th. Stay tuned, it’s gonna be a great month!



The Guys at www.FoamEZ.com

Foam E-Z's Q&A with Surfer Mag's Scott Bass

Posted on Surfermag.com May 7, 2008

The good folks at FOAM E-Z have been servicing the Southern California marketplace with board building equipment for 15 years. Brad Nadell is the man behind the machine that is FOAM E-Z and what better time to catch up with the hard-goods retailer than during his month long 15-year Anniversary celebration.

Q: So, 15 years in the surfboard products biz; how did you get started?

Brad Nadell: I started working at Harbour Surfboards doing everything, and eventually ended up spraying boards mostly. Then a friend came to me, he had owned the big glass shop in Westminster; he came to me with the idea of providing professional shapers with foam blanks. In '93 there was a large amount of shapers in the region and we figured instead of driving to San Clemente for blanks we could provide the HB area with product.

Q: And the store evolved from there.

Brad Nadell: Yeah, I bought out my friend and ran with it from there. I slowly added more and more tools and resources for shapers. As time went on I realized there was a market for the home hobbyist builder, and that led me to bring in more stuff like fin systems, books, and resin and all the necessary requirements for the home builder.

Q: How many blanks have you pushed out the door in the last 15 years?

Brad Nadell: Gosh, I don't know upwards of over 100K blanks. It fluctuates each year or cycle.
Q: What other stuff is available at FOAM E-Z?
Brad Nadell: Logo paper; safety equipment, respiratory systems, how-to videos. If you want to build a board we have it all, and we'll help you understand the process. It's all pretty simple but it can also be intimidating. It doesn't need to be. We try to put the fun into the equation.

Q: Do you get a newbie customers?

Brad Nadell: We get hobbyists all the time. I try to pound into our sales staff all the time that it's crucial to welcome the new hobbyist. It can intimidating to walk in and be new to the concepts of board building. Some times our industry doesn't understand customer service. I make sure our people are helpful and service oriented. It sounds simple but customer service is what makes or breaks businesses.

Q: What types of customers do you get?

Brad Nadell: We get all different levels from your professional shapers to your garage builders, to the hobbyist guy who just loves to build stuff. You know, the father and son types stop by or guys doing senior projects for school. It's really sort of cool. Everyone loves the idea of surfboards and building your own magic board. The neat thing is, it is totally do-able.

Q: You've got a big celebration all month long?

Brad Nadell: We are having a month long sale through the end of May, each week we are spotlighting a different section of the store. On May 31st we're having a big party and event at the store with tents and product and demos. So everyone should come by.

For more info on FOAM E-Z check out their website - www.foamez.com.

MONTH LONG 15% Off Aniversary Sale at Foam E-Z!!!

In celebration of our 15 years in business we are having a month long sale! Each week a different product category will be highlighted and all customers will be able to save fifteen percent (15%) on that category. This week, from Sunday May 4th thru Saturday May 10^th, the sale category is Blanks. Customers can either come into the shop to make the purchase or you can purchase online with the redemption code 15YRBLANK1. Look for a new category and redemption code next Sunday May 11^th. Stay tuned, it’s gonna be a great month!

Foam E-Z 15 YR Anniversary Party!!!

Come join us at our 15 Year Anniversary Party Event from 11-3pm on Saturday May 31st. It will take place behind our shop and will include: Giveaways, Raffles, Food/Drinks, Board Building Demos, and a Storewide 15% off Sale. All of our vendors will be present to answer questions and chat about anything you have in mind. Future Fins will be installing boxes into a shaped blank which then will be glassed with Composite Resource UV Polyester Resin and the board will ready to sand with in an hour and a half. Ocean & Earth will be raffling off pads, leashes, and more. US Blanks will have a van full of Seconds (blanks) for sale at a reduced price. Sol Sunguard will be giving away lots of killer sunscreen and lip balm. Many “pro” shapers will be present including Tim Stamps (Stamps Surfboards). ProBox Larry has graciously donated a variety of fin and box setups for the raffle. The raffle will also include Epoxy donated from Resin Research. This list will be growing as the month goes on so stay tuned.

You won’t want to miss this. It will be a great opportunity to talk shop, get some free shwag, and eat some free grub.

See you there!

The Guys at Foam E-Z

The Newest HULL Creation From The Guys @ Foam E-Z

Inspired by all the Hull craze these days, we at Foam E-Z decided to try our hand at building one. We decided to make a 6 foot stubby, based on the Greenough Velo and the Fineline Geebee. The bottom of the board is hulled out with a slight V in the tail. The board is glassed with double 4oz BGF cloth on top and single 4oz BGF cloth on bottom. It has a 10.5" Fin Box 10" up from the tip of the tail. The final dimensions of the board are 6' 20" nose x 23" wide x 18". We're currently testing it and will report back.
RadRob

The NEW Foam E-Z Fin section!

In an effort to carry a wide selection of fins, we have dedicated a large section of Foam E-Z (shop) that has everything from a 6" cutaway to a 10" Velzy pivot fin. Each fin is selected by us here at Foam E-Z with the idea that everyone surfs differently, and has a different idea of what fin they want to run in their board. We recently received some new L-Flex fins to add to our selection, and keep up with the Hull craze that seems to be sweeping over Southern California. Feel free to stop on by, call, or email and our knowledgeable staff will be happy to help you select your next fin.

The Guys at Foam E-Z

BYOB Build Your Own Board!

SOS SURFIN U$A Art Show - Gato Heroi

This past Saturday April 5th marked the opening of the "SOS" SURFIN' U$A art show, presented by Gato Heroi Surrfboards. Robin Kegal did a wonderful job of telling a story of the rise and fall of surfers through his original surf art. Robin (a regular customer at Foam E-Z), is known for his unique style of turning surfboards and surfboard material into great artwork. The evening also had live music performed by Mattson 2, and lead singer Alex Knost's band capped off the night. The art will continue to be displayed for the month of April at Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana.
Reported by RadRob

HOW TO MAKE A SURFBOARD IN THE 70'S

Check this classic footage....HOW TO MAKE A SURFBOARD IN THE 70'S...GET RAD!!!! Check out this clip, but be careful!! Sideburns and bowl cuts are required!!

Ron Stoner Art Show at Mullusk Surf Shop

The Ron Stoner art show this past Saturday February 23rd at the Mollusk surf shop in Venice was awesome! There was some really cool music , that could be described as acoustic surf jam. Kind of a cross between 60"s surf music with a more acoustic blues feeling to it. Denny Aaberg, and Sam Adams were on acoustic guitars and were accompanied by a great drummer who's name I didn't catch. The art was great as expected, they had about 7 or 8 of Ron Stoner's photos in their gallery that really showed his abilities as a surf photographer. You can't forget about the surfboards they have on display. They have some really cool boards by shapers like, Liddle, Andreini, Anderson, just to mention a few. To sum it up it was a great party, with cool people, great art, and good music.

Reported by Rob Triplett (Foam E-Z team)

Dirty Harry Hates A Dirty Beach.

Clint Eastwood Wants YOU! To Save San Onofre

Attend the California Coastal Commision Hearing

Wednesday, Feb. 6 starting at 9 am, at Wyland Hall, Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, CA 92014

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The dates for the 2008 Sacred Craft Show have been announced!

The SACRED CRAFT Consumer Surfboard Expo takes place Oct. 11 & 12 2008. SACRED CRAFT will be held at the Wyland Exhibit Hall in the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Surfboard shapers & board manufacturers will gather for two days to exhibit their state-of-the-art surfboards and celebrate the culture of the surfboard with their fellow surfers.

SACRED CRAFT director Scott Bass is very excited about the new venue. "The Wyland Exhibit Hall is much bigger than last year's facility," explained Bass. "The ceilings are higher and the footprint is much larger. We needed room to breathe, last year we were packed." Over 4000 surfboard lovers attended last year's SACRED CRAFT Consumer Surfboard Expo.

Bigger and better is the theme for this year's expo and that means new exhibits and attractions for surfboard lovers. "We're going to have all the top surfboard makers here. But we really pride ourselves on making it affordable for smaller grass roots board builders to show their wares to the public," explained Bass. "And in keeping with that theme, we want to expose young people to the art of surfboard shaping through our 'hands-on shaping experience' exhibit. Young shapers have to start somewhere. It is our hope that a few up-and-coming Dick Brewers germinate out of this hands-on shaping experience."

SACRED CRAFT will also feature seminars including surf artist Drew Brophy and many others (TBA), top secret pro surfer / shapers (TBA), a wetsuit pavilion, fabulous artwork and other exciting exhibits. "We're even toying with the idea of premiering a surf movie on Saturday night," said Bass. "And of course there is our Tribute to the Masters Shape-Off."

Happy New Year, and a short recap of 2007!

2007 was an interesting and exciting year in the surfboard building business world as it was the second year without Clark Foam. This past year was very different from 2006 in that instead of there being a foam shortage there was a glut of foam.

A lot of foam startups came and went in the two years since the Clark empire shut down. Here is a list of some of the larger manufacturers that served the USA in 2007. US Blanks, Walker Foam, and Just Foam are the only the Polyurethane TDI foam companies manufactured in the US (California). King Mac, Bennett Foam USA, and Surfblanks America are produced in Baja Mexico. As MDI Polyurethane goes, HomeBlown US has risen to the top with their cutting edge BioFoam product and Ice 9 is gaining steam as time goes on. It's hard to track all the EPS foam companies in 07 since you could find EPS just about anywhere. Marko was the dominant Molded EPS creating a great product for the hand shaper. The best billet EPS we've found is White Hot.

As the year 2007 came to an end we are sad to report that Walker Foam has closed their doors. It's hard to believe that they are gone after all these years. Harold and the Walker people were a huge part of our scene after Clark Foam shut down. Instead of us going overseas for blanks like most of our competitors, Walker Foam stepped up and serviced us to the best of their abilities. It was an extremely tough time for all and they made the best with what they had. We want to really thank Walker Foam for all that they did for us after Clark Foam closed. They are a great group of people.

This past year saw Foam E-Z adding new foam companies to our line of foam blanks. First, we picked up Marko to fill our "molded Eps" void. Then, we brought in BioFoam as our "green alternative" MDI PU foam. Both companies produce a great product and have helped us round out our blank selection.

That's the short scoop on 07. We're looking forward to servicing all your board building needs in 2008. Who knows what lies ahead but it should be fun.

Happy New Year from the Guys at Foam E-Z! :-)

Biofoam Shaping Video of Tom Nielson

Great footage of a Biofoam blank being shaped by Tom Nielson! This quote from www.phoresia.org explains why the video was created. Phoresia.org is an organization to provide a consumer resource about environmentally and socially responsible surf related products and lifestyle choices."As part of the initial Biofoam project ideas we wanted to show some video footage of one of the blanks being shaped. Partly because it’s cool to see a shaper at work and partly because a visual of a Biofoam blank coming to life under a the planer of a skilled craftsman speaks volumes about the viability of the product."

Enjoy the video.

BioFoam Surfboard Blanks in our House!

In an attempt to carry the best range of surfboard blanks available we recently added HomeBlown's BioFoam to our line. Foam E-Z prides ourselves on having the best materials available for our customers, therefore BioFoam was a no brainer to fill our MDI void. These blanks are considered to be "green" by surfboard standards. Homeblown US manufactures the Biofoam blanks in which nearly 50% of the core ingredients are from agricultural products. Biofoam is produced by replacing the polyol component of the foam with materials converted from natural plant oils.

Shaping Tips
The Biofoam surfblanks are slightly harder to plane because of their cross-linked properties. Planer blades need to be sharp and/or you need to mow the blank a little slower than typical TDI foam. If the blank is cut on the computer there is no problem. The tight cell structure and properties of MDI allow it to machine very cleanly.

Finish shaping the Biofoam surfblank is very easy to finish with the normal the shaping process used. It may feel a little on the soft side when finished but let the blank sit overnight before glassing and it will harden up tons.

GLASSING TIPS
Glassing the Biofoam surfblank takes a little extra care. While Biofoam surf blanks make great surfboards, some issues have come up as to the way they take color, airbrush in particular. While color in the laminate works great, or of course, art on the hot coat, much airbrush color on the foam crystallizes. Clear boards or those done with resin tints have been working well. If using polyester resin squeegee on a cheater coat of resin to seal the blank before you laminate. Then proceed as normal. If epoxy is used, consider the airbrush notes above, then glass as normal.

* NOTE from Homeblown: Please realize that Biofoam surfblanks are a new product and although they have been tested and make beautiful functional surfboards, all variations of color layup and airbrush have not been tried yet. We have done opaques and tints and some airbrush that have all come out well but we simply have not hit all the color range.