Erizo Fins - Surf, Skate, Art

Quiksilver Moments surf video

2011-03-31T21:34:00.000+02:00

Artist: Chubby Button

2011-01-30T16:38:00.003+01:00

Reading the .blue mag blog, I came across the announcement of Australian surfer/artist Chubby Button having some of his works at display in Hamburg.
All of his paintings show his connection to the ocean. I really loved his horizon paintings:

For more about the artist, check out:

http://www.chubbybutton.com/

Got to do some painting again...

2011-01-23T14:44:00.004+01:00

Good thing about winter is that I finally found some time for painting again:

New book: Tunnel Vision

2011-01-23T11:35:00.001+01:00

2011 surfboard baggage fee comparison

2011-01-16T11:29:00.002+01:00

In case you plan to go on a trip overseas be sure to check this out before buying your flight tickets:

http://www.surfermag.com/features/2011-surfboard-baggage-fee-comparison/

Vintage surf magazine covers: Tracks

2011-01-09T23:15:00.003+01:00

Australia's tracks provides a nice selection of their covers since 1970:
http://www.tracksmag.com/Magazine/Covers/

New book: MP: The Life of Michael Peterson

2011-01-08T16:49:00.001+01:00

New book: The California Surf Project

2011-01-08T16:44:00.000+01:00

New book: Saltwater Buddha: A Surfer's Quest to Find Zen on the Sea

2011-01-08T16:42:00.001+01:00

California for Better or Worse

2010-12-29T09:04:00.000+01:00

California day by day:

http://www.surfline.com/video/trailers/cali-for-better-or-worse_31260

Free CAD programs for surfboard design

2010-09-12T19:34:00.003+02:00

For my alaia outline I was looking for a free software solution instead of using some commercial DTP software like InDesign.

The one I used for my alaia is AkuShaper which I came across while reading some articles on Swaylocks. It's free (there's a commercial pro version, too), java based and really easy to learn. As I just needed it for the outline, I didn't get too much into the two other views needed for real 3D modelling.

The other one I came across is BoardCAD. Also free, also Java based. The screenshots look pretty similar to AkuShaper, however I didn't install it as it seems AkuShaper is the first choice.

Hand-planes

2010-09-11T09:37:00.002+02:00

Now that everyone is making his own alaia aka "now my fence wants to surf", these guys are doing some beautiful hand-planes for bodysurfing:

http://hand-plane.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=50

Weisbecker Surf Movie "Water Time"

2010-09-11T09:23:00.003+02:00

Seems like Weisbecker's has been doing his Montauk to Costa Rica trip again, now with a camera and producing a documentary. While his book "In the search of captain zero" was a classic, his latest book was quite a hard read...

We'll see what the movie brings. First glimpse seems interesting:

Original alaia footage

2010-09-11T09:16:00.005+02:00

Doing further research for my alaia project I stumbled across the following footage about early surfing in Waikiki. Includes some scenes with alaias and olos and the occasional "surfing dog".

http://www.hawaiibc.com/media/Waikiki1.mov

Nice article on how to simply build your own alaia

2010-08-08T19:45:00.001+02:00

http://www.thesurfboardman.com/how-to-build-an-alaia/

Free surf video for download: Reef presents Cancer to the Capricorn

2010-08-08T13:15:00.004+02:00

It seems like fashion labels spend more and more money on creating vidoes and providing them as free giveaways.

Checkout the latest one by Reef here:

http://www.surfline.com/video/video_player/promo-player.cfm?id=44275

Featuring Mick Fanning, Rob Machado and more.

Good music, amazing shots and most importantly: free!

And hey, dont't forget to buy some Reef stuff next time you visit a fashion surf shop...

Surf Sufficient - Great DIY surf videos

2010-08-08T09:51:00.001+02:00

Check out these great Do It Yourself videos by Surf Suffienct showing e.g. how to build surfboard shaping blocks or your own canvas boardbag.

http://vimeo.com/videos/search:surf%20sufficient/8b44a009/page:3/sort:relevant/format:thumbnail

Do you Humu 2.0?

2010-03-13T14:16:00.003+01:00

Besides of Adam Colton's almost famous youtube video "Do you Humu?" I found another impressing short flick showing some amazing stuff that can be done with a mini skateboard.

Check it out:

Humu! from Billy Meiners on Vimeo.

The Art and Design of Erik Abel

2009-11-29T19:18:00.003+01:00

The current issue of TIDE features artist Erik Abel.
Check out his website for more ocean inspired work or an interview on "Club of the Waves" with additional information on his cooperations with Billabong and Oxbow Artworks.

New DIY skateboard with Bennett trucks and Flashback wheels

2009-10-31T21:06:00.008+01:00

Finally I finished a longer version of the Sector 9 Superfish with a slightly modified tail. Equipped with Bennett Vector 6.0" trucks and ABEC 11 70's Flashback 78a wheels, it's a perfect setup for street cruising and puming.

The trucks and wheels had been mounted on my Superfish replica before, however turns were quite sharp. With the increased wheel base of this board, carving is far more easy.

Again the board is made of 9 ply birch and has been finished with lineseed oil (which smelled for about two weeks...). Additionally, I applied a new logo by using a stencil and acrylic paint.

Electric Skateboards

2009-10-31T20:45:00.002+01:00

For those that are too lazy to push or pump:
http://www.alteredelectricskateboards.com/actionvideos.htm

Skate Study House

2009-10-31T20:39:00.004+01:00

Furtniture design inspired by skateboarding: http://www.skatestudyhouse.com/
Thanks to Angelika!

Work in progress: Alaia-style skateboard made of Paulownia wood

2009-09-07T23:15:00.004+02:00

Here's a couple of pics of my latest work in progress: a simple alaia-style skateboard made of Paulownia wood. I'm actually building this to gain some experience with Paulownia and lineseed oil before building my first alaia...

Enjoy!

Wooden surfboard and alaia links

2009-08-29T15:20:00.005+02:00

Some links on wooden surfboard designs, material and technology:

http://woodensurfboards.blogspot.com/
http://islanddreamssurf.blogspot.com/
http://www.tomwegenersurfboards.com/
http://www.surfingmagazine.com/news/surfing-pulse/the-alaia-update-tom-wegener-interview-042209/
http://alaiasurfing.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html
http://bitness.com/?p=364
http://scosurf.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/jumping-on-the-alaia-wagon/

German Surf Pioneers

2009-08-20T22:56:00.001+02:00

Nice trailer about the first German surfers on the island of Sylt.
Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBa1ensvkK0

It's all about passion

2009-08-16T21:46:00.004+02:00

For those, that have been complaining the last couple of months about the weather being too hot, to humid, too cold, too rainy, too windy or waves being too small, too choppy, too onshore or whatever, check out this video and enjoy the summer:

http://magicseaweed.com/video/flvplayer.php?id=909

Playmobil Boardsports Video

2009-07-28T23:39:00.002+02:00

Check out last year's winner of San Sebastian's Surf Film Festival:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6u-d_4o7kE

Tom Curren's first wave in J-Bay

2009-07-22T22:57:00.004+02:00

When I was reading Riding the Magic Carpet by Tom Anderson, I was wondering what Tom Curren's rides at J-Bay must have looked like so that Anderson decided that this was his personal final surfing destination in the early 90s.

With the Clash of the Icons having been held at the Billabong Pro in J-Bay this month, old footage of Tom Curren has been dug out.

Check out these clips from the movie "Searching for Tom Curren" with Curren's first ever rides at J-Bay:

http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/occy-to-surf-against-curren-at-billabong-pro-j-bay_28293/

Surfrider Foundation PSAs

2009-07-13T08:45:00.006+02:00

I found these PSAs from Surfrider Foundation on youtube and there should be a higher view count!

Watch!

Glove:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByB4ONw4-HQ

Sandal:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ9qQ3OVqzQ

Smackdown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IzDIyhUgQE

Threatend Species:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EWLlz3NY3s

Fish:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3sjim4CUAI

Butts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Toov5j-0-4g

High quality surf cams in Denmark

2009-07-10T19:50:00.001+02:00

A friend of mine sent me this Link with high quality surf cams in Demark. Enjoy!

http://www.waves4you.de

Surfer and Shark on Google Earth

2009-07-10T19:32:00.006+02:00

Searching the web for Google Earth images with snapshot surfers, I came across this article on Daily Telegraph.

And it really looks like some big fish cruising along the beach while people surfing at North Steyne:

View Larger Map

Apparently this is the same beach, where Paul Hayden's set his book Last Wave.

Ferry-tow-surfing

2009-06-30T22:48:00.005+02:00

Yet another activity when the surf is flat:

Read the background story (German only):
http://www.free-magazin.de/pdf/Free_magazin_36.pdf

All issues of Free Magazin for download:
http://www.free-magazin.de/freemagazin/downloads/

Poolmania

2009-06-29T23:13:00.002+02:00

Fine selection of (skate) pools:
http://www.poolrider.com/content/images/mtpools/index.html

Riversurfing contest Eisbach, Munich

2009-06-27T14:43:00.002+02:00

Coverage of the FUS Jam 209 Final. Progressive riversurfing at its best, including board slide drop-ins!

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV26SezAaGk

Trailer: Keep Surfing: Riversurfing Eisbach, Munich

2009-06-27T14:27:00.003+02:00

Trailer for a high quality film about the world-famous river wave in Munich. Seems like more and more skateboarding tricks can be done on surfboards.

And can you imagine doing hang-ten riversurfing?

Check it out:

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUOxzT0nTn0

Video: Powers of three: Town-in Surfing in Ireland

2009-06-27T14:05:00.003+02:00

A really nice video about tow-in surfing in ireland:

Good pictures, cold water, scary waves...

For more info visit:
http://www.relentlessenergy.com/films/view/powers-of-three

Enjoy!

Fito & Fitipaldis recording new album

2009-06-21T15:28:00.005+02:00

Fito & Fitipaldis are currently in studio to record their new album which is announced to be published by the end of summer. And they might be on tour in fall this year.

http://www.ltinews.net/index.php/fitoafitipaldis.html
http://www.fitoyfitipaldis.com/

Here's a video of them performing "Por la boca vive el pez" live:

Video: Surfing the Baltic Sea

2009-06-21T13:23:00.001+02:00

Nice video about surfing the Baltic Sea when a Strong N-W is blowing. Spot: Weissenhaus.

Book review: "Riding the magic carpet" by Tom Anderson

2009-06-16T20:55:00.006+02:00

On my trip to Peniche I read "Riding the magic carpet" by Tom Anderson which I really enjoyed.

The book contains several short stories about his surf trips to places like Scotland, France, Spain, Sri Lanka, Bali, Costa Rica and J-Bay. Having been to some of these places, it sometimes felt like reliving some of my own trips.

His easy to follow style of writing and his humor make this book worth a read. Also, I really liked his way of reflecting about cultures and developments at surf spots all over the world.

While reading this book, you'll have a hard time not to board the next airplane to surf some remote waves.

The author's website containing background infos and info about some real life characters appearing in the book:
http://www.tomandersonbooks.com/
Interview:
http://www.tomandersonbooks.com/freeride.html

Meanwhile his new book Chasing Dean: Surfing America's Hurricane States is already available at Amazon.

Can't wait to get it delivered...

Enjoy!

Surt Trip to Peniche, Portugal

2009-06-14T20:51:00.004+02:00

I just came back from a great trip to Peniche, Portugal. Unfortunately Supertubos was too small to surf, however at other spots we got some great evening/night sessions with perfect glass-off waves. Surfing until 9:30 p.m... Summer in Europe is great!

Stay tuned and get some surf!

More pics

New DIY skateboards

2009-05-24T23:08:00.002+02:00

This weekend I finished some more DIY skateboards.
Shapes: Pocket Rocket and Superfish.

Graphics have been applied using the toner transfer technique by ironing toner on the wood.

Stand up paddle skating!?!

2009-05-23T10:13:00.003+02:00

Instead of catching all the waves in the water, SUP surfers now have the choice to stay on solid ground. Come on guys, isn't that a great option?

It also seems like SUP skate girls are way above the attractivity average...

Get more info:
http://www.supsurfmag.com/equipment/accessories/kahuna-creations:-kahuna-big-stick-%11%11-stand-up-paddle-skating-20080616430/
http://www.kahunacreations.com/

Read Conrete Wave online!

2009-05-23T10:11:00.001+02:00

Some issues of Concrete Wave can be read online:
http://www.turnit.ca/#publication/35878

Enjoy!

Surfing with a camera in your hand...

2009-05-19T00:16:00.001+02:00

... and some more crazy waves.

First In, Last Out

2009-05-19T00:07:00.001+02:00

Nice footage about Jack O'Neill's life:

Fruchtalle Skate Pool, Hamburg

2009-05-18T23:37:00.003+02:00

New concrete bowl in Hamburg! The return of the vertical...

http://www.europeskate.com/2009/05/07/hamburg-and-the-new-minus-ramps-bowl/
http://www.sevenply.de/news/Jetzt_bekommt_Hamburg_auch_noch_einen_Bowl:=:354.html
http://www.minus-ramps.com/news/Neues_vom_Fruchtallee_Pool.html

Skate Pool Flora, Hamburg

2009-05-14T23:16:00.003+02:00

Seems like the second part is getting some progress...

One California Day

2009-05-14T22:48:00.001+02:00

Can't wait to see this video...

http://www.onecaliforniaday.com/

Herr Schulze: Contemporary Art

2009-05-13T22:17:00.003+02:00

Mr. Schulze's art variety:
Objects, skateboard decks, sneakers, comics, graphics, stencil, characters, ...
Amazingly creative!

Check out his website: http://www.herrschulze.de/

North Sea Surf Forecasts

2009-05-11T20:37:00.014+02:00

North and Baltic Sea Surf Information
North Sea Surf Forecasts
Sylt Surf Cams and Live Swell Data
Baltic Sea Surf Forecasts

Sylt Surf Report and Forecast

Deutscher Wetterdienst

DMI

NOAA / NCEP

Sylt Surf Cams and Live Swell Data

2009-05-11T19:58:00.025+02:00

North and Baltic Sea Surf Information
North Sea Surf Forecasts
Sylt Surf Cams and Live Swell Data
Baltic Sea Surf Forecasts

Live Data

Sylt Westerland

Sylt Wenningstedt

Hvide Sande, Denmark

Norre Vorupor, Denmark

Live Controllable Webcam:
http://webcam.westerland.de/lisa/

Baltic Sea Surf Forecast and Surf Cams

2009-05-10T11:07:00.013+02:00

North and Baltic Sea Surf Information
North Sea Surf Forecasts
Sylt Surf Cams and Live Swell Data
Baltic Sea Surf Forecasts

To make sure you don't miss a good session on German's Baltic Sea coast...
Check the surf forecast, verify on webcams and get ready!

Timmendorfer Strand
http://livespotting.tv/stream/timmendorf/webcam.html

Dahme

Scharbeutz

Dolphins @ J-Bay

2009-05-09T12:09:00.003+02:00

While surfing in J-Bay during our last surf trip, once in a whila a family of dolhins passed by, checking the lineup. J-Bay is known for schools of dolphins enjoying the surf and sharing waves with humans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWauuX_1KH8

Video about South African Sardine Run

2009-05-09T11:52:00.005+02:00

When going surfing in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, one comes across signs that you shouldn't go surfing during the sardine run because it attracts sharks. Also, shark nets at netted beaches are removed in order to avoid killing sharks and dolphins during that period.

During the annual sardine run, huge sardine swarms travel up the coast to Durban, accompanied by their hunters like dolphins, sharks, orcas and sea birds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBd4sNHBnYc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0ruKhhbISc

Water photography at its best

2009-05-02T10:53:00.002+02:00

A small part of Clark Little's portfolio. Great shots!

Guardianco.uk: "Clark Little grew up on the north shore of the Hawaiian island Oahu, one of the focal points for the development of big wave surfing. He has dedicated his life to producing photographs of the inside of waves, images usually reserved for only the most intrepid surfers."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2009/feb/27/clark-little-photograph-waves?picture=343885006

Surf Art Exhibition The Happening

2009-05-02T10:50:00.002+02:00

Nice set of photos about a surf, photography, art, music happending in Sydney, Australia:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thehappening/

New concrete skate park in Stuttgart

2009-04-22T23:43:00.001+02:00

A short article about a new skate park in Stuttgart:
http://www.skateanddestroy.de/index.php?/archives/307-Schwaben-Schuessel.html

Swim at your own risk - ...it's never safe

2009-04-20T22:23:00.002+02:00

Scary blog about all the stuff that might watch you while sitting in the lineup:
http://swimatyourownrisk.com/

Thomas Meyerhoffer Surfboard Designs

2009-04-19T13:06:00.005+02:00

Thomas Meyerhoffer designed a new longboard shape that seems to be interesting.
Check out these videos:

Day 2: Cape Town to Bontebok National Park

2009-03-22T09:41:00.003+01:00

After a short night (there was a party in the bar of our backpackers, make sure to have some ear plugs with you...) we checked out and drove to Kalkbay to have breakfast with a friend. You'll get a fantastic breakfast at Olympia Deli where I had my best cheese omelet ever.

After being refueled we drove over to Boulders to take some photos of the penguins that live there. There's an area with restricted access which unfortunately had been closed because there were already too many people inside. In that area you can actually take a swim with the penguins. However you'll find penguins outside the restricted area nearby. Just walk across the parking towards the sea.

Then it was time to hit the road. Driving through the wine area of the Western Cape we arrived at Swellendam when it became dark. So we decided to look for a backpacker for the night. Driving through Swellendam we read our travel guide telling us Bontebok National Park is nearby including a campsite. Actually a great place to stay. See pics on day 3...

Arriving in the Bontebok National Park we've been received by a group of mountain zebras as well as a group of bonteboks. Shortly after that, a puff adder was crossing our way. Actually we found out that this is a quite poisonous snakes after talking to some people on the campsite.

more pics of day 2

South Africa 2009 auf einer größeren Karte anzeigen

Day 1: Arrival in Cape Town

2009-03-21T11:20:00.000+01:00

After a 10hrs flight we arrived in sunny Cape Town and received our rental car at Hertz. Cruising past a soccer staduim in construction we headed to Camps Bay (good view of Table Mountain) first for meeting a friend there. Apparently she was on a surf trip up the the west coast, so we decided to eat something and have a short nap on the beach.

With no waves in Camps Bay we headed to the other side of Cape Town to Muizenberg Beach. Waves were small and wind onshore, so we went down town to look for a place to stay for the frist night.

In Long Street which seems to be the party street in Cape Town we found a backpacker (Carnival Court), went out for dinner and a couple of beers.

more photos of day 1

South Africa 2009 auf einer größeren Karte anzeigen

Finless @ J-Bay

2009-03-14T10:59:00.001+01:00

Locals Only Half Moon Bay, California

2009-03-08T11:01:00.004+01:00

For more San Francisco area photos click on Simon's photostream.

New self-made skate quiver

2009-03-07T10:25:00.002+01:00

In the meanwhile I finished new DIY boards:

Rocket: 66x17cm, 7-ply birch, each 1 ply fibreglass on top and bottom.

Superfish: 86x21cm, 9-ply birch, nice flex

Old School Skateboards Collection

2009-03-01T13:21:00.000+01:00

While looking for some nice old school skate shapes, I found this blog entry of someone collecting old school skateboards. Unfortunately the blog is not kept up to date...

http://surfasam.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_archive.html

DIY: print on wood alternative method

2009-03-01T13:01:00.000+01:00

Besides using the toner transfer method, I found a method called "acrylic matte medium transfer" which can also be applied for transfering graphics on any sort of material, e.g. wood.

I tried it with some acrylic varnish, however the results with matte medium seem to produce better results:

http://www.shutterblade.net/backroom/
http://spacedog.us/idlehands/matte_medium_transfer/
http://www.calsk8.com/zeitgeist/acrylicgeltransfers.htm

Free design stuff

2009-03-01T11:18:00.001+01:00

Looking for some free vetors, fonts, photos, ...?

http://sixrevisions.com/resources/30-excellent-resources-for-graphic-design-freebies/

Irons vs. Slater documentary: A Fly in the Champagne

2009-02-25T19:23:00.000+01:00

The Slater/Irons rivalry hits the big screen during the Santa Barbara premiere of
"A Fly in the Champagne".

More infos:
http://themountainandwave.com/?p=2497

70's skate photos

2009-02-23T22:01:00.007+01:00

Surfing the net I came across these really stylish mid-seventies skate photos:
http://www.lifelounge.com/Hugh-Holland.aspx

As you can see "Locals Only" was already at place.

South Africa SurfTrip Links

2009-02-23T21:49:00.018+01:00

Some useful links for planning a surfari in South Africa:

Camping
http://www.sa.caravanparks.com/
http://www.linx.co.za/camps/

Car hire

Maui Motorhomes
http://maui.co.za/2.Motorhomes.html

Britz 4x4
http://britz.co.za/5.Our_4_X_4_Vehicles.html

Bobo Campers
http://www.bobocampers.com/2.English/discoverer%202.htm

4x4 Camper
http://www.drivesouthafrica.co.za/camper-hire-4x4.php

Kea Campers
http://sa.keacampers.com/Rates.aspx?pageid=101&catid=30&lang=en

Camper Hire
http://www.camperhire.co.za/camperhire/showVehicles.do

http://www.sa-travel.de/discoverer2.html

Travel Reports
http://www.windgirls.com/southafrica.html

http://www.globalsurfers.com/read_thread.cfm?ForumID=South%20Africa&ThreadID=13870&Thread=3251

http://www.umdiewelt.de/Afrika/Suedliches-Afrika/Suedafrika/Reisebericht-2345/Kapitel-2.html

http://ezinearticles.com/?Surf-Travel-to-South-Africa&id=1919550

http://www.kapstadt.de/reise3/index.htm
(in German, 1997)

http://www.patrick-kaufhold.de/rsa_info.htm
(general information, German)

http://home.arcor.de/sirko.poehlmann/html/sudafrika.html

http://www.africansurfer.com/

http://www.the-daily-dose.com/travel-spotguides/travel3.htm

http://www.tideguide.org/tour/35.html

Surf Spots
http://www.salsa.co.za/Surf_Spots.htm
http://www.wannasurf.com
http://www.magicseaweed.com

(Surf) Travel Books
Surfing South Africa: Swells, Spots and Surf African Culture
South African Surf: The Swell Seekers' Guide
Am Kap der Guten Hoffnung: Mit dem Reisemobil durch Südafrika

Surf Shops
http://www.factory7.co.za/contact_us.php
http://www.oneshop.co.za/url/browser.html?catid=0&sobi2id=186
http://www.surf.co.za/catalog/index.php

Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCc9AF81RVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EHB-iawjnE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sle0HmXnfY4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWauuX_1KH8

DIY series: How to print on wood

2009-02-15T13:45:00.005+01:00

While doing some research on how to transfer custom graphics on skateboard decks, I came across the so called "toner transfer method" which is used for creating custom PCBs:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Two-sided-PCB-using-toner-method/
http://joshuagalloway.com/pcb.html
Basic idea: Print a PCB layout with a laser printer on some sort of transfer material (e.g. magazine paper) and iron the layout on a platine. The heat "transfers" the toner onto the board.

So I thought, maybe this method can be altered for transferring graphics on wood.

Here's the how-to:

Desing your favorite graphic
Depending on your laser printer you can also choose colored graphics. Here is mine:
Mirror your graphic.
It's necessary to mirror the graphic as we will transfer it on the wood. Either mirror your source graphic directly or use your printer settings to mirror the print out.
Printer setup
Make sure your printer is set up with maximum density and contrast because not all toner will remain on the wood. Thefore we need all pigments the printer can give us.
Print the graphic
There are several options for choosing a transfer media for your graphic such as baking paper, magazine paper or special transfer paper. I experimented with the back of stickers or labels which worked out fine for me.
Sand the wood Sand the wood with a fine grain sand paper (e.g. 240) so that we get a very fine and smooth surface. This is important because otherwise the toner might flow into the wood structure and graphic details will be lost or will look blurred.
Clean the wood
We have to make sure that no wood dust remains on the area we will need for our graphic. Some of the toner would be absored by the dust and contrast would be lost. Therfore use a wet piece of cloth to clean and remove all dust.
Heat the wood
Switch your iron to the 3/4 of the maximum heat and iron the area where the graphic will go. This will remove remaining moisture in the wood (coming from the previous cleaning step) and will heaten up the surface for transferring the toner.
Apply the graphic print
Place the graphic print on the wood surface. If possible try to fix the print with some sort of tape so that it won't move during iron.
Iron
Put a sheet of paper on the printed graphic and iron for about 2-3 minutes. Use the tip of the iron to put pressure on graphic details.
Remove the transfer media
Remove the transfer media immediately after the ironing. If you let it cool down, then the tranfer media will stick to the wood and removing it will take away some of the toner. This is one major difference compared to the PCB process.
Fix your print
As the toner is on the wood surface it can easily be scratched. Thefore use some finish or resin to conserve your graphic.
Enjoy your work.
Get a cold beer and enjoy your day's work.

General advice: Test, test, test. Depending on your setup (printer, toner, transfer media, wood, iron, ...) you will get different results. Therefore before using your final piece of wood work, experiment with different setup parameters.

Skateboard graphics: Burn my skateboard

2009-02-11T23:46:00.006+01:00

While surfing the net looking for some skateboard graphics, I came across this blog entry about laser-etched skateboard designs. Nice!

Custom Skateboard Series: Episode #3

2009-02-04T20:13:00.005+01:00

Meanwhile I finished my 3rd deck:
- Shape: Arbor Rocket
- 9mm Birch plywood (7 ply)
- 1 layer of fibreglass on top and bottom

With a thickness of 9mm and a wheel base of approx. 44cm it remains some flex which allows for smooth cruising turns.

Pics:

Pimp my skateboard

2009-02-03T23:35:00.000+01:00

I had this old (last century) skate deck which I didn't use anymore and which was in a really bad condition. So I thought: Let's pimp it and transform it into a nice old school deck.

Here's the result:

Perfection in Portugal (I need to go)

2009-02-03T13:58:00.006+01:00

Nice pictures of a pro surfer's trip to Portugal. Pretty much reminds me of our latest trips down there: Ericeira and Peniche.

Doesn't seem to be too cold there at the moment... I really need to get some surf soon!

Tijuana Straits in pictures

2009-02-02T19:05:00.005+01:00

For those having read Kem Nunn's novel Tijuana Straits, here's what it looks like at the U.S. / Mexico boarder fence:

Check this out for more pics of the Tijuana River runoff.

Imagine Eco Split Boards

2009-02-01T18:39:00.007+01:00

A friend told me to have a look at http://www.imaginesurfboards.com/eng/splitboards.html. Insteresting stuff: 3 boards in one, no excess baggage, shortboard shapes. Some pricing info would have been nice...

"Once at the destination, the two carbon shafts link the board back together, and the entire system is held into place with no more than 4 fin screws (so its the same key)."

I hope the're no using the FCS screws which can cause a lot of trouble once they're worn out.

This idea also reminds me of Pope Bisect Travelboards, which seem to be heavier but come with a sophisticated split system and start at a size of 8'2".

Finished my first longboard

2009-01-30T22:29:00.006+01:00

With my new trucks (Carver CX and C2) and wheels (Fu Manchu 76mm 74a) arriving today, I had to finish it all up and go for a first test ride. Here goes my Loaded Ceviche replica:

Great Lakes Ice Surfing

2009-01-29T15:53:00.005+01:00

Ok, there are people doing surf trips to Denmark at Christmas.
And yes, surfers have been spotted on the island of Sylt even in winter time.

But these guys really take it a step further:

Not only does it look pretty icy, they are actually surfing Lake Michigan!

Respect!

(Did anyone check the wave forecast for Sylt on the weekend?)

More pics / info:
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/lake-michigan-glassy-cold-and-peeling-indiana-ice-session_21918/
http://www.greatlakessurfer.com/

Gloss finishing product at LIDL

2009-01-28T20:31:00.003+01:00

Today I went to my favorite (closest) discounter store LIDL to do some basic shopping and I stumbled over the following (temporarily available) product:

Baufix Klarlack (Alkydharzlack)
(http://www.baufix-online.com/produkte/fenster-tueren/klarlack-hochglaenzend/)
Price: 2,99 EUR

This might be the solution to the gloss finished problems I experienced when working with epoxy resin on wooden surfing fins.

My tries so far:

Use a lot of resin.
Which results in some uneven, bumpy surface and which makes the thing quite heavy
Polishing (with car polish or toothpaste).
Hard work, even with a polishing machine. Only works with perfectly glassed surfaces.
Use gloss finish.

I tried the Schooner from Interlux, which smells awful, is very dust-prone and never use too much of it because then the surface looks like miniature mountains.

Anyway, I tried some of the Baufix stuff on my new longboard deck today and the result looks promising...

Bright Tradeshow Winter 2009: Bowl Session Pictures

2009-01-27T23:44:00.000+01:00

See more pictures taken at the Bright Bowl Session on January 24th and 25th at:
http://picasaweb.google.de/erizofinsonly/2009_01_24BrightFrankfurt

Bright Winter 2009: Made for Skate Exhibition

2009-01-27T23:31:00.000+01:00

More info on: http://www.madeforskate.com/

Wall paint animation

2009-01-27T22:52:00.000+01:00

Thanks to my friend casual-photographer.com for providing the link to that video:

Tape Art

2009-01-27T22:29:00.000+01:00

It's time to tape:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C_45kKY28c
http://streetart.berlinpiraten.de/aakash-nihalani-tape-art/
http://www.tapeart.com/

Surf Art Links

2009-01-26T23:13:00.000+01:00

http://www.wolfgangbloch.com/
http://www.surferart.com/
http://droog79.blogspot.com/
http://www.clubofthewaves.com/

Finished my first Humu

2009-01-26T22:19:00.000+01:00

Finished my first Humu:

Inspired by Longboard Larry's Short Humu:
http://www.longboardlarry.com/boards/short%20humu.php

And doing some research on the name "Humu" I came across this wiki entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humu%C2%ADhumu%C2%ADnuku%C2%ADnuku%C2%AD%C4%81pua%CA%BBa

Just in case you wonder where that name comes from.

Do you Humuhumunukunukuapua'a?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR0t5_SAdV0

Lanzarote Surf Pics

2009-01-26T20:37:00.000+01:00

Check out the pics from our latest trip to Lanzarote:
http://picasaweb.google.de/erizofinsonly/LanzaroteK100D