(PART 1) Recapturing the Magic Board

The Oak Foils label is generally reserved for custom shapes that I work directly with the rider. The majority of my time is spent working on special projects or shaping for other labels. Out of all the labels I have shaped for and still shape, I shape the least number of boards for my personal label Oak Foils.

Here are some insights on the type of custom work I do for other customers. This project was referred to me by a glasser I had worked with from 80's and he had eventually moved out of the area. This customer has gone down the "bumpy" (no pun inteded lol.) road trying to recapture his magic boards from scanning in slices or other methods of the popular over the counter 2D surfboard rendering software with unsatisfactory results from trying to create surfaces by using slices.


Third fill coat with many more to come. This shape was enjoyed and ridden like a magic board should be ridden. Rode hard and put away wet. After successive attempts to recreate this shape with unsatisfactory results, I now have the privilege to attempt to regain the magic surfboard. I feel honored.:-) This is one aspect of shaping I enjoy doing. Although extremely time consuming and laborious, but well worth the effort.

I have had the opportunity to recaptured and redo many magic shapes over the years for many top labels and their pro riders, and some other well known not so well known labels/shapes.

First fill coat. Long way to go..

Over 50 pressure dents, and that's just one side. LOL.

Only the best side is filled and restored. Once the surfaces are restored I will then do a true full 3D scan of the entire restored half of the board. The method I use to capture the true 3D surface is unique and differentiates the way I collect 3D data and how other methods are used. All other methods rely on slices, either scanning in slices or rendering/drawing in slices. Slice method does not capture the full and intricate details, as with slices you are relying on software algorithms to fill in between the slices to create the unknown surfaces. I do not use any slices or any type of rendering or drawing software, all my custom boards start from handshaped proven master shapes then they are fully scanned in true 3D by picking up thousands or 10's of thousands of individual points in 3d. This is an invaluable tool for future 3D analysis or a faithful and true reproduction. Or even subtle scaling and changes can be made with out losing the "magic" proportions. In the past doing this manually is virtually impossible.

Every custom shaped or one off Oak Foils shapes goes through this painstaking process. Or, the custom hand shape is scanned and digitized once the board is glassed, This process is generally reserved for the exclusive top pro or top shelf labels and not available for general retail customers. I do not know of any other shaper that does this for everyone of their customers. Essentially every customer has their own "Model".

Once the best side is restored and scanned, I will then digitize a "mirror" image of the scanned side. The “mirrored” process is the only “created” surface generated for 3d symmetry. Then I will go through some program editing and post processing to create a CNC program ready to be milled and hand finished.

Once the board is milled, it will be fine tuned and tweaked by handshaping for customized contours for the next generation that will be scanned, and with each successive modified hand shaped that has been tweaked, and reshaped each board becomes the next generation of DNA that becomes a new strain of shapes to evolve from.

This is insane, After reviewing this thread, I just reviewed my shaping files and have over 13,000 shapes and programs to date. I think I need a new hobby.


Keep your old Magic Sticks and get them faithfully redone!