Homeblown Interview
Phoresia has a great interview with surfer, shaper and foam maker Ned MacMahon of Homeblown US about shaping, blanks and the environment.
A choice quote:
“We could make our MDI foam better, cleaner, lighter, stronger and less expensive if we didn’t have to add the ingredients to the formulation that make it white… ….All of the natural components will be of a straw color. All of this white that we have gotten used to is a result of color additives, enhancers or bleaching. The natural versions are stronger and lighter and for surf blanks even less expensive. I think slowly that the straw color will creep into the market and over time it will win.”
If a blank is more environmentally friendly, I’d ride it with pride, even if it was dodo brown.
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January 31st, 2007 at 10:17 pm
In the mid-90′s Clark Foam did a small run of dent resistant “environmental” blanks. They were brown, and the retail surf shops refused to carry boards shaped out of them. The solution was easy enough, airbrush them! But back then shapers, shops and most surfers refused to pay an extra $20 bucks for color.
UV resin has faced the same hurdle as they are not as white as other boards.
January 31st, 2007 at 11:49 pm
Dent resistant? Was the Clark foam stronger without the pigments and whitening agents?
February 1st, 2007 at 3:19 am
I dont mind if the blank is brown!! i’m getting all my boards with opaque tint and they are so much cool than the white one’s!
February 1st, 2007 at 8:05 am
The Biofoam definately had a denser cell structure than HomeBlown’s regular foam. Hopefully that will give it increased dent/ding resistance. I emailed back and forth with Ned a bit and he said they are doing a run of Biofoam blanks this month, so they should be available soon. He said they are doing Biofoam in all the blank sizes they offer.
Definately a hurdle with the foam color, surfers being the sheep they are don’t want to buy a new board and have it look “old” off the rack. Although if they market it right and include “Biofoam” lams with all the boards, it could actually be a selling point. It’s a noticeable difference and instantly recognizable. Kinda how you see the blue Salomon boards and can spot them right off.
They definately have a challenge in front of them to get the market to accept it, but I think the timing is right. People are starting to be more aware of the impacts of what they buy/ride, although if they will change their buying habits is a whole other story.
It cool to see someone trying to make a difference though. I asked about shipping a box of 4 blanks to the East Coast and Ned told me it was no problem but there would be a surcharge to buy Carbon Credits for the shipping, it’s only around $6, but it’s cool they are willing to make that commitment to it.
JP, do you use UV resin at all? What are your impressions of it? I’ve been riding UV glassed boards for a few years now and was really impressed with the added durability. Granted all my boards are airbrushed solid colors so I don’t really worry about the aesthetics of it.
February 1st, 2007 at 8:40 am
If bio-foam makes good blanks with good rockers and straight stringers and if shapers like the way it shapes then they are golden. Every other MDI blank I’ve seen has been a squishy piece of crap so hopefully they discovered something.
I use UV resin on my boards sometimes. UV and S cloth create a solid board. The 4 oz S cloth is strong and white (offsetting the yellowy UV) but it cost more.
My new board was made from US Blanks and glassed with double 4 E deck with the newer vapor suppressed poly resin and it doesn’t have a single dent in it yet.
March 16th, 2007 at 3:34 am
Interesting stuff. Homeblowns MDI blanks are by far the stongest most durable blanks on the market, due to there single density. They are also 10 times more waterproof than TDI blanks. To date Homeblown has never heard of an instance of delamination with boards made from their blanks. All TDI blanks are dual density, ie hard on the outside marshmallow on the inside. Delamination occurs generally when the hard outer layer of the TDI blank shears away from the soft core….When you see delamination notice that there is still foam stuck to the glass…..Don’t blame the glasser blame the blank.
March 16th, 2007 at 5:38 am
Furthermore, boards snap due to this delamination within the foam.
On the environmental side of things there are several issues as I see them. Firstly, we need to get away from the idea that surfboards are throw away items and therefore buy the most durable products available.(Certainly NOT TDI blanks!!!). We also have to look at where the products come from due to the massive amount of transportation involved. Shipping lightweight blanks half way round the world, in my point of view is ridiculous………….. If Homeblowns Biofoam is shaper friendly and durable and made on your doorstep, so to speak, then who cares what colour they are. Does a white surfboard perform better?Do you look at your board when riding it? I think not ! It’s time that the consumer started demanding that the industry starts taking the right steps. It’s time to move on. Use it or lose it! If you care about your environment and that of your children and your childrens children then wake up and start doing your bit.
June 13th, 2007 at 9:12 am
Your all full of s***. Do some research get the facts and then say something worth listening to. jeez.