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Shaper Profile with Jim Phillips

Today's Shaper Profile takes us to the shop of surfboard craftsmen Jim Phillips. Jim has been shaping for almost 60 years. He's shaped for brands like Hobie, Bahne, Challenger, Channin/Diffendefer and now under his own label Jim Phillips Surfboards. here a few questions we threw at Jim.

RHYTHM & BLUES: Jim what year and where did you start building surfboards?

JIM: 1961 Perl City, Hawaii

RHYTHM & BLUES: What board builders and craftsmen influenced your board building today?

JIM: George Downing, Joe Quigg, Dick Brewer

Jim Phillips standing next to a shaped surfboard

RHYTHM & BLUES: Favorite surfboard to shape?

JIM: Multiple Stringer Surfboards.  Stringers act as a wire frame image to show the curves of a shape.

Balsa wood surfboard shaped by Jim phillips

RHYTHM & BLUES: Favorite surfboard to ride?

JIM: I have a very eclectic set of boards that I ride.  I love to ride everything, but right now am mainly on my 9 foot, eps 2+1 board.

RHYTHM & BLUES: Favorite tool?

JIM: Skil Planer, and second my Hitachi planer

RHYTHM & BLUES: Craziest/weirdest shaping request?

JIM: Been asked to shape "illegal boards," which I did not do..   Being a wood worker, I get asked to do many odd ball jobs.  Building Tony Channin's curved railing staircase was a good one.

RHYTHM & BLUES: Favorite food?

JIM: Hawaiian-  Ahi Bowls

RHYTHM & BLUES: Favorite band?

JIM: Sublime, Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Funny story.  I used to shape boards in Coco Beach Florida and had a shaping room off the main road.  One day I was rapping to one of my favorite Sublime songs and a young kid walked by and looked in, astonished to see an old guy rapping out to Sublime...classic stuff.

Jim Phillips standing in his shaping room

RHYTHM & BLUES: Preferred foam to work with, EPS/Poly?

JIM: I prefer Poly foam as it allows for a prettier shape. EPS is great foam for more high performance shapes.

Big thanks to Jim Phillips for spending some time with us today! Click here if your interested in some great classic Jim Phillips Surfboard t-shirt designs. 

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