January 29, 2014
January 28, 2014
January 24, 2014
January 23, 2014
January 17, 2014
January 16, 2014
RIP / BRUCE JONES
Sad news of the passing of a legitimate hall of fame shaper from the international board building community... Mr. Bruce Jones will be remembered by everyone as one of our most prolific shapers of his generation... I was hugely influenced by Bruce, he was the first shaper that I would watch through the back door of the Plastic Fantastic factory on the Third st. alley in Huntington in 1968 to light the fire of what shaping even was... I would peer through the 3 inch crack in the door, hear the whine of the planer and see the last foot of the board, then he would turn and head back the other way?... What was he doing?... I was intrigued, putting that visual together with the clumps of masking tape and hardened rail laps of glassing cut offs in the adjacent dumpster, sparking a life long interest in this craft that has served me (and Bruce) very well through the years... Bruce also got me my job at the Brotherhood when he left to start his own label in the old Ole shop in Sunset Beach, California in 1973... I was shaping for Ole at that time, leaving me jobless when he departed for Maui... Brucie recommended me to Russell as a young up and comer to fill his slot in the empty bay... I owe a large toast of gratitude to Bruce for being instrumental in me finding my path in this world, big shout to you my brother... My heart goes out to his family, and travel well my friend on the next part of your journey... Also, Bruce, along with Diff, in my opinion made the very best chambered balsa boards of all time...
