I had cut a huge number of Styrofoam pieces with my homemade hot-wire cutter.

But now, they just wouldn't fit properly into the full-size surfboard framework.

They all looked the same size.

So what was going wrong?

Just when I thought I'd solved one problem, another one popped up.

I was determined to build my first full-size prototype with my own hands.

“Can I really build a surfboard that'll float in the ocean?”

That question was always somewhere in the back of my mind.

For now, I wasn't too worried about how beautiful or perfect it would be.

First, I wanted to prove to myself that I could actually finish it.

Then, I wanted to take it to the ocean and see what happened with my own eyes.

Once it was floating in the water, I was sure I'd discover new problems to solve.

And maybe I'd get a clearer picture of what the finished surfboard should really be.

So I wasn't about to give up now.

But what could I do?

I had already started fitting the Styrofoam pieces into the cardboard lattice, adding adhesive as I went.

To keep the framework from shifting, I began by securing the nose and tail, then worked my way along both sides.

At first, everything went smoothly.

But after a while—

“Hmm... Something's not right.”

The Styrofoam pieces were getting harder and harder to fit.

Each piece pushed against the lattice just a little.

And little by little, the openings grew smaller.

Until finally—

nothing else would fit.

To make matters worse, I'd already cut all the Styrofoam pieces I needed.

“Well, now I'm in a pickle.”

I took another look.

Each piece was only a tiny bit too big.

But when hundreds of pieces were packed together, those tiny differences added up.

A whole lot of tiny mistakes had turned into one big problem.

So, what now?

Then an idea popped into my head.

“What if I just squash them a little? Maybe they'll fit!”

I gave it a try.

And it seemed to work!

But there was a catch.

Getting each piece to exactly the right size took a delicate touch.

And that meant more time.

There had to be an easier way.

A way that anyone could use and get the same result, every single time.

First, I tried pressing down on the pieces with a metal file, using my body weight.

Sometimes I squashed them too much.

Sometimes not enough.

I even tried using a heavy stone meant for making Japanese pickles.

No luck.

Then something clicked.

The answer wasn't to rely on guesswork or how hard I pressed.

I needed a simple system that would give the same result, no matter who used it.

And for that, I needed a new tool.

“Isn't there some kind of tool that can squash things?”

I thought about machines used to press and bend metal.

A press!

What if I could make a small, inexpensive one?

Something simple.

Something I could operate with just the strength of my hands.

I searched through books at the library and looked around on the internet.

And then—

I spotted something interesting.

A tortilla press.

It's a simple kitchen tool used to flatten dough into thin, round tortillas.

It works using a lever.

No complicated machinery.

Just a clever, simple idea.

“That's it!”

I hurried back to my workshop.

Using leftover pieces of wood, I started building a press of my own.

I gathered the metal fittings I needed, made adjustments, and kept working.

A few days later, my homemade wooden press was ready.

Now came the real test.

I placed one of the uneven Styrofoam pieces inside.

Pressed down.

And checked the result.

“Pretty good!”

I couldn't help saying it out loud.

It worked!

Now I could fit the Styrofoam pieces into the framework with confidence.

I'd taken a little detour, but along the way, I'd learned something important.

To make a good product, you also need good tools.

And finally—

my first full-size surfboard core was complete.

But it still looked like a big, rectangular block.

Not exactly a surfboard yet!

Next came the challenge of carving that block into the smooth, flowing curves of a real surfboard.

So, what surprises would be waiting for me this time?