I just recently acquired a 6’2" C blank and i had some questions in regards to the board i want to shape. This will be my first board to be shaped and i am also going to attempt to glass it when it warms up. I want to shape a 5’6" fish, i currently have a 5’10" mabile fish, and i was going to scale down the measurements a hair to match the length differential. Will the 6’2" be able to be shaped down to 5’6"? And can i do the shaping with hand tools, or should i get some power tools. I have a sander, but i cant see myself spending the money on a planer? I want to make the board a little heavier, so i was gonna go with 6 oz. cloth when i glass it, has anyone had success with this their first time around. I dont want to shape a decent board, and then mess it all up with a crappy glass job. Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks a lot.
just friggin’ do it. the only thing that ever holds anyone back is their own reservations (or fears of pissing off their wives from all the dust in the garage). no problem scaling it down…just try to take a minimum amount of foam off the deck. and hand tools are no problem either…just get a sharp block plane, a surform or two, and some sandpaper in various grits on blocks…everything shouldn’t cost you more than $30. the power sander you have will really come in handy after you’re done glassing…just be sure to borrow (or make) a couple of power pads…there was a recent thread about this…find it and read it. glass the board however it best suits you. if it were me, i’d probably do a 6+4 deck / 6 bottom. a good glass job takes a lot of skill. if you can snag a copy of Cleanline’s glassing video (“Master Glasser”), watch it about a million times. try and find someone who you can watch do a glass job or two. and above all, read the archives…there’s a wealth of knowledge burried within the depths of Swaylocks.
As far as scaling,look up a thread from Greg Loehr about scaling,he covers it pretty well. If you plan on making more than one board…get a cheap(HF) planer. Planers are very accurate as to how much foam they take off…meaning you can keep things even. I have only made 8 boards but I do almost ALL of my foam removal with the planer,then finish with sand paper ,screens ect. You will make mistakes …butt… they will be fewer with each bit of foam mowed,very accurate.Glassing is tough,read the archives or get a video…mistakes will happen…and usually just create more labor rather than ruining the shaped blank. Main thing…read the archives…and have fun…
*oh yeah,you have the kane garden right there…a perfect guide…
Are the Harbour Freight Planers easy to learn with and are their any videos that show people how to use them like the JC Series or The Master Series
DO NOT use an electric planer for your first shape…just use hand tools…yup you’ll use sandpaper more than anything else…try not to overshape…your eyes/hands are the most important tools you have…stand back 10-20 feet away and look at the curves/lines especially rocker…there are so many little tricks but you wont need them now…you’ll learn by doing…PATIENCE.
USE THE ARCHIVES!!! Its a gold mine!
i just made a 5’5" fish from the 6’2"C It was my first board ,make sure to push the template as far back as possible, this will insure the flattest possible rocker,the 6-2c has a good amount of nose rocker, mine turned out pretty damn good for a first try,it came out at 2 7/8 thick ,i tryed to keep as much foam it the deck as possible, and for such a small board it paddles fast, btw i used the steve liss template, that is available on the archives, there is a link that will have fin template, rail foil, rocker,concave, fin placement etc…i tryed to do a resin splash and screwed it up when it came to the cut laps, so i coved it up with a resin hot coat, and it came out ok, next time im going to use the UV/ catalist that way i have plenty of time to get it perfect , just take your time and dont rush it, and it will come out just fine-
Yes…patience.
you’ll get excited and want to finish and start to hurry…at that point stop, walk away, and take it easy. Seems all my screw ups come when I’m in an excited rush.
P
Well, you have the blank already, but in the future, keep in mind that you can order the blank customized. You can call the guys at Clark (or go to Mitch’s or anyone who sells a lot of blanks) and tell them you want the blank flattened to the point that there is no deck rocker. Or, just ask a couple shapers what they think.
I’m no shaper (only made two boards), but I am a rocker fanatic. More accurately put, I am an ANTI-rocker fanatic. I love flat boards. Longboards, shortboards, etc. They are MUCH faster. A lot of rocker is only needed if you are taking late, steep drops, or if you are so light that it won’t bog you down. (Remember, these are my opinions only). But a flat board paddles a lot faster and gets in a lot earlier. Fish especially. A fish should be super flat (my opinion).
If you go into Surfride in Oceanside, they have a lot of fish (Kane Garden, Channel Islands, and Hynson). Some have rocker on the deck and some don’t. You have to take a good look at each one and decide what you like.
More rocker is good for steep drops. I learned this the hard way when I went to Hawaii in November. I had never experienced drops that steep and large and, believe me, I had wished for a Hawaiian board with a flipped up nose, because bogging is NOT an issue, but pearling IS.
Here, in Southern CA, a steep drop is not as common, unless you consistently surf big Blacks or other such spots.
Me? I surf pointbreaks and reef breaks, so I don’t need a lot of rocker.
Rocker also helps you turn easier, but on a fish that isn’t really a problem. Fish are very loose.
But, yeah, slide your template back and you’ll get a flatter fish, especially at the size you are thinking.
My suggestion is that you shape it (being careful to just skim the deck) and after you are finished, pay a good shaper to fine tune it for you.
And glass it yourself. A heavy glassjob won’t hurt a fish at all. A heavy fish is a happy fish.