I checked out the shaping 101 video and am going to create my first templete using the method presented. I am wondering what to use to draw nice lines…? Any suggestions? I walked around Home Depot this evening bending everything but wasn’t very satisfied with anything I found. Has anyone found anything that works and is readily available?
Have you tried an art supply store? Sometimes they have these bendy ruler-like things. Those work well. mark
Hey I’m a fool, I draw all my outlines by eye, and tape off all the pinstripes by eye, and also lay the laps back in the day. You are looking for a true batten. Wood is not the best, as nature is not consistent and true. Fiberglass battens, as long as 8’, is availible at most marine supply stores. It’s better. Lexan battens, availible at Tap Plastics is even better, but still not perfect, due to dependence on a true, even cut, to control the flex. A really good shaper friend of mine uses multi-stranded small diameter cable, attached at the nose and tail, to make eliptical templates. I hate the way his boards work, but they are really even and true. I’m going to catch flak for this, so I’d better toughen up. I suspect that a person who is going to be a good shaper absolutely NEEDS an eye that can be good enough to draw up some template outlines WITHOUT the use of curvy tools, protractors, laylines, battens, or whatever. Sorry…sorry. That is just my opinion, and you are most welcome to yours.
go back to home depot. they have aluminun battens near the hardware section.
Lee pats himself on the back
we’ve been using wood battens in the boat biz for several hundred years. They work pretty well. Select for straight grain and bend it a little to see if there’s any odd spots. I find 1 1/8" lattice stock is usually pretty good. hope that’s of use doc…
The metal battens are available at almost any hardware lumber supply in standard issue 8’ lengths. I would go with Doc’s idea - go w/ wood. A good straight grain batten board or even clear lath board will do, but if you are going to shape often go to a little extra effort and make a real tool. Go to a hardwood lumber outfit and buy a narrow width piece of 1 1/2" thick x 6 -8’length (short boards) up to 10’ (longboards) vertical grain fir, mahogany, or basswood clear, kiln dried, and absolutely no knots,changes in grain, etc. Have someone joint the long edge dead flat and true, then rip a long “slice” about 3/16" thick. There it is for life. Keep ripping and you may end up with several, depending on board width. Sign each one and sell or give away to needy shaper friends who’ll appreciate a fine wooden tool. While you’re at it make a couple of “winding sticks”. Cut two pieces about 1/4" thick x 1 1/2" wide x about 30" in length. Lay one on edge perpendicular across the stringer near the front of the surfboard. Lay the other in similar manner across the rear end of the board. Bend down and sight down the length of the surfboard. If the board or blank has no twist the sticks will line up perfectly parallel. If the sticks don’t line out together as you sight down, your board has twist.
I’ll just add that you want to stay clear of oak for battens, no matter how nice the grain is. It always bends funny and makes lousy battens. Most softwoods are fine, I’ve been using clear white or sugar pine for years. Basswood will take a helluva bend without breaking. A lot of ‘generic hardwood’ trim these days is basswood, here in the East. Winding sticks, yep, good that you brought that up, Richard. A quick, cheap, easy way to check how things are going before it’s too late to do anything about it. Also a real good way to see if a board is warped, which does happen with something that’s been stored badly or just something a surf shop is trying to foist off. hope that’s of use doc…
A fishing pole works great.
At Home Depot go to the wall floor moldings. look at the ones made of foam. I use a 1-1/2" x 1/4" x 8’ foam floor/wall molding works great for me
I have several different battents, all different thicknesses that I use for different curves. Most of the time I match a specific battent to a specific curve. The tighter the curve the thinner the battent. Works well for me.
(Sound of man smacking himself upside the head ) Argh …Thanks, Phil, I shoulda mentioned that. See, if you have a batten that’s too thin and flexy for a particular curve, then it’s still got some flexing it can do…usually when you run your pencil alongside it to mark the curve, which bends it a little and screws up your nice fair curve with a lump where there shouldn’t be a lump or a concavity where there shouldn’t be one. Please don’t ask how I found that out the first time, nor how come it was the first time and not the only time I found that out. The answer is to have several and use the thickest/stiffest one that’ll make it around the curve you want to do without breaking. Then you’ll have a much easier time of it. doc…
…My favorites are: … 1)flat spring steel bands/strips: I have 2 sizes, one is 11’long x 1-1/8"wide,and about 1/64th thick.This one is not heat treated for better/softer flow/bend.My second piece is 12’long x 5/8"wide and is about 1/32th of a inch thick.It is heat treated by evidence of it’s bluish sheen.This one is stiffer and is good to draw a consistant curve yet mainting a straight/parallel line(s).All the edges of both strips of spring steel are deburred, rolled(grinded soft). …Rating: VG+ to excellent: Both roll up to less than 6" circles easily and are great for travel.Down side to using spring steel…letting go of the coiled strip when unleashing it…I tell people,slowly,carefully,and with a firm grip…but everyone(one time,and one time only) cuts it loose and just about decaps everyone around them.This includes some of the biggest and most well known shapers/builders,that I have given one of these to.Also they’ll rust,a good periodic coat of carwax or acrylic like Future or kyrlon will do to prevent rust.These are the best and easiest to use for this appication. …2) A Telescoping pan fish pole: closed/collapsed = 1/2" diameter round x 4ft. length. Opened 15’. …rating: VG+ to excellent: The nice features about this job is it’s superlite,compact,with a stiff butt graduating to a thin tip.Also the nice thing about these poles ,they have no reel seats or eyes, except for a small wire loop at the tip.A harder to master tool,but easily do-able for the gifted.The flex and bend to curves and flats are incredible.In the land of fishin’ rod templates,… a tele-panfish pole is King.Herb
good call herb fishin poles are good for this expessually a dippin stick…curves and tapers make an excellent tool…do you like to eat blue gill?
me, I got other things to do with the fish pole. One of the joys of the woodworkin’ biz and boatbuilding biz is there’s always lots of usable strips of wood, which I stash in the loft and use as need be. as for the fish pole… 