What is the best tool for drawing templates on a blank? The 3’ x 1" x 1/8" piece of wood I have been using just doesn’t work anymore. I am looking for something that will bend more smoothly and fit the rocker of the blank. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
use it for template or use a narrow strip for a spline. Best for drawing is a pencil, though, or use a Sharpie marker.
Home Depot carries aluminum battons in various sizes (up to 16ft+). I think they are used to section off areas of carpet or linoleum but I’m not sure. Just about any hardward store should carry the 8 foot ones.
Hi Terje You have been making some cool looking boards. I really think you should apply more “EYE” on your templates, and rely less on tools to make the clean, smooth curve. I know some great shapers who like to use battens and stuff, but they don’t always see the straightspots, or overly curved spots. Technically, they make very even boards. The reason using the “eye” for drawing the templates is so you can focus your curve right where you want the surfer to be standing, so you can make it turn better or not, up to you. In the end, it’s your “eye” that determines if your templates, rail eveness, twist removal, equal concave depths, or actual curves, are correct and even. Similar to pinstriping, the more you use your eye, the better you will become. That’s just my view, you can disregard it, of course.
I have read that given a choice, that manmade materials such as a plastic would be a better choice than wood. The grains or knots could (arguable) introduce inconsistencies in the bend. Although I think in a 5-10 foot bend of wood, there would not be much (if any) variations. But being safe, I thought one of the best posts came from someone using a plastic vertical blind from a curtains. A plastic product such as that would basically have zero memory, and bend very consistently. maybe even better: Drawing software - Draw it at full scale and then take your file to Kinkos they can print full size on a plotter. precision to 1/256. Best, Herb Bean
I draw templates in CAD and then make referenze points on wood using a 2.5 fiberglass rod from kitebuilding…it’s 4mm diameter and bents very even and flexes very good. Every kitestore has fiberglass, nylon ¶ or carbon… go here for fiberglass solid rods http://www.kitebuilder.com/frame.htm
Thanks for all the replies, there are some good suggestions. I’ve also heard that a fishing rod works well. Has anyone ever tried this? I’m looking for something that is going to bend in more than one plane, so that it will fit the rocker of the blank. It seems like a fishing rod or something similar might achieve this. LeeD; yeah I agree with you somewhat. I shaped 2 boards yesterday using a template from one of my previous boards and a piece of wood as a batten to make alterations in thickness, tail curve, etc… The problem is that the outlines didn’t come out exactly as planned. The widepoints are a little too far forward than I intended, but this was hard to see until the board was cut-out. Fortunately, the widths of the boards are ~0.5" more than what I originally wanted, so there is enough room to make some minor adjustments in the nose curve. The foil and rocker are perfect, so I am just going to re-template with the adjustments and re-shape the rails. The problem is my “batten” is not precise enough to make the changes, and I don’t want to draw it all by hand. I’m kinda looking for something in between.
Try a flag for off road vehicles. We use 'em to drive around on the dunes, but they have a constant diameter from bottom to top and are made of fiberglass. A fishing pole would taper towards the end.
yesterday what a day,cut out with the router and no guide whata trip just follow the line wow kinda wavy then whent back with a few template goides to clean and modify the turn… new size board so no in stock half template… templates now can be made from this curve… actually pick a pleasing rail and make the permanent masonite half template from that…Kudos leeD on bringing the eye into the picture…an engineering perspective can evolve into such a cold lifeless interpretation when there is so much potential freedom at hand… to access the divine mistake by denying mathimatical tollerences is a gift of glory in itself…cut out the foamease swaylocks raffle blank too the 7’3’’ becker has always been a great blank…how bout using that blank as a point of departure for each “SHAPE” head and bring that to the swaylocks and compare renditions…every one of the boards will surely be worlds apart yet all starting from the same ‘genesis’ book chapter 1…just a thought… natural rocker?..or some other blank rocker combo,…ambrose…flying on french toast yoghurt sourcream and egg batter with asagio cheese bread
everybody going to SA2004 shape a board from that same 7’3" blank & bring it along? Now that’s a good one. I’m up for it. Maybe there should be a longboard category too. How about 9’1’Y w/ natural rocker?
Wow, I spent most of the day at work day dreaming about a 7’0" diamond tail egg and the 7’3" Becker and then I see this! Cool!! Count me in.