bevel in swallow for a fish

Hey guys,

So I’ve shaped 3 fish and haven’t been able to achieve the beveled tail on the stringer yet. It’s more of a vertical drop opposed to a nice slope. The only thread I found on this was back in '02, so I was hoping to get some fresh advice before I start #4.

Thanks in advance for your help…

Mask off the foam on both sides with 3-4 layers

Then use a round sureform with the sides taped off

and have at it

i’ve used my dremel (with a SUPER steady hand) with the little drum sand bit for my first one…then i saw the light with the round or corner microplane.

Check em

I’m assuming you want a radiused ‘‘slope’’, not a flat, straight ‘‘bevel’’, but either way the tools, etc. are

the same. I rough this with a 7’’ #36 hard disc, but on number 4 you’d better avoid that and just use the

round surform. The microplane with the handle is the absolute best, we were talking about that on here a

couple of weeks ago.

Depending on the thickness at the crack, this slope can easily be 3’‘-4’’ up into the deck

Start at the stringer, right in the crack,at a 45 degree angle, cutting up towards the deck. You are doing

‘‘rail bands’’ in the crack, leaving the rest of the foam alone for now. The fact that you’re digging a trench

will make it hard for the blade to roll off the stringer. Make this first cut deeper than you think you should.

Then do secondary ‘‘bands’’ above and below, then start blending into a nice clean curve. If you get it right

you’ll be able to get within .25’’ of the bottom without having the blade hit the outline. If your blade is hitting

the outline your angle’s too steep and you need to go back to step one. Blending into the deck you just have

to be careful to keep the blade from rolling off.

To fair the rest, for learning shapers I’d suggest a coarse block and cutting bands just like shaping a rail. You

have a set curve on the stringer, and the tip where all the lines gather, just connect those with fair bands.

A STIFF piece of #80 screen (on PU), coming from the stringer out to the tips, will blend everything together.

I could have done all this in less time than it takes me to type it, didn’t mean to make it sound hard. It’s not.

thanks for all of your input guys, and the detailed “how to” mike. much much appreciated.

A chainsaw file can work okay as well.