Folk’s - I keep getting the same nagging question that pops up into my head… And the question is: is it important how to setup blank before you get started?
Here’s some interesting material I found in a vid, but also tried it yrs back from a tip I got somewhere? It’s just moving template forward on blank to grab more nose rocker for your design, or pushing the template more towards tail for a flatter nose rocker…
Then sometimes people seem to center blank to locate apex and build from there… what’s best and why? I’m probably over thinking it. But it’s good to resolve doubts in order to learn.
Anyway, I’d like to hear how YOU go about blank setup before you hack away at the FOAM.
If you are using a stock rockered blank you have to adjust for the rocker you want, where you want it, Pretty much common sense. you obviously wouldnt set out to do a board with 5.25 rocker in the nose, when the blank has a 5.5 Nose rocker, but then push thE nose down on your template like 8 inches down where your max rocker is now 4.5 because you are using a 6’8 to net a 6’2.
THE best piece of advice for this thread is…
USE THE PROPER BLANK. you will get the best results with the least amount of work.
How do u achieve custom rocker on your boards? Do u just say something like “an inch less nose rocker than the catalog shows”, or do you give them a template, or what?
just curious - I ordered a custom rocker only once, did option A above, then later wondered how everyone else does it.
some shapers will design a rocker, pretty much like how you make a template and they take it to Millennium or arctic or USB… Say we call it AG1…
We call and say hey I need 2 6’3" dgs with AG1 rocker, and they cut off your template, into whatever your wood choice is. Some rockers will fit many blanks, some will fit only one.
THAT is the real deal way to do it.
Otherwise yes you are correct.
for instance we stock the 6’2" DE from Millennium in 9 different rockers + 1/2n - 1/4 t +1"n + 1"t -3/8n +1/2 t etc etc etcit allows the shapers to get as close as possible to thier desired shapes without a bunch of fuss or over shaping. but its not dead on like the first option.
Its the way to do it right CNC or handshape. With the Rocker templates you can watch a CNC skim like 1/16 from tip to tip creating stronger finished shapes. Thats the way all the big guys do and select smaller shapers who really are dialed in to thier rockers and shapes.
the ± way just gets you in the ballpark but being in the ballpark is better than being out in the parking lot with no ticket like some people are trying to slap whatever into natural rockered blanks.
Thanks -'Aqua_ glassing and - Barry! That makes tons of sense. Thanks MUCH.I do think blank setup is extremely IMPORTANT I dunno why? Thanks for helping us all w proper knowledge! Peace and happy summer!
Barry I love that rocker measuring tool, I’m seriously considering making one. Long time ago someone said here that studying rocker, measuring and recording rocker, is one of the keys to good shaping. Its just starting to sink in…
Rocker template questions: Do you just give them a template of the bottom rocker curve, or of the stringer with curve top and bottom, to the thickness of the blank (i.e., the thickness of the blank is given at incremental points in the catalog), or… can you give them a template of the rocker at the finished (foiled) size? The last option would be awesome, because you could just plane the foam down to the stringer then.
Also: if you’re varying by an inch and a half or more, I assume you are stressing the foam, which is molded to the rocker shape in the catalog. So, do you have to add stringers, or go with a thicker or denser stringer, to hold the rocker shape you desire? If the blank stressed some of the rocker back in, which you took out, would it tend to follow closer to the desired shape as you shaved the foam down to foil?
Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere, I couldn’t find it anywhere. I’m getting closer to the point of wanting my own rockers in my blanks, and would love to deliver a template for all my boards. 1/8" masonite OK for this?
If you bend the blank past its natural rocker too much, it will snap back as the stringer gets thinner.
Yeah, a wider stringer will help with that.
I’ve used rhe same rocker on several blanks.
Works great.
This is a great saying. So true.
“(Terry Martin) was always open to changing his technique, and felt that each shaper must do what works for that person; you’re better off discovering those things rather than mimicking anyone else.”
Barry - I liked that one to! It’s in my notebook! after reading it, I am GLAD I got a thicker blank so I have rm to experiment a little w pp techniques…
