Not even sure what to call what I’m looking for, because I’m not even sure what they are. But I’m new and looking for instruments that help when tracing the outline of the board designs, like a compass pencil or those curvy plastic template looking things that they use in drafting and such. Basically looking for any and all instruments that can help me keep things symmetrical and even as well as expose me to new and interesting shapes and curves or whatever, pardon my lack of proper shaping vocab.
Go to office supplies for French curves…and make your own…
Lightweight fishing rod blanks and certain types of molding make decent fairing battens for experimenting with outlines.
Those plastic shaper’s squares are very handy and not too much $.
You can make your own calipers.
Sail battens make good curves too…
Eye/hand coordination, in conjunction with pencils, saws, hand planes, and sanding blocks, are the best instruments for creating surfboard outline templates.
Agree with you Bill, something about smoothly connected curves that can be recognized instinctively and resounds in your brain and not on a computer…takes time, or talent, or both…especially making templates!