Did I forget anything?

General Discussion
1

Whats Up everyone,

I just moved to Hawaii and lovin it. Im new to shaping but no stranger to water. I thought it would ve pretty cool to be on both sides of surfing…The rider and the shaper of the board. I have spent weeks doing research, Saving $$, and getting everything ( at the Minimum ) that I need to get started. At this very moment I Have the Following:

  • 10x10 enclosed working space

  • 2 shaping racks

  • Lighting…(level with racks for shadows)

  • Pre shaped blank from US Blanks

  • SurForm

  • 20 in. 2x4 with 60 grit sand paper

    10 in. 2x4 with 60…

    6 in . 2x4 with 60…

  • Mesh sanding sheets

  • Foam pads for soft sanding

  • Pocket plane for stringer

  • Saw to trim outline

  • level

  • square

  • ruler/ tape measure

I ride a 5’7 Quad but I want to shape a 6’0… Is there any way besides obviously tracing a 6’0 to make my template of my 5’7 longer but still even? ( did that make sense)

Am I missing anything as far as shaping tools?

I am confident that I can actually pull this off. Many of my friends think that it is a waist of time and something way too hard for me to even think of learning. I dont want to Buy any power tool so soon. I think It would be great for me to learn with the hand tools before I spend the big bucks on a “luxury” tool. learn to Walk before you run.

as far as glassing, I met a local shaper here in Hawaii that is willing to share some knowledge and help me glass my board.

Im just looking for any input on anything I have over looked, left out or just had no Idea about.

Any advice is good advice.

Shorts

2

whats up shorts

congrats on the move to the island. for basic tools your list looks good. you’ll be surprised how fast you will accumulate the other toys. one thing i might recommend is a small spoke shave, i got one from foam e-z. they are around 7 bucks. i myself just started shaping this year and one problem that frustrated me was taking down the stringer by the nose. i was using a small trim plane, but kept tearing up the foam, even holding the plane on an angle to the stringer. this little spoke plane has made that part a lot easier (for me at least)

dont listen to the nay-sayers. shape your boards. i have never done anything so frustrating yet so rewarding. in fact i finally got to take my first finished board out today. there is nothing like riding something that you have created.

good luck bro. the guys here at swaylocks have been great. so much knowledge and stoke shared by all.

brasco

3

You need a planer? All the other stuff you have is used to smooth out after you plane.

My personal opinion is that a planer is a must, all the other stuff you can get by without. Planers don’t lie, they just cut flat & true. Surforms cheat and steal, I only use them to grind down my laps.

4

Thanks Brasco

I was acctually looking at a spoke shave the other day and didnt think I would need it. Ill be going to HomeDepot today and will be sure to look for one. Thanks to you, that tearing of the foam at the nose problem would be something to avoid.

Thanks again.

Shorts

5

Resinhead

Power plane or manual? I have no experience with a power plane and think Im am too new to the art to be handling a tool like a power plane.haha , but ill stay confident and try it out. gotta start somewhere. Oh and the noise is a problem …mean family next door that has a very low tolerance to Loud noises even in the middle of the day.

What would be an effective yet well priced plane?

Thank you

Shorts

6

Power planer, electricity, whirling blade, flying foam, etc. Even my pet monkey can learn to use one. Keep it away from your face. Some knuckleheads will shave there fingers and body parts…but that actually takes some work to do.

The best you can get for a fair price is a Clark modified Hitachi SB 20. Used about $150.00. Home depot sells them new for $90 or so, but the don’t have the modifications that make it a surfboard planer. A new Clark will set you back about $300.00, but it’s a must have tool in the arsenal.

If not the Hitachi, than any one will do, get a Harbor Freight one for $25, then in a few months or years get the good one.

-Jay

7

Hows it bro,

im one of the ‘knuckleheads’ resinhead talks about :slight_smile: …i started using the planer on board two and three and it shits all over using a surform or sanding block alone. even a newbie like me was able to get a really nice and symetrical shape with an even foil and rocker which made a bitchin board to ride for me (at least for my average abilities)…but, as resin warns, be aware that it spins very fast and will eat appendages for breakfast. I lost the tip of my finger a few months back cause i was tired, it was late and i was careless. so be careful dude and never plane tired. but do get one, they rock and will enhance you abilities and net you a cool board. be aware of the surform, it tears and for me, never cuts true or smooth like a planer. I second the spokeshave for the nose stringer. also, get a soft foam pad for final touches - i use it with a screen to get the blank nice and smooth. also, try not to overshape - just stop and take a breath and come back to the blank the next day. its amazing what a bit of rest can do for your eyes and overall perspective. ive banned myself from shaping after 10pm for that very reason.

also, be careful when taking your shape off the racks to stand or store - they ding real easy and will make your cry.

Another thing, and this was a tip from the very experienced Keith Melville, get a 3 foot long x 6inch piece of flexible masonit (2mm) and glue a couple of 40 grit sanding belts to it. I use this to true up my outline after i have planed it to within a 1/4 inch of the pencil line - this fairing board will make sure your edges meet at 90 degrees and make it accurate for the rails etc.

get a good sander/polisher for glassing/sanding and if you can, use UV resin - thats what i use and it has improved my glassing big time.

lastly - trawl through these archives, i have learned so much about shaping and surfing here.

peace

Ado

8

Hi Shorts,

Just my little bit of input regarding a planer:

I’ve got limited experience with it, but once I started to figure it out, love it. Get someone who knows what they’re doing to show you how. Otherwise, you may get pretty frustrated. I agree with the sureform advice as well, be really careful with it. Don’t know about poly, but if you’re using EPS there’s one tool that’s great in my hands for shaping, and also for smoothing out the blank once I’ve gouged it with the planer. Someone else here suggested this, it’s not my idea: Take a good, straight 2x4, and attach a 4" wide belt sander belt to it. If you make your tool 20" long, and use a 4" x 24" belt you can cut the belt, then screw it into the ends where it wraps around. Use 36 grit. You can really shape with one of these with 36 grit on it. I’ve never heard of anyone using one of these on poly though, can it be done?

Pat

9

WOW!

Sounds good.

Thanks

10

Welcome aboard. Don’t listen to any of the losers telling you your wasting you time. I know it all to well, especially since Im landlocked and had never surfed before. Further one thing I would really reccomend is shape your blank and then be really critical of it. If you arent satisfied with the finished shape, DONT fiberglass it. Just reshape another blank, which will turn out 100 times better and fiberglass that. (I must say I dont really know the price of a blank since I make my own, but for me $20 for another homemade blank compared to $160 of fiberglassing material seems the smart choice). Have fun

11

what’s up Shorts good luck taking the plunge!

i’m only on board #2 so take my input with a whole fistful of salt.

the first board that i shaped was an old 70’s boat that had more

than enough foam for a 5’6" Lis Fish. i stripped the old glass and

i used only sanding blocks and they worked great. the foam was

PU. my #2 is with EPS and my sanding blocks just wouldn’t cut

it … literally. the foam is a little more… um … spongy i guess is

the best word to describe it. the sanding block tends to skip across

it if you go too fast… i got a planer from Black and Decker for like

$50 with a 2 year warranty. shaping with power is AWSOME! very

intimidating at first but not too hard. i am taking it really slow. it

was well worth it. then for my birthday, my wife totally surprised

me with the Clark Planer… holy smokes! i thought the B&D was

great, the Clark is head and shoulders above! the depth adjustment

is easy to get used to and so very useful, the hose attachment saves

me hours of cleanup each time i shape, and the extra long cord is

really helpful too. it is pretty noisy though. so, i don’t know how that

will work for you… i wouldn’t say that it’s any noisier than an electric

drill though.

i’m not using side lights mainly because i’m basically shaping in a tent

on our back deck.

i read here on Swaylocks many bad things about the Sureform so i didn’t

even bother getting one.

i use a jig saw for the outline.

also something that you will probably want to add to your list is a mask

of some sort. i got one for about $35 that has replaceable cartridges.

and maybe some goggles… if you get the planer you probably will want

earplugs also.

good luck, show us how you do…

12

oh yah, and what i wouldn’t give for a 10x10 working space

where i could just keep all my stuff ready to go…

if you already have one, i’m jealous!

13

Shorts, sounds like you are well on your way.

If you cannot afford a planer right now, you can do some shaping with #12 sandpaper as well. It is kind of hard to find – I found some at the tool rental section at one of the home depots in town. It came in a round sheet for floor sanding machines. I cut it and put it on a plastic dry wall sander. 3"x8" or so. It mows the foam pretty well, but it is a lot of work. Probably 50 times the time it would take with a planer. But like you say, walk before you run. :slight_smile: All that being said, I’m looking for a planer as soon as I can save some cash…

14

I found an old power sander…you know the one that just vibrates back and fourth. How are those?..crap I bet?

But Ill post some pics as soon as Im done.

Shorts

15

all good advice here…dont bother with those vibrating sanders - they dont have the power or accuracy to do your foam justice…better off using hand power then one of those. remember when sanding the foam, you can never put foam back so stop often, eyeball and dont over shape (which i still tend to do - though im only new to this myself). also, long flowing strokes with the sanding…dont scrub in one spot or you’ll get low dips etc and the bottom wont be flat. get a spirit level to check the bottom so you can check if you are keeping it flat…regularly check the stringer and make sure you plane it down with a handplaner as you sand so that you dont end up with an annoying hump down the stringer…

Keep in mind that i have only shaped 3 boards and am learning myself everyday…but ive found these tips to be invaluable…please PM me if you have any more questions from one Newbie to another…id be happy to help.

Ado

16

Thanks AJ

Just finished installing the low lights and secured the racks to the Ground but still movable to what ever length ill be shaping.

This will be my first blank and I wanna do as much as I can, the right way so I dont build any bad habits.haha

This website and everyone involved has been so helpful and I know for sure Ill Be back for more advice and maybe give some as well.

Im so Stoked to ride it as soon as im done. thats if it doesnt break in two.

17

Don’t get a spoke shave. Go to FH and get one of those curved base Japanese hand planers. Trust me. If you do decide to get a spoke shave remember to pull not push. Go to Woodcraft behind the DMV on Dillingham. Home Depot does not carry them to my knowledge. PS you owe me $5 for this info.

18

Hows That Japanese Planer?

PS

Id give you the 5$ but I gotta buy some Epoxy…hehe