I just picked up a custom Walker blank (9’8", two 1/4" basswood stringers placed 1" apart)…What is the standard for taking these down during the shaping process? I went out and bought a new Stanley hand plane, the medium sized one, and it looks lie it would take care of both of the stringers at one time. Is that the “norm”, or do you do them both seperately with a finger plane? Also, this is a stupid question, but do usually skin the entore blank first, or draw your outline, cut it out, true it up, THEN skin? Just curious as to what others are doing…Thanks.
i just use a little trim plane, but it shouldn’t matter much. also, i prefer to trace first, then skin the blank, but i’ve heard of people doing it the other way, too…it’s just a matter of personal preference.
If the grain allows it, you should be able to do both stringers at once. If the grains don’t match well, one at a time.
I’ve done it both ways but prefer to skin the blank first before templating. Sometimes after I’ve skinned the blank I’ll have a slightly different idea for the board than before I started working on it. Plus its a bit easier to draw and saw nice lines on the crust-less blank. IMHO.
Wow, you should be the expert on this one, seein how you can outlongboard any poster on this forum.
Cut the stringer separately, for sure.
Because longboards have softer rails than most shortys, and also because the wider width might require more cutting into the bottom than shortys, most guys skin the blank first, to make it really clean and smooth, then draw and cut the outline. The reason is it gives a better chance of a more precise outline, having to work thru fewer inch’s of varying density foam to achieve the 90 degree rail.
Longboards usually have more bottom shape, and as such, require more work and skill.
Tenover, Did you buy the Low Angle Block plane from Stanley? That plane will trim the stringers nicely. I would recommend doing one stringer at a time. Also, the usual distance between stringers is 1 1/8", in order to get a little play when you set the center finbox. 1" will still work, though.
The proceedure that works for me is 1) skin the bottom, making sure it is FLAT rail to rail. 2) Skin the top. 3) Cut the outline making absolutely sure that the cut is 90 degrees to the bottom. You can use a framing square to check it. If it’s not 90 degrees, your rail line will wander and drive you crazy. True up the rail line so it is exact from nose to tail and now you have your references to shape the whole board. Doug
Quote:
Wow, you should be the expert on this one, seein how you can outlongboard any poster on this forum
??HUH?? LeeD, are you mocking me? Oh well…Doug- Yeah, I bought the low angle plane. I’ll take your advice, thanks.
Actually…not!
Aren’t you famous for noseriding some head high lefts and such, making it look really easy and stylin? I thought I remember some pics of you surfing the logs, and you seem to make it look easy.
That’s why I like to give you sooo much grief and sh.t, 'cause you surf better than most already!
Tenover, I had a couple more thoughts regarding your plane:
Hold the plane at a diagonal when you slide it along the stringer for cleaner slicing.
It’s a good idea to take out the iron and round off the corners. You won’t get bothersome gouges in the foam next to the stringer that way.
Also, the flat side of the iron should be dead flat for best results. (they rarely come from the factory that way). I’ve recommended before, so I’ll reiterate, invest in a diamond sharpening…thing. (flat steel approx. 2" x 5" with industrial diamonds imbedded in the steel. It’s not a stone) They cut fast, and are very flat. Then get some good oil stones for fine honing. If you have a bench grinder, you can finish the honing process with a cloth wheel and red jeweler’s rouge. A good test to see if the blade is Sharp with a capital S is to hold the edge up to the flat area of one of your fingernails at a 45 degree angle. Push lightly. If the blade slides on the fingernail, it’s not sharp. If it stops, it’s sharp.
When the blade is really sharp it will make trimming stringers a pleasure. I’ve literally gotten a curly shaving 10 ft. long. It’s a beautiful thing. Doug
Thanks for the info Doug…
Do you know if there’s anywhere online that could explain the sharpening process in very simple terms? I’d love to be able to work with a super sharp blade, but am lagging in the “know how to get it that sharp” Department. I ALWAYS end up getting chunks out next to the stringer, and when doing tints and pigments, that is NO GOOD.
Tenover, As far as online instructions, I haven’t really looked. I got most of my information from a few small books bought at a woodworking store, and from a woodcarver that I used to work for, plus doing it a lot.
There are some good books with illustrations out there.
The process is really pretty simple once you know it.
Now you’ve got me thinking…I’ll be online for awhile, looking for books on sharpening. Doug
Tenover, I just found a website for woodworking books.
I saw one that I can recommend: Bench Tools, published by Fine Woodworking Magazine. Anything from them is high quality, and extremely informative.
Doug
FWW & Fine HomeBuilding as well as dozens of great books are all published by the Taunton Press:
http://www.taunton.com/index.asp
Edit: Here’s an $11.95 video on ‘reclaiming flea-market planes’. Bet there’s a lot about truing & sharpening…
Thanks guys, I’ll check those out…