Ok, for the record I’m not a board shaper. I’m sticking to building custom fins. I have too many irons in the fire to take a shapping project on right now. But I have a question for you shapers out there. When you are doing the final sanding of blank, it seems a good idea to this humble observer of the trade. (I have 9 custom boards) to check the bottom configuration occasionally by carefully laying a straight edge across it. I have found over time that it’s the only way to really see where the dips and bumps in a surface are and if there is really the right belly in the nose or a flat mid section ect. Just the naked eye with no reference point seems somewhat of a cavalier approach to me regardless of the shaper experience. Am I right or wrong? Just a note I have found over time that if one wants a true foil it’s a delicate matter to produce it and the final touches are the most important ones. Good Surfin’, Rich
I usually slide a 24" plastic capenters level up and down it to make sure everything is screwed up evenly and the transitions flow, nothing to drastic. I don’t have a dark back wall with lines on it to check against.
i always use a level during the shaping and finishing of the bottom to scope contour. slowly sliding it back and forth, it’s such a good feeling when what you’re seeing in your minds eye is what the stick shows. not so fun is when it reveals the impromtu vee/roll you didn’t envision…
Ok, for the record I’m not a board shaper. I’m sticking to building custom > fins. I have too many irons in the fire to take a shapping project on > right now. But I have a question for you shapers out there. When you are > doing the final sanding of blank, it seems a good idea to this humble > observer of the trade. (I have 9 custom boards) to check the bottom > configuration occasionally by carefully laying a straight edge across it. > I have found over time that it’s the only way to really see where the dips > and bumps in a surface are and if there is really the right belly in the > nose or a flat mid section ect. Just the naked eye with no reference point > seems somewhat of a cavalier approach to me regardless of the shaper > experience. Am I right or wrong? Just a note I have found over time that > if one wants a true foil it’s a delicate matter to produce it and the > final touches are the most important ones.>>> Good Surfin’, Rich Rich, How do you go about fine tuning the foil on your fins? Do you use a straightedge? I’m not a boardbuilder by any stretch of the imagination either – just a hacker (funny, I can say the same about my golf game…) but I use a t-square, a layout square, a level, a straightedge and a string with a weight on either end (a tip from a real board builder - thanks Herb.) Magoo
Rich,>>> How do you go about fine tuning the foil on your fins? Do you use a > straightedge? I’m not a boardbuilder by any stretch of the imagination > either – just a hacker (funny, I can say the same about my golf game…) > but I use a t-square, a layout square, a level, a straightedge and a > string with a weight on either end (a tip from a real board builder - > thanks Herb.)>>> Magoo I’ve find it hard to believe that a shaper could call a job done until he/she sights the bottom configuration with a straight edge. But I’m convinced that a allot of shapers don’t do it. When I go in a shop, say like O’Niells, in Santa Cruz I’ll put one on a board that appeals to me and I often find the board isn’t very true. I’m sure this could be due at times to the glasser’s less than the best lamination work but I’m still surprised to see it a $500 board so assymetrical and have to owe some of it to the shaper. To answer your question Magoo-- I start with a corser grit of course but I use a little high speed grinder with 100 grit and use a half round bastard file in some of the tight spots to get things roughed into shape around the tab insert and cutaway radias at times. After I think I have it pretty close. I use a small palm held sureform with course grit abrasive. It leaves deep scratches that tell me exactly where I am. The perfectly flat hand held surface shows me where the imperfections are. and I can see where the dips and high spots are. Putting the fin in the fin box and sighting it at a distance is an important step as well use less of course it’s a glass. They’re a piece of cake. When I’m doing the final work I use the finer grit insert for the palm held sureform and then go the a 180 grit wet dry. I find that there’s no substitute for hand rubbing with progressively finer grits to get the foil shaped. and polished. Good Surfin’, Rich
Another thing I wanted to do is use the CAT Scanner at work to image and or template a professionally shaped board and also to check my own It can give cross sectional info all the way down the board a little like a CAD but of your board not a model it can show you rail profiles across the whole board. A 3D model can also be generated and actual measurements taken. Holger
Another thing I wanted to do is use the CAT Scanner at work to image and > or template a professionally shaped board and also to check my own It can > give cross sectional info all the way down the board a little like a CAD > but of your board not a model it can show you rail profiles across the > whole board. A 3D model can also be generated and actual measurements > taken.>>> Holger That’s some pretty fancy equipment. I’ll bet you can see every little imperfection in the board with it. Rich