This is probably an elementary question, but what the heck, I’ll ask anyway. I shaped my very first board today. Picked up a 6’11"R blank and turned it into a 6’8" fatboy thruster. Being my first attempt, I wasn’t expecting too much success with my new Clark planer. I ended up with some ridges along the body that I had to sand out, but the real problem was the nose area. Aside from that I don’t think I did too bad for a super newbie. I’m quite pleased with the finished blank, actually. Hoping to post some pics soon (decided I’d document my adventure!) I was running the planer at 45 deg. but seemed to gouge the nose when I got too close. With the rocker in the blank I didn’t see how the planer would run along the curve. After scooping out a good bit of foam on two occasions I gave up on the planer and skinned/shaped the nose with my sandpaper and surform. Watching ‘Shaping 101’ and the local shaper that did my first surfboard I know it can be done with the planer. Perhaps it’s just something I need to practice with on reject blanks? Need work on the rail bands also, but the nose is my primary concern.
Surfnerd; I run the planer at full depth up the rocker curve at 90 to the stringer, using the corner of the blades, up and bacwards. It might take you a few more boards to feel comfortable with that growling monster, but it saves loads of rasping time! Be careful with fine noses as you can clip off the point of the stringer and lose it in the foam dust… http://www.speedneedle.com.au