Hello. If a guy (like me) wanted to shape a board without an electric planer- which block plane would someone reccomend to skin the blank? Would I be better off buying a cheap harbor freight planer vs. buying a good block plane? I’ll be shaping my first board - Any suggestions?
B, You can use a long surform instead of a blockplane with good results. The advantage of the surform over a block plane at that stage of shaping is: you won’t dull the plane iron on errant resin that gets out onto the blank. Also, unless the plane is super sharp there will be tearout on the foam. Doug
The price you invest in a blank and glass job along with the time you spend on it deserves the best job you can do (no matter your skill level). If you find pride in your work and the end result matters, and it should to all of us, don’t do any job worth doing without the tools worth doing it with. Unless this is your first and last board you’ll need a good block plane (especially if you have stringer(s), and a Stanley or Record “Model 9 1/2 Standard Block” (apx$40) is the way to go. These are fine enough planes but you can turn the chevys they are into a Jag with a little time tuning them and putting a fine edge on the blades. All planes except Lie Nielsen come from the factory in old Chevy condition which is serviceable, but not an optimum ride. If budget is a huge concern go with the Harbor Freight planer until / if you desire in the future to invest in a better one. I vote for going with both the planer and the block plane if you’re serious about the job, and if you have to, save for a couple of weeks doing without something else (you’ll appreciate them more. Enjoy the ride! Richard
I just shaped a board without an electric planer. I have a surform, which I used, but the most effective tool I used was a 2x4 about 18 inches long ( seriously). I took a 40 grit 3" wide sanding belt, cut it open ran it down the 2x4 wrapping around both ends and tacked in place. It provided a level cutting surface and cut the foam well but not too quickly. Had to use a small block plane on the stringer and a cabinet scraper on the stringer in the concave area of deck where the nose kicks up. You can make a decent stand with some 2x4, sand, and drywall buckets. Have fun with it
For skinning I use a belt sander I inherited from my grand father. Before that I use a very soft touch on a 6” disk sander, and before that a 6” disk on a drill (my art training has helped a lot). After the skin is off a sure forms, sanding screen on a long flat board, and some long sanding blocks with heavy to finer grit has been working well for me. I won’t argue that the planner is probably faster, I hope this gives you some ideas.
The correct close tolerance blank should approximate your board dimensions making a power plane unnecessary. Unless you’re removing lots of foam, a block plane, 80 grit semi-flexible sanding block and fine mesh screen over soft foam pad will do fine.
Hey, as finisher for a major board label, and having my own label, I can not stress, the need for a good planer. Granted, knowing how to properly use it, is somthign all of its own. But you will get a lot better board, (easy of shaping, finishing and simitry) if you use ever the stock Hitachi Planer, retails for about 100, then if you deside to keep shapping you will most def. want to get the clark version. Don’t get me wrong, I do use a small sureform for cleaning up my concaves & thinning my noses. So the 3 basic tools you will need to buy are planer (eletric), sureform, and block plane. The your screens, sanding blocks, and you could probly find a way to get everythign done. Drop me a line if you need some help, Travis Johnson
I agree with the sanding block recommendation. If you really don’t want to invest in a planer( Don’t be afraid to invest in good tools, they make a difference), You can take down a blank very fast with a sanding block and 40 or 60 grit paper. I use an auto body long board sander. You can find them at pep boys. The advantage is that they are about 14" long and perfectly flat. Sanding sheets are sold that are pre cut and just clip in. Everyone has thier own preferences, you will have to find what works for you. Skip
Thanks for the responses. I think I’ll go ahead and get a planer…just a bit worried having never used one. I have a bit of foam I’m going to practice on…To be honest the biggest fear/worries I have are shaping the rails. I’m building a 6’7 egg. I just finished the templete. I traced the full board on the back of some masonite to see the full shape and I think I’m satisfied with the design. I’d like to shape 60/40 rails that turn hard in the tail. Any advice on rails? I checked the archieves and couldnt come up with too much (which is a little more reasuring – if they were super difficult logically there would be more posts - not that logic ever made sense).
You are definitely better off if you have something to practice on with the planer…I used one for the first time today on a large piece of a snapped longboard, and I’m glad it wasn’t a blank I’d paid for! Having said that, I also used a block plane on the board, and it is much more difficult to make consistent cuts the length of the blank with the block plane as opposed to the power planer. …Damn do those things make a gigantic mess…
I’ve shaped several boards with no e-planer…I like to “feel” the passive tools in my hand. E-planers simply allow you to do a shape faster (production and profit driven). Sure it takes me six hours to shape a blank but what’s the hurry? The longer it takes the more I enjoy it. Either a sureform or a hand planer works well to skin and remove bulk foam. Simply angle the planer blade 45 degrees or more along the path of travel…it cuts like buttah. Then clean with sureform or 40 grit block. One of the lessons Ive learned is that you cannot predict how a tool will work until you actually use it in your hands…after several dozen strokes you will begin to feel it tactilly and visually. Take your time and don’t fret over this effort…when in doubt, err on the side which removes the least amount of foam…you can always go back later and finish. Sleep on it if necessary. Early on I typically broke my shaping sessions into three major parts: 1) Rough/Skin/thickness 2) Rocker/Bottom 3) Rails & fine tune. Shaping rails is the most interesting part of the process…enjoy.
I shaped my first board today using only hand tools. It can easily be done without an electric planer, and I certainly enjoyed doing it that way. As fast as the surform and hand plane (a Scary SharpTM stanley 60&1/2) took off the foam, I think that an electric planer would have been overkill. Would definitely have been harder to control with my power-tools skill level. I had a fairly close tolerance blank, but I probably took off close to half an inch of thickness from start to finish. My beginners advice: Get shaping 101, for sure. Make a fred-tool, too. I bought mine, but I could have saved probably 10 bucks if I had made it myself. Dragon skin is good, but be very careful with it. Its edges can gouge foam very easily, and if it starts chattering on the rail it can get ugly quick.
I agree with the previous response. Furthermore, DO NOT USE AN E-PLANER to turn rails! The shaping 101 is a great video but JC uses the Skill planer on everything…way too challenging for a novice. Im certain JC can shape a board in 30 minutes…talk about pre-mature ejaculation! My take on rails…The Fred tool is extremly useful and can be made easily. I use self made rail gauges made of thin cardboard…basically a card cut out of the rail. To get there its wise to actually use some references and sketches. I go to shops a look a boards with rails that I like and feel would work well. Wrap your thumb and index finger around the rail to get a feel for the cross-sectional geometry. Or use thick solder wire or a contour gauge to make your card gauge. Then trace the rail cross-section on paper and determine your flat rail bands from the drawing. Use measurements for the apex of the rail (I use 9/16" for my boards) and dont be afraid to take on more measurements…I use three measures minimum: rail apex, top and bottom. Most of the tools your are using cut foam flat…its up to you to round everything off. I make rail bands with sureform and to round the corners. I finish with sanding screen from home depot…no need for dragon skin…again much of the hype out there is for shaping speed and ease. Finally, I can easily shape a board with only three essential tools: a small block plane, a sanding block and a sanding screen.