sorry
I guess the answer again is it dependz.
getting accurate measurements and marks are one thing
as well as having a very accurate measuring device
like starting with an accurate center line off a chalk line to start with to measure against in the first place(Jim Phillips)
second is having an eye to see skew where ever it lies…(again Jim Phillips)
most people can’t see this compared to someone who’s spend the time
a fine measuring device , sharp pencil, flexible baton which an accurate edge
and a good eye is the shaper’ tools of choice.
but then we get back to it dependz again
the flexible baton works great for a continuous curved outline
but with an outline with varying parallel lines and curves a baton might cause problems as it skews
I can foresee the eventual use of measuring and marking lazers somewhere down the road (like a CNC I guess)
that lazer painted grid patterned shaping room is an example
in litmus
greenough is trying to help curren design his board and tells him to see it in his mind then cut it out of folded in half butcher paper. Open it up look at the lines lay on it step on it and make adjustments as needed. In that case instead of scissors perhaps a seamstress pattern makers cutting wheel would be a better tool to trim out smoother line. But I guess the real lesson george was trying to get across to curren was to use his imagination to think out what he’s trying to accomplish and then transfer that to a shape where each component has some intrinsic why? value behind it. This is an extremely hard task if you don’t have a good grasp as to the derived influence of all the implied curves you’re stacking into three dimensional space with an idea or end goal.
I guess you could say its the understanding of the impacts of outline, rocker, pitch, foil and edge curves to create your desired effect that determines the final planshape path you’ll follow. The melding of those five design components along with fins and materials usually helps define the end result. How many people really undertood all that to perfection? Well thats a crapshoot in my opinion as alot of folk seem to think their through their ego that the got it all figured out when in fact its an endless learning cycle. I don’t claim to understand enough of any of those factors to anyone’s benefit.
there are indeed old scaling methods involving grids used to convert models into the castles and pyramids of kings. Pythagoras gave us the foundations for plotting out and scaling geometric shapes
I believe that like what einstein may have alluded to
its the imperfections of the universe that give it a humanity or purpose beyond just the physical laws.
I think all great artists and board makers a like translate this kind of thinking into the idea that it’s exactly those little imperfections within a hand created masterpiece that gives it what some call soul or spirit. Where as the concept of attempting to achieve perfection is really the creation of artificialness or that little David looking for mommy with his bear.
So are you talking about achieving the perfect planshape by utilizing perfect hand eye coordination or have you devised a method to plot a perfect planshape using some form of scaling process to remove the need for perfect hand eye coordination. I’m not sure like others here exactly what the purpose of the discussions was supposed to be.
My previous message was that tools are are tools and in a sense are all the same its just how you choose to use them that differs. The guys with the eyes know that the stuff coming out of machines is as screwed up as anything else and some time worse if the operator can’t see it or care.
I used to be a disciple of continuous curve in both the outline and rocker fom my Parmenter vector upbringing but in re-discovering fishes I’ve seen where straight lines and straight planes like reverse vee panels inplace of smooth concaves can work as well. I grew up on the heavily foiled parish/brewer style beak nosed single pins but now find that wide point back no-nose nuggets, zaps or thumb roundtails or geminis can work even better. I do favor heavily pulled in noses lately…
so again it dependz
something reliable and secure comes in handy at my age…