Firstly I’d like to thank all those who contribute their hard earned knowledge, without you I’d be flying blind!
My next blank on the blocks is a triple stringer 9’8" Y from US blanks with dark wood stringers offset from middle stringer 6". The plan shape is to be a fairly traditional square tail. Im giving it a wooden tail block and glassing it clear with Volan. I have searched the archives and have gathered a decent amount of information about how to tackle this, I also have Jim Phillips dvd which has a section on finishing triple stringers…
So I would gather the way to go is to do as much shaping as i possibly can with the planer and then finish with my super sharp little plane / convex sanding blocks?
Questions
- How does one cut out the outline? I usually use my handsaw. Will this work? or should I use a jigsaw/circular saw etc?
- Can someone explain a good method for blending/screening rails?
Any information / tips on this subject would be greatly appreciated . Thanks so much for your time.
Before approaching your rail tuck or rail crown, try to get the ends of your stringers as square to the outline as possible. After cutting and truing my outline I generally ‘whittle’ the ends of the stringers so they’re flush with the trued foam on the outline.
Your ‘super sharp’ mini-plane is your friend… try alternating between shaping/sanding the foam and whittling the end grain wood. It’s sometimes a toss up as the final step - a perfect final cut with the shallow set mini-plane might be better than hitting with a sanding block and leaving a high spot where the stringer ends. You’ll also find that whittling towards the ends of the board will work much better than snagging the grain by trying to cut towards the middle of the blank. Really study that Jim Phillips video. You won’t find a better reference.
Thanks SO much for the speedy response. Jim, I will give it a go with my circular saw. I have never done this before, only ever used a hand saw but Im pretty used to using the cir saw on wood so nothing ventured nothing gained!.
Am I best to stay away from the outline line by about an 8th and then true it up with the planer? ( another thing im very green at but would imagine its time to jump into that! )
Johnmellor thanks for all your info there. I will take heed and study Jim’s DVD closely.
My aim is just to go slow and try and be as methodical as I can. I remember a wise man once saying " its better to come back and make more passes with the planer or you can just make one big oooops. "
Thanks again for taking the time to reply to this post.
I had good luck cutting outlines in eps with a long blade on a scroll saw. So much easier than hand sawing and you get a cleaner cut. Only thing is to keep if moving, otherwise you melt the eps. Maybe on poly that’s not an issue. I’d imagine the blades would handle the stringers as long as it’s a sharp blade and you go easy with it. I was cutting stringerless so i don’t know. I’d just be cautious that the blade doesn’t snag the stringer and reciprocate the nose off your board. Circ saw sounds safer in that respect.
For me and EPS
Hot wiring the outline on EPS=awesome, especially on thick SUP’s and if you have fresh air and a variable control on the power supply.
Circular saw on EPS=bad idea, catches and kicks as mentioned previously, I have experienced this twice.
Long blade on a saber saw=I can never seem to get it plumb. Once side canted in and one side canted out.
Pull saw=what I use to fix up saber saw issues.
So I go back to hot wire…