How do you folks shape a stepdeck? I have been doing them on and off for 40 years and have my methods but there are always alternatives. Pretty sure a lot of people would like input on this.
Yeah the Mahady does look sweet. Watched Minchton pull tape to do a nose concave with the planer awhile back; so yes tape is a good idea.
Roger, just my sander and my hands and a lot of sweating
Brukkah, you buggah, you haven’t figured it out yet ?
I start my shape as usual, get the deck planer work done and lay out where the step will go, then I clean up the rear portion of the deck shape.
This way the crown is clean and as true as it can be, this keeps the step from being distorted when cleaning it up. When laying out the step, I draw the rear where it falls into the deck and add a line where it will stop before the rails, then it is go for it with the planer, deepening the cut as I near the rear of the step. A bit of cross cutting is sometimes needed at the rear, but take it easy to not blow out the stick(s). It is all eye ball to come up with what looks good to you, I have no formula, but on the Copy Cat, I start the morph at 60" and regular steps somewhere around 46"-54", anything shorter and the flow gets kind of too confined and doesn’t look like it was supposed to be there, but this is just my opinion
Like Jim; I just go at it with the planer once I've finished with the deck and laid out the step. I don't try to copy "Da Cat " or others. I just step it down. If anything similar to a spoon, but usually thinner because my intent and goal is that they flex. Blanks are so lite these days that swing weight doesn't figure into it for me. It's all about flattening that nose rocker when I'm on it.
Howzit Jim and Mcding I pretty much do the same thing. (actually Jim taught me years ago). Instead of marking where the step begins a lay down a layer of two inch tape. pencil lines tend to get planed away but the tape is there. I crown the deck and crossplane carefully. You almost have to support the planer to keep it from nosing down the crown and putting a dip in the rail.
Still looking for input. That Mahady board looks sweet.
Thanks for the explanation McD - I was just wondering what the point was… Nose riding. Hmm.
Do you think the flex to take the rocker out of the nose works with/better/worse/different than a big concave on the bottom in the nose?
I love stepdecks, but rarely ride them or shape them these days. They belong in long lined up waves like Rincon and Malibu. I shape one as a novelty every so often. My average longboard isn't shaped to be just a noserider. If you're up in Lincoln City, stop in Oregon Surf Shop. There are two in there. Two extremes; one thin, one thick.
I’ve been playing around with step decks a bit as well. At what stage does everyone start cutting the step? Are the rail band cut and screened or do you do it as part of the initial foil on the board?
I usually step mine down at the end. Meaning before final screening. After I have foiled every thing (including my rails) and have done pre-liminary sanding by hand. The rails at the step can then be foiled to match the existing overall rail line Some guys step them down before they turn the rail; which is also an acceptable and logical way to do it. It's just habit with me to shape a board and then add the "bells and whistles".
Thanks McDing. I have been foiling and cutting the step prior to turning the rails. I guess either way works.