What would be the best tool for shaping stringers that run into a rail? A small file? I’m having a tough time getting my stringers to match the foam along side of them (triple stringer blank.)
Otherwise, the new gun is almost ready to glass … thanks again to Bill Thrailkill for his support and knowledge … and the fins
BTW, La Jolla was fun Saturday morning … and O-side pier was fun Saturday evening but getting a little punchy by nightfall … I was getting a workout (but it was still fun.)
Stopped by Mitch’s on Saturday too and saw their selection of blanks etc., good guys. Great to be back in SoCal for a weekend. Too bad Sunday was all blowouts with the screaming S. winds.
Yeah, like Bill said. Set the blade for really shallow cuts and just kind of whittle away at the end grain. Maybe run masking tape over the foam so you don’t chew it up.
I was taught to leave the ends alone after the board is rough shaped. Then when you are cleaning it all up, finish the tips of the outer stringers. Use a low angle block plane and slowly chip away in a little circular motion (always keep the circular motion headed in the direction to the closest end of the board) very shallow cuts until it’s level with the foam. All done.
Triple stringers are a challenge even for the best of us…
I try to do the absolute maximum possible with the biggest tool - I.e power planer as far as you dare. Then coarse blocks before getting to whittling with a fine small plane, then almost entirely avoid gauzing near the wood at the rails.
Think back to what your woodshop teacher taught you about planing end grain. Go in from the edges and meet in the middle to prevent chipping. Plane from the deck or bottom and work your way to the center point of the stringer where it meets the center of the rail.
while I agree with all that’s been said above, am I the only one who’s heard (from a local mythical “underground genius”) that you should glass the board with the rough ends hanging out and then plane it down…to avoid chewing up the foam and screwing up the shape? Seems iffy to me…especially when pigment/paint involved, not to mention potential for bubbles in the glass around the stringer, etc. …maybe just do a little glass patch on each side of the side stringers and then plane down to the final shape?
That sounds kind of weird to me too but who knows?Anyway I have a razor sharp Record low angle block plane the works great.I also have a small sanding block with rocker in it.It has 60 grit glued to it.Great for touching up the ends of stringers.The curve lets you hit the wood without messing up the foam.Also don’t be to Anal about it.A small bump will leveled out during tha glassing and sanding process.
Howzit Mr.Clean, Well you beat me to it this time. I was going to say that after lamming, a rail baste coat and the hot coat there would be plenty of room to sand the stringer points off. Aloha good buddy, Kokua
I have over a dozen planes of different size and blade adjustment. Each has it’s own usage.
This is a Hock Rc62 blade in a Millers Falls plane that I have had for about 48 years. The cutting edge is so smooth that no grinding marks are visible. If you can see those, stop trying to learn shaping and first learn how to sharpen. It will pay off in the long run.
I block the rails to make the larger chamfers into very small ones. Just keep going over the stringer, as you will correct the high spot next.
Take the stringer and foam back down to correct curve. This is where I do any fine-tuning to the rail contour. As you can see the blade is cutting – not scraping the foam.
I sometimes will use a backing for the sandpaper to give it some stiffness when blending the rail to the flat. I am still shaping the rail (with sandpaper) as opposed to smoothing. Again, just go right over the stringer.
Using a plane that has a finer adjustment, I am taking down the level of wood to just below foam.
Now it’s time to screen. This is the smoothing process done twice, the first time with 80 screen.
Now it’s time to use a plane adjusted so fine that it won’t cut on the flats. Because of the convex curvature of the rail, it takes off the final high spots on the wood.
Another check to see any high spots and (not shown) go over the rails with 220 screen.
Final touch up with the super sharp plane. I have found that even the smallest bump will cause the sander at the glass shop to burn the glass there. Especially not good on volan glass jobs. Larger lumps can easily be felt when running hands quickly over a finish (glassed) rail.
That was a nice post Rich.Anytime you come around Swaylocks something good usually results.I see you have what looks like a Blue Record Low angle plane.It’s a great tool.I have 3 of them.Glad to see you are still doing well.
Actually the Record is my least favorite. They are rather cheaply made. The sole scratches when run over glue lines, and I don’t like the blade adjusting and removal system.
I have 2 Millers Falls that I will never part with. They are very similar to the less expensive Stanley, but they just cut much better. My favorite for planning the flats is the Veritas shown in the first picture. At $129.00 you have to be serious about shaping to want that quality, but for me it is such a pleasure to use. The Lie-Nielsen low angle bronze plane in the final pictures also is very pricy, but it feels very good to plane with.
I have over a dozen planes of different size and blade adjustment. Each has it’s own usage.
This is a Hock Rc62 blade in a Millers Falls plane that I have had for about 48 years. The cutting edge is so smooth that no grinding marks are visible. If you can see those, stop trying to learn shaping and first learn how to sharpen. It will pay off in the long run.
I block the rails to make the larger chamfers into very small ones. Just keep going over the stringer, as you will correct the high spot next.
Take the stringer and foam back down to correct curve. This is where I do any fine-tuning to the rail contour. As you can see the blade is cutting – not scraping the foam.
I sometimes will use a backing for the sandpaper to give it some stiffness when blending the rail to the flat. I am still shaping the rail (with sandpaper) as opposed to smoothing. Again, just go right over the stringer.
Using a plane that has a finer adjustment, I am taking down the level of wood to just below foam.
Now it’s time to screen. This is the smoothing process done twice, the first time with 80 screen.
Now it’s time to use a plane adjusted so fine that it won’t cut on the flats. Because of the convex curvature of the rail, it takes off the final high spots on the wood.
Another check to see any high spots and (not shown) go over the rails with 220 screen.
Final touch up with the super sharp plane. I have found that even the smallest bump will cause the sander at the glass shop to burn the glass there. Especially not good on volan glass jobs. Larger lumps can easily be felt when running hands quickly over a finish (glassed) rail.
Have fun!
Thankyou!
I’m going down to the shop and start sharpening right now.
Rich, Always a treat to see you in action. The HP you shaped me awhile back is still and always will stay in my collection with this 6’4" McCoy shaped for me in 1976 by Greg Pautsch. Mahalo, Larry
