Great site here. I’m embarking on my first shaping project and, being on a budget, would like to keep my costs to a minimum. I already built my racks from the plans in the Ding Repair scriptures. My question is, does anyone have a complete list of tools needed? I don’t have many tools and would need to probably buy the basic minimums. Is a power planer really a necesity? If so, where can I get one for a cheap price? Thanks guys.
Great site here. I’m embarking on my first shaping project and, being on a > budget, would like to keep my costs to a minimum. I already built my racks > from the plans in the Ding Repair scriptures.>>> My question is, does anyone have a complete list of tools needed? I don’t > have many tools and would need to probably buy the basic minimums. Is a > power planer really a necesity? If so, where can I get one for a cheap > price?>>> Thanks guys. Buy a 1/2" thick backpacker foam sleeping pad from K-Mart. Buy three 3 foot long sheets of floor finishing sandpaper in progressing grits from about 40 to 100-120. Buy 8 feet of 1" x 4" pine board and some contact cement. Buy one Stanley spoke shave plane. Removing foam and stringer isn’t hard. If you’ve figured out which foam and stringer to remove you’re mostly finished.
Buy a 1/2" thick backpacker foam sleeping pad from K-Mart. Buy three > 3 foot long sheets of floor finishing sandpaper in progressing grits from > about 40 to 100-120. Buy 8 feet of 1" x 4" pine board and some > contact cement. Buy one Stanley spoke shave plane.>>> Removing foam and stringer isn’t hard. If you’ve figured out which foam > and stringer to remove you’re mostly finished. then what?
Frank, Here’s some interesting threads related to your question that I dug up from the archives: The first one is perhaps the most useful. http://www.swaylocks.com/discussion/archive/index.cgi?review=4693 http://www.swaylocks.com/discussion/archive/index.cgi?read=1175 http://www.swaylocks.com/discussion/archive/index.cgi?read=4369 good luck. Mike
Great site here. I’m embarking on my first shaping project and, being on a > budget, would like to keep my costs to a minimum. I already built my racks > from the plans in the Ding Repair scriptures.>>> My question is, does anyone have a complete list of tools needed? I don’t > have many tools and would need to probably buy the basic minimums. Is a > power planer really a necesity? If so, where can I get one for a cheap > price?>>> Thanks guys. Frank, I didn’t check the archives that Mike posted, but I can tell you that I only shape a small number of boards and therefore I don’t use a power planer. I actually enjoy and take pride in building no power tool boards. I can tell you from the experience of not using one that a good power sander is a very wise investment though. Boards can be shaped using just a Stanley 6" Sureform and sandpaper. I recommend also getting a T-square and making a set of calipers. If installing fin boxes you will need a router too. That’s where I cheat - I have someone else install the plugs. Finally, don’t skimp on a respirator. Max
then what? Tim, I didn’t do it exactly this way, but if I made new tools… Cut the 1x4’s into three 18" lengths. Round off the edges and corners. Glue each grit of sandpaper directly to one side of each board. Glue foam pads to the other sides of the boards, then glue corresponding sandpaper to the foam pads. Instead, you might want to make 6 one-sided sanding blocks. Rough sandpaper can be tough on your hands. You’ll need more wood for six blocks. This is a poor man’s way, but being a shaping kook, these sanding blocks make shaping more goof resistant. The blocks help even out the foam lines, and they remove less foam per pass than a planer does.
max is right you def. don’t need power tools to start. use the tools listed above and get a good block plane and baby block plane. make a “fred” with a sanding block and surform blades. also sanding screen, i use 100, 120, and 180 screen with a 1" foam pad thats scored in a grid. the big advice i would say is use a close tolerance blank. the R series or Patterson blanks. Avoid using the A series, they’re def. for using a power planer. unless you want a 3"+ thick board. set up some flo. side lights. this helped my shaping prob. as much as anything.
Max - you don’t need a router or planer. I’ve installed a bunch of boxes (not plugs) after the hot coat by tracing around the box, scoring through the glass with a sharp tool and metal straight edge (it generally takes several passes), peeling the glass and chiseling out the foam and stringer. Power tools like planers and routers generally take some getting used to and can f### things up in a hurry.
Max - you don’t need a router or planer. I’ve installed a bunch of boxes > (not plugs) after the hot coat by tracing around the box, scoring through > the glass with a sharp tool and metal straight edge (it generally takes > several passes), peeling the glass and chiseling out the foam and > stringer. Power tools like planers and routers generally take some getting > used to and can f### things up in a hurry. Hey John, thanks for the tip. The only problem is that I use FCS, which use plugs. Its harder to do a circle with your method. I might switch to Futures though. I’m not sure since I’ve never used them, but I think your trick might work with them. How do you glass them in - just glass chop and resin?