i finished the single fin ugly. anybody who wants to read the process follow the link below.
http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=339718;search_string=single%20fin%3Augly;#339718
here it is before:
i finished the single fin ugly. anybody who wants to read the process follow the link below.
http://www.swaylocks.com/forum/gforum.cgi?post=339718;search_string=single%20fin%3Augly;#339718
here it is before:
and after:
i need to find a way to get a consistant curve for the outline. i ued a steel batton and thin strips of cedar to make the curves. there are some spots that are too straight. anyone have a simpler way?
i also had to make it thinner than i wanted, to get rid of damaged foam. i was able to put in 1" of tail rocker, and it had 3" in the nose. i added a bit more than 1/4" of V in the tail. soft thin rails.
my first experience with a pin tail.
the fin is a 9" true ames L flex. perhaps a bit big, but it was not too expensive. i’ll experiment with more fins later.
there is many things i don’t like about this board, but i remind myself where it came from. it sat under my deck for 7 years, weighed about 20 lbs. and was not worth selling.
i took it out the new single fin a couple of times in waist to head high beachbreak. i’d describe it as “swoopy”. it paddles well, catches waves well, and i can turn it ok. i’m going to move the fin up a bit and get it into some bigger waves.
i’d love some constructive feedback, and i’ll report back on how it rides soon.
cheers, nicholas
questions,
is that 6’7" or 5’7"
and what kinda boards are you used to riding?
Looks pretty good for your second time. I use thin pieces of cedar strips too for my outline and am interested in what other people do.
i need to find a way to get a consistant curve for the outline. i ued a steel batton and thin strips of cedar to make the curves. there are some spots that are too straight. anyone have a simpler way?
I’ve been trying to find that answer myself. Reading this thread:
It seems that a lot of the guys are recommending routers to get clean lines. I can’t figure out how their routers get clean lines unless they have a clean guide for the router to follow, and if they have such a guide, how did it get to be so clean?
Chicken-egg problem…
Nicolas
Can you give me a little bit more about the ride? I like the sound of swoopy, and it looks fast with that rocker and outline behind the wide point. Where’s your back foot on it and what were you able to do so far? How’s that fin feel?
(I have something with a bit of outline/rocker similarity working in the closet)
Thanks
Greg
Yes,
A router is the way to go, if you can. That way, you make mistakes on an MDF/hardboard template, not on the foam itself. As for how to make accurate templates, an easy way is make the board on Akushaper, and print it out fullsize (it can print out on lots of pages of letter paper that you tape together yourself).
Then attach it to the MDF/hardboard with rubber cement, use a jigsaw or handsaw to cut it out, and use a block plane and sanding blocks to fair and true it up. This is the hardest part to do, and it takes some practice, but it isn’t impossible.
Once the template is made, clamp it to the blank, and use a router template guide and a long straight bit to do it. Check it out here:
http://www.harboursurfboards.com/information.html
Click on the Shaping video, it shows someone doing it…
JSS
Did one today…
Comes out sweet, and saves time, except for the template making, of course…
it’s actually 6’7 1/2". the wide point is 4" ahead of center. i ride a longboard (9’ high performance and a 9’6" noserider, both singles) or a classic fish all summer, and a thruster when it gets head high or more in winter.
when i want to backside bottom turn hard on the new single i find i need to drop my knee. i’m still finding the foot placement. when i hit the lip it wasn’t snappy. there was no speeding up in the cadence. it was swoopy and all one speed. like a sparrow compared to an seagull. i got it vertical frontside yesterday.
there is a big swell arriving today, so i’m hoping to get it into some big fast waves. i’m going to move the fin up a quarter inch. i want to test how it speed trims and how well it carves.
i’ll let you know. thanks for the interest.
cheers, nicholas
Thanks, Max – I dream about my blank looking as clean as yours.
So it does start off with a block plane and sanding black to fair the curve by hand. OK. I’ve been trying that, but my inexperience leads to flat spots. Knowing that it just takes some practice is good news – I gots no problems with practicing often ;>)
Hey etmo,
My outlines didn’t always look like that, check out these flat spots, about 2/3rds of the way up from the tail (but perfectly symmetrical due to the router)…
Make sure you don’t cut any corners (figuratively) on your templates. The mistake above was near impossible to fix, all because I got careless making the template, and thought the ‘little’ flat spot wouldn’t be noticeable on the blank - WRONG! The blank magnified it like you wouldn’t believe.
I make my templates by using 1/2" green masking tape on the line for sawing, to make it easier for me to see where to cut when operating the saw. Then I begin fairing with the block plane first, so you can feel and hear where the irregularities are. Make full length passes at first, and watch your blade setting, you don’t want to take material off everywhere, just the high spots. after most of the high spots are taken down, the plane becomes harder to hold during the passes without jumping around in my hand, making it harder to use (it wants to make everything flat), so I switch to a 36 grit block, and make a few full length passes with it. Then you begin to look for flat spots, and how you are going to address them. Sight down the template with the template almost at eye level, and use markers (like pencils, rocks, whatever, so you can pinpoint where the flat spot begins and ends. Then, using those markers, use blending strokes with the block, and sight again. It’ll be painful the first few times, with more sighting than sanding, but it will get better. After 36 grit, I go to 60 and then 120, and it’s done, ready for the router.
Also, I use 1/4" MDF for templates now, it cuts so much easier with the plane and sanding block, so you can fair a template up in less time. Only disadvantage is that MDF will dent if you hit a corner with it, and you’ll have to fill it with wood filler and re-fair the area. Hardboard (the dark brown stuff) was hard for me to see the marks on, harder to plane and sand, but much more durable. Your choice, depends on how heavy-handed you are…
JSS
Nicolas
what I do is
use 1/8" thick wood batton about 3/8" wide
I pin my points of refrence (adding to the length about 1/2")
and bend the batton around the widest points ie center and nose and tail (12"s from the ends)
and to the inside of the nose (if its pointy)
then I pull the batton in at the tail as much as I can
check the outline with a ruler and mark the outline
remove the batton and finnish the tail with a fishing pole tip
the ideal batton would be a tapered one but I’m thinking of a one piece fishing pole blank would be the best
cause it will flex in all directions and follow the rocker better
You already proved it backside? And vert? It doesn’t sound broken to me, buddy. Get your back foot back when you want to use the draw in the outline, keep it forward for speed? If you were looking for a lot of snap off the top, I’d say a single fin with vee was the wrong way to go… if you got it vert and swoopy… I think you win. I’m glad to hear it as far as the similar thing I have working.
But more ride review would be good
What router bits have you guys been using in your routers to cut your outlines?
I just got back from the best tool store around these parts, and they didn’t have anything close to long enough with a top bearing. The guy even went through the catalog and found nothing. Been searching online, to no avail.
A top bearing would be necessary, right? Otherwise the router would chew on the template, wouldn’t it?
I saw a pencil router bit from shapers.com.au, but it has no bearing, so I’m not sure how to use it – freehand? Not with my shaky hands…
Thanks for any hints
Hey etmo,
I don’t know of any pattern bits (the kind with the bearing on top) that are that long, you need to use a router template guide (a steel/brass tube just slightly larger than the bit that takes the place of the bearing, attaches to the router base) with a long straight bit.
Here’s what I use:
http://www.amanatool.com/bits-fv/51300.html
Check out the 51325 at the bottom of the page…
JSS
we had a good day of surf here where i really learned about the new single.
someone told me to ride it like a longboard instead of a shortboard. i started moving my foot placement (mainly forward) and the thing just took off. fast, strong turns. it felt good. i liked turning it from the middle of the board better than from over the fin.
i’ll only ride this board on certain days of decent size surf with open faces. not too often around here.
i’m glassing board number three today. a fish/ egg with a 5 fin set up. i’ll post it soon.
cheers, nicholas
i need to find a way to get a consistant curve for the outline. there are some spots that are too straight.
Sounds to me like you’re enjoying that outline–I made mine kinda like that on purpose to get to where youre talking about (inspired by fish outlines)
morgan lives in aus now
you actually knew morgan? holy shit i didn’t think i’d get a response about who the original shaper was.
know where to find him on the net? i don’t know if he’d appreciate what i did to his board…
i’d like to ask him why he only put one quarter inch of tail rocker. but then again why not.
thanks slyda. post the pic if you can.
cheers, nicholas