On the last couple of surfboards I have shaped the stringer has always been to high and my glasser is really starting to complain about it. I have been using a block plane to bring it down but it really does not seem to be doing the job. Does anybody have any other tools in mind that might do a better job? I found a master planer and a spokeshave but have not tried them yet. Thanks
Seems for that mini plane to do the job perfectly, you have to slightly gouge the blank just a tiny bit to one side of the stringer.
Flush should be no problem. Of course, a sharp blade works best.
I try to take two passes, one from each side of the stringer, at a very slight angle.
Yeah, I have noticed that I have to gouge the foam a little before I can take off anything. I will try replacing my blade to see what that does. Thanks.
would that be shapers of a new generation with high stringers? Anytime you feel or hear the sanding block coming into contact with the stringer it is too high. I pick up my plane and knock it back down and if in 2 seconds hit wood, do it again. It’s simply operator error
For some reason it seems most guys shy away from taking the time to learn to put a perfect edge on their plane. 100% guarantee if you take the time to learn to get your block plane blade sharp (correctly), and you follow J. Phillips’ advice on sanding / planing, your problems with stringers will be forgotten.
Even the best new block plane needs tuning before use, but a little investment in getting your tool ready will yield big-time dividends on your surfboard shaping. If anyone is having problems finding out how to get a plane tuned and a good sharp edge, I can point you in some directions to learn. Those of you who do know and use the merits of a properly sharpened plane know exactly what I’m talking about.
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If anyone is having problems finding out how to get a plane tuned and a good sharp edge, I can point you in some directions to learn.
Richard, you have a pm about the plane. BUkky
Buskshot07…your picture over on the left is tooooo funnny!
How bad is it to have your string a little high? I can feel mine is a little raised through the glassing - is this a delam problem down the road?
Best,
HerbB
How bad is it to have your stringer a little high. OK the foam will give the stringer will not, the glass will give but not much. So what will happen? The glass will crack at the edge of the stringer.
Go to home depot and buy a Buck Brother 3 inch plane.
Use this at a 45 degree angle when planing the stringer. So rotate the planer when taking long smooth passes on the stringer.
I find that angling helps to avoid gouging the foam that abuts the stringer. Practice makes perfect. Nothing worse though than seeing foam gouges along the stringer affter it is glassed. Was in a shop the other day and i was looking at a CI board that had gouges in the foam next to the stringer for nearly 60% of the deck. Very sloppy.
Drew
Plane them till you can’t feel them. It’s bad for the glassing because when you sand the board flat after glassing you sand into the weave to get it flat. Stringers and glass is one place that you don’t want the glass to be thin. Use all the stuff: spoke shaven for the nose scoop, Block plane for the flats. Get your self a 2 sided Whet stone 1000-2000 grit and a blade sharpening guide. The Blade sharpening guide is about 15$. You clamp your blade to this gizmo with a preset 30 degree bevel. You then pull the gizmo with your blade attached over the 1000 grit whet stone until it’s sharp, then you flip the stone over and do the same with the 2000 grit until it’s scary Freddy Kruger sharp.
-Jay
Resinhead,
Where do you get the blade sharpening guide? Are they specific for block planes? Any hardware store? Thanks.Mike
There is a local pro mfg., sells 2000 boards a year. I saw one in the glass shop with a dark blue to dark purple fade, the foam next to the stick was gouged from the plane about and inch off the stringer, each side. Ah, that fade looked so good with the white of the foam showing up through the color!!! Get it right
when i see foam tearouts along the stringer or very coarse sanding left by one of the supershapers, i think to myself ‘damn that guy is good, he knew when to stop, he is more concerned with the total shape and strength than with a few cosmetic glitches, awesome shape he probably made it in 35 minutes’. But if the ragged board is made by an amature then I figure its just plain shoddy.
Word up! If time is too precious to take enough time to do a job right, why waste the time to do the job wrong! It’s all about pride in work. “Do your work with your whole heart and you’ll succeed, for there is so little competition.” Enjoy the ride!
How’s that go Richard, “no one has time to do it right, but time to do it over”
It’s done when it’s right, that’s why I have more work than I can shake a stick at
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when i see foam tearouts along the stringer or very coarse sanding left by one of the supershapers, i think to myself ‘damn that guy is good, he knew when to stop, he is more concerned with the total shape and strength than with a few cosmetic glitches, awesome shape he probably made it in 35 minutes’. But if the ragged board is made by an amature then I figure its just plain shoddy.
i see lots of boards that look like crap for one reason or the other…i just figure their in a hurry and dont care…the more ,faster.so what if its crap. theyve got 15 of em in the shop…do they sell ?, well…i see em in the shop but not in the water…hmmmmmmmm…then i think the one i made looks and probally rides so much better…you know i make em like its my own board, cause it is,thats just the way it is…i dont care who buys it if i wouldt ride a peice of crap the why should you?
i dont really think the problem is your block plane…or the sharpness of your blade.
because once you cut your stringer (whatever way) you gotta deal with the foam on either side.
so…make sure you touch the foam. on its own.
if you try to deal with the marks in your foam with a block (?) and it continues to come in contact with the stringer…then you always get a dip in the foam.
treat the stringer ( read wood) as one deal…and the foam (like soft) as another.
so, cut your deckline (stringer) to what you want and bring the foam up to it…and not ‘across’ it.
because if you have a dip…you have the tears…or is it tears?
(too corny. sorry)