surform on basted laps

first off, when basting laps, do you sand edges down first then baste the laps? I have been basting, then going back after it has kicked and use a surform to knock down the rough edges. I tried sanding down edges before basting and kept hitting the foam. Do most of you baste laps or do you eventually get good enough not to baste. also is a surform blade good to use instead of sandpaper.

I use a surform to knock off drips and nasty bits of string then baste. surform is a lot faster for me plus I can’t seem to sand laps w/o getting sandpaper grit lodged all through it. makes it look real dirty. I’ve got no air but pneumatic angle grinders I’m sure work the best.

I’ve left little holes in the blank where some drips snapped off. Be careful. I think a dremel cut off wheel then sand would have been the way to go. It’s very easy to gouge the blank when you mess around with overlap grunge. Obsessive squeegeeing until it starts to gel pays off.

first off, when basting laps, do you sand edges down first then baste the > laps? I have been basting, then going back after it has kicked and use a > surform to knock down the rough edges. I tried sanding down edges before > basting and kept hitting the foam. Do most of you baste laps or do you > eventually get good enough not to baste. also is a surform blade good to > use instead of sandpaper. Here’s my technique, I got it from someone who passionately hates lap bumps, strings and such, and it does seems to work. If you notice the big strings (if you get any) have an orientation, that is they tend to fall from the board in two different directions; towards the nose forward of center, towards the tail rear of center. See diagram. You might wish to describe things differently, but hopefully the diagram makes it clear. Also, exactly as to where the directions change is a function of the template curve, but center is close enough. I will cut all big strings, but anything left will get tucked back into the lap in the direction of the fiber orientation. This stops all of the kind of foam damage refered to in the other posts this thread, and leaves a smallish line of piled up loose bits to sureform. I will then lay a small line of (laminating) resin on the piled up loose bits and sureform them roughly smooth after things set. I do not try to sureform flush with the laminate, just smooth, getting rid of any sharp points. I have used sandpaper to smooth, by I now try to avoid it. I have found that its really not necessary to have a complete flush smooth surface, just to get rid of the sharp bits and major irregularities. Anyway, that’s what I do. Kevin

Thanks for the help guys.