Bill-- that is some good info. Simple, but definitely a trade secret. I had heard a rumor of such but no one ever went into detain and elaborated. Thank you for that gem. That’s as good as the thread on sharpening planer blades with sandpaper of a few years back. Mahalo
“Nothing is good nor bad, thinkng merely makes it so” … Shakespeare
And you have some experience in these types of shapes? Dis the Surform and you dis Aipa and many others who use this tool. If you don’t know how to use this tool or if you get $#!tty results you don’t to use it. Learn how to use it properly or don’t. But quit bitchin’ those who use this tool at some point in the shaping process. I’m sure the first time you used a Skil saw you most likely couldn’t keep it on your chalk line, but you eventually mastered it.
Give me my good ol’ Dragon Skin for initial blending of rail bands. And I’m not the only one that uses it. But without permission I will not name names. Not recommended for the feint of heart or inexperienced.
Oh yeah,
Dragon Skin is the Sh*t!.
That’s how I blend my rail bands and knock down the corners.
A piece about 8" long with some tape on the ends to keep the prints on your fingers.
Been using that stuff for 20+years.
Okay everybody, this has gotten out of hand!
The overly maligned surform needs a friend here, and I guess it isn’t going to be his cousin, the still widely used cheese grater that is going to chime in.
Somebody has to step up, so… sh-t, I guess it’s gonna be me!
Announcing the new STSF aka “SAVE THE SURFORM FOUNDATION”. Our mission statement is to honor and preserve the integrity of the tool and what the tool was inteded for in the first place: that being the quick indiscrimnate removal of materials in a non-electric setting.
The Mission Statement is significant and noteworthy as we have saved precious resources by circumnavigating the need for electrical power worldwide. This fact alone makes the Mission Statement valuable and worthy of both observation and acknowledgement.
I hope that you will join me in supporting this worthy cause.
Thank you, and good night… even tho’ it is day as I post this.
Give me a witness!
…hello DS; I have one of those Hitachi s and the model is F30 not sb30, at least all what I saw Made in Japan.
…thought now your shapes are from the machine…is not what you said¿?
Has anyone tried hooking a vacuum hose on their surform ?..( solar powered , of course )
Thanks Barry and Verb. yes I believe it actually says F30SB. The big black knob on one of mine just disintegrated into little pieces this week… I guess that happens to any of us with enuff age!
A few years back, Mike Hynson was shaping boards a couple doors down.
He had a surform with the vacuum attached.
Pretty cool.
He was fun to watch in person.
Lots of “Far-out” little inventions.
Yeah the guy’s a kick. I’ll have to tell you my story about him sometime when I see you Barry. I invited him to the “chicken ranch”. Classic Michael Hynson. Lowel
Hey Bruce I’ve got to say I am tickled with a feather to see you chiming in here on Sways more often. I have always enjoyed you perspective, humour and especially your business sense and wisdom that you acquired over the years in the Surf Industry. Let her rip tater chip! Lowel
That was me.
Just kidding!
The round Miroblade is money for the swallow tails.
Cuts out the crotch in seconds.
I wasn’t aware that there is a round microblade!??
The round surform I have in the pic of tools would be awesome as a round version! They just cut cleaner than the standard surform and I love that I can bend and cut at the same time with the flat ones.
Can I get the round version at Fiberglass Hawaii or elsewhere?
Clue me in!
I have no qualms about the weight of the Skil 100… it was just an observation. My Clark Hitachi’s are plenty powerful and have been a really good tool, however, I scored this Skil awhile back and now it’s time to make the quantum leap of finally hooking up my vac system to it and moving into the 21st century.
Bruce, are those shadows or contours on the bottoms?