Whats the best tool to shape the stringer at the center of a swallow tail? A sanding block doesn’t really work, is there a specific file and technique that I should use?
I use a round sureform. Check the archives under butt crack. Mike
the dremel also works…
To get right in the butt crack where it’s really narrow, a rat tail file works well. No file on hand? A piece of 1/4" dowel wrapped with sticky-back 80 grit sandpaper will also work. Take a 12" length of dowel and put 6" of paper on it, in the center. That gives you a handle of sorts on each end so you can grip with both hands and work it back and forth. If the stringer wood is kind of ‘stubborn’, use 60 grit. Then finish with lighter grit.
Dremel.
Micro plane round file
cuts finer than the Surform.
Thanks for posting the picture, ACE. That is what I use. A microplane round file. Not a sureform. You may have saved some people a lot of ripping and tearing. I’ve tried the dremel and a rat tail file. I had problems with those tools slipping of the stringer and gouging the adjacent foam. I’ve screwed them up with the micorplane, too. But, I know how to ‘cover’ my screw ups during the glassing part. Jim Phillips might describe me as, " A hacks, hack." Mike
Thanks gonna go with the microplane round file
Microplane makes a thick (pictured above) and a pencil thin round file. I like the thin one for swallows and the thick one for fish-tails. A trick on swallow tails I learned from San Diego shaper Steve Ford was to cut-out the tail staying 1/8" from the outline and then finish the crack first. Then bring the “wings” down to the outline, being careful not to reduce foam lower than stringer at the crack (almost impossible). Finish up by taping off the foam, but leaving the stringer exposed in the crack. Carefully whittle-down any extra stringer material so its even with the tape and declare victory. What I like about the microplanes is that they can rip or just shave material away, depending on how aggressive the attack.
Good info. Already kinda trued up to teh outline but will definitely use that technique next time. I saw a link in the archives to a set of 3 different sized round microplanes,figured I’d go for that. Your boards look RAD btw
Thanks for the compliment 'face, if that’s true I have to give credit where credit is due…learned 90% of it all right here on Sway’s. Still learning…
I rough it out with a coping saw first. Then I go to the round microplane for the crack and long narrow hard block for the foam. I finish shape the stringer with a small file and the foam with screen or paper… no block.
I cut a groove with a saw and then I use a vee gouge, finsih it with a file.
.02 from a backyarder
Resist the urge to cut out the swallow until the board is completely shaped
when you do finally mark up & cut the swallow out, use your tool of choice to bring the stringer down BEFORE you shape the inside of the swallow
this will form a foam channel that helps to keep your (rat tail file, round surform whatever) in line with the wood
In short - shape the stringer down to your desired foil FIRST, then shape the foam down to match or slightly higher than the stringer
