Template making

General Discussion
1

I just made a spin template off my favorite 9’6" noserider…What do you guys do to make sure your templates have nice, smooth lines?  I traced the outline and then sanded with a 40 grit hard, long block to make it as true as I can get it…Is there any way, without all the fancy lights and “blue” room to see inconsistencies in the outline???  Looks smooth, feels smooth…

2

I usually use my eyes… and a planer

3

Thanks.  I just layed down a “stringer” with a pencil on the garage floor and traced the spin template out…Looks perfect.  Thanks. I thought maybe some of you pros had a trick to get it perfect.

4

Tenover,

I find that a hand belt sander works better than planers and sanding blocks. I designed an outline on the AKU shaping program, printed in out, used spray adhesive to masonite, cut out the the template 1/8" outside the pencil line with a jigsaw, than used a belt sander with 80 grit to smooth out the outline. Zero wobbles. Took me a few minutes with the belt sander. I have spent much more time using other methods without the seamless results.

Bob

5

Basically, the eye of the template maker, who sometimes is not a very even shaper!
It’s still artform, not science, so the eye tells all.

6

I was just thinking about this today.  (i could not make templates without this tool:

http://www2.swaylocks.com/node/1027782

7

Is masonite still the gold standard?

8

i like lauan door skin.  cut that puppy out with a bosch jigsaw and use a little block plane to get the bumps.  works great, feels great

9

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Is masonite still the gold standard?

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It is for me.    Tempered Masonite, smooth both sides, is my favorite.

10

The tempered is the way to go.  Its a fair bit heavier, but it holds detail very well.  There is no one right way to make a template, but there are plenty of wrong ways.

11

Lee Vanderhurst posted a great tip awhile back that I think is worth reposting...

Lay your template edge on a flat surface and rock it back and forth to feel for any bumps or flat spots.  You can often feel stuff that the eye misses.

I hope I got that right.

12

Luan or lauan or whatever is hard to work with for me.  It warps and seems to move when I flip it.  but it is easy to shape.  Just not long term material.