This question is for those of you who have seen a lot of different shapers and techniques. Do many shapers exclusively crosscut (planing perpendicular to the stringer with the planer at a slight angle) the bottoms of their boards? I have been priveleged to watch a master surfer/shaper (30 year/10,000+ boards), who exclusively crosscuts to skin, adjust rocker, and foil the tips (bottoms only) of long and short boards with great results. For those of you who have seen this before, do “big-time” shapers do this? Is this a common method of shaping or a total fluke? The shaper I saw who does this left me with the impression that this is THE way to cut your bottoms in and I’ve felt like a kook running my planer longways ever since. Who else does this? Any feedback is appeciated.
crosscutting is a great way to take thickness off the bottom quickly, and with better control toward nose and tail. check out Stamps’ crosscutting technique on the “shaping” video on the Harbour website.
I can’t even remember where I saw it now - maybe Mike Eaton? - but I run my planer at 45* to the stringer with very slightly overlapping strokes, just like brushing on a hotcoat. Then come back the other way. Maybe I assumed everyone did it like this. I’ve never seen a shaping video.
Its been a dang long time since I watched anyone else shape and the 3 guys I’ve spent time watching - Eaton, Ole, and Bob Miller - all kind of learned from each other (& Dale). I think all 3 of them do it like this? (Jeez, memory already failing. And I’m an epoxy guy, what’s the deal?) It seems to do a good job of getting into contours & keeping everything fair. Going straight across the stringer makes splinters but going lengthwise doesn’t get rid of bumps & bulges, for me at least.
use what’s most comfortable for you…
your eyes and hands are the most important tools you have…
in closing, with a username like that all i can say is…
welcome aboard!
Lots of ways to skin a cat…or a board. Just be sure your blade is sharp and you don’t hit the stringer at 90 degrees. You can do some pretty good damage to the stringer if you aren’t careful.
…Good beginner’s technique…Herb
I see lots of shapers using this technique these days. I usually use this at the nose and tail but be carefull since you can make big fat tears of foam near the stringer if your planer blades arent at enough of an angle.
set the timing on your messerschmit with a 6 pound sledge?
I heard my brother in law did it .
My dad found fault with his technique…
my dad wanted his hammer back as it was being abused.
…ambrose…
my cheap ryobi planer shorted out from foam dust so
i used an angle grinder
with a carbide impregnated disk
on my last blank(eps)
pretty wild ride but it worked
will try a chainsaw maybe
just so i can say i shaped a board with a chain saw
now there’s a resourcefull fella…