Shape a blank. Using nothing but a planer. No measure,no template,no sanding blocks or sandpaper. I want to do it.
If anyone could do it, its you. Would definitely be a challenge, tho.
Shape a blank, using only non-powered tools.
I don’t know about this. Greg Loehr told me once “… you can move a lot of foam with a block and 40 grit…” But I’m going to need a tape to measure with at a minimum.
all the best
It’s a project for the young and fit. I’ve done it three times, twice with balsa, and once with foam. All before I was twenty years old. It’s a real workout, that really makes you appreciate a Skil 100. Think about the guys that shaped solid Redwood Planks, eh?
If you use a measuring device you may as well just go ahead and do it like everyone else. I am trying to think out of the box.
If the board is wider on one side its ok. Bumpy ok twisted ok thicker on one side ok fin crooked ok… None of it really matters. its just a surfboard.
Butt hew am I gong to git da CNC marks eff me blank if I cent use da sand peper?
Did that for my first dozen boards EXCEPT for using a power drill for the leash plug hole. Power tools make things so much better :)
I’d say shaping a board with ONLY a planer would be much harder than Only hand tools.
More grunt work with hand tools BUT clean bottom contours, rails much harder to get the same finish with a planer
I kinda get Roger’s original post (except for the “no sandpaper” part).
I’m constantly amazed at the supposed “need” for computer precision on stuff like litres of volume, printed outlines, shaping, etc. I mean I understand with guys like Firewire, but the average backyard shaper? And is it so very wrong or difficult to use your hands and eyes to create a pleasing and functional shape?
I built a board with a wonky curved stringer just eyeballed and cut freehand as a reaction to guys stressing cuz their stringer glue up might be a sixteenth of an inch off. I love riding that board by the way. The stringer is like an inch out in each direction, like an “S”, and honestly, 99% of the people who see it don’t even notice.
An interesting challenge. Knowing how wide your hand is would be a big advantage. Also using a proper PU blank with known dimensions would help. A solid block of EPS foam would make things much harder. I say go for it.
Couple of years back I was having problems with a neighbor and did not want to risk them calling city hall on me for making boards. I did a couple of boards without the use of power tools. A really sharp low angle block plane works just as good as a power planer…you just have to make a lot more passes. The same principals apply.