Where can I buy a baton?

General Discussion
1

Where can I buy a baton, or something else to bend to make outline templates?

2

I bought my batten at home depot.

It is a ~12’ strip of plastic base board trim.

plastic should give a more even and predictable bend than many woods.

also my wood one split on me trying to curve the nose.

I also have a thinner wheather striping piece I use for the tighter curves.

if you search the archives people have talked about fiber glass fishing poles without the eyelets.

someone posted a source on these a while back.

3

Dog----- I don’t think it is spelled baton , but rather batten. It is a strip of wood or fiberglass most commonly used to spread a sail. Used exstensively in sails for sailboards. Although the generic name “batten” is also a construction term that can be applied to any long slender piece of wood used in construction; such as “board and batten siding”. I assume what you are looking for is something to connect the dots on a template. Try a sailboard shop or a sailmaker. You can also buy aluminum stripping used for vinyl flooring and carpet at places like Home Depot and Lowes. A flexible wooden or plastic yardstick from a local hardware store will also work. McDing

4

I think a baton is passed during a relay race or twirled by a majorette. A batten induces shape into a sail. A spline is used by marine architects to make curves (I think the weights to hold it in place are called Mice?). A skinny stick is used by surfboard shapers to make a curve.

Try knot to get a piece of wood with any hard spots in it… :wink:

5

I lucked out! I’ve got two really nice fiberglass battens that were layin’ ‘round my brother-in-laws garage after he passed away. I grabbed the last two. My sister used the rest of them for stakes for her tomato plants in the garden. My B-in-law was a serious sailboarder. These came out of his sails. One is about 6’. The other is a 4 footer. They are very flexible,but have a certain strength to them and make great curves. I once had an 8’ piece of aluminum that worked well but misplaced it in one of my moves. McDing

6
Quote:

A batten induces shape into a sail. A spline is used by marine architects to make curves (I think the weights to hold it in place are called Mice?). A skinny stick is used by surfboard shapers to make a curve.

Get some plastic curtain track, nice flex and comes in any length you want. We used to call those weights dogs, but mice would be more appropriate. Kinda miss shuffling round on the lofting floor (damn computers!).

7
Quote:

I think a baton is passed during a relay race or twirled by a majorette. A batten induces shape into a sail. A spline is used by marine architects to make curves (I think the weights to hold it in place are called Mice?). A skinny stick is used by surfboard shapers to make a curve.

Try knot to get a piece of wood with any hard spots in it… :wink:

Naval architects and their draftsmen, in the old days, used splines to create fair curves for lofting ship plans. The weights were called “ducks” when I took a class in hull design at the U of Hawaii, er, a few years ago. The prof has since croaked.

8

When I was in school we called them ducks or whales. A trick when using battens is continue the curve after the last nail. You can really tweak your curve and fair it easier.

9
Quote:

I bought my batten at home depot.

It is a ~12’ strip of plastic base board trim.

plastic should give a more even and predictable bend than many woods.

also my wood one split on me trying to curve the nose.

I also have a thinner wheather striping piece I use for the tighter curves.

if you search the archives people have talked about fiber glass fishing poles without the eyelets.

someone posted a source on these a while back.

I call it a radius maker.I have a fishing rod blank that I use. I remember a certain epoxy genius posted using one awhile back and I have been really happy with the outcome of it’s function. DAMN I sound like I know what I am talking about! Swaylocks do kick in to da mind every once in a time. Seriously it works( for me ). I have seen a friend of mind use an old fiberglass CB whip antennea (spelling) for a radius maker also.