Very exciting news today, I made my first cut with the planer! After almost two months of preparation and planning, waiting for blanks, building out the garage/shaping room, I finally mowed my first piece of foam. Felt great! Using a throwaway blank to practice on kept the experience painless and carefree. I also practiced knocking down the stringer using various hand planes as well as taking some time to get to know my Surform. Was mostly a 'get-to-know-my-tools' kind of night.
Getting ready...
I look like a one-armed shaper in this pic...
A bit wiggly, but good enough...
Check out the big crack/gouge in the blank. Part of the reason this one was half price I guess...
Have to remember for next time - Pay attention to direction of the planer exhaust. Something I failed to do and ended up with a face/eye full of foam dust. Which reminds me that I need to buy some safety eyewear and/or build an exhaust rig using slinky hose and shopvac like this one shown in the Clark Foam catalog...
Can't wait to get back to the shop...I'm hooked now!
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5 comments:
Haha! It's pretty amusing to watch your progress! Of course, it's got to be difficult, but that blank has been MURDERED! I'm sure that you'll smooth it out, shape it into a sweet fishy, slap in some bamboo keels, and pigment-tint the resin. Can I buy it when you're finished? :)
BTW- those pics of the blanks opened up in your office is HILARIOUS! I can just imagine what your co-workers were thinking!
Have fun!!
CK
Hey,
That blank is perfectly serviceable. Don't waste it just practice. Use it to actually shape a board, even if you don't glass it.
yes PLEASE take care of your eyes and respiratory system, FOR GODS SAKE.
Bubba, I was thinking the same thing. I'm going to true up the outline on this blank and do the rails, just for practice. Then, I'm planning on re-skinning the blank, and then making a real board out of it. I've already learned so much just from that first night...and it was soooo much fun!
sister,
i hear ya...err, sortof, i didn't wear earplugs either so my ears are still ringing a little. ;) (just kidding). however, i DID pick up some safety goggles which have already saved me from a few eye-tearing accidents.
kc
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