)) bloody great post mate 
Taz's ladyhawk takes priority ..... then there might just be someone else's to follow just might be you know ,,, hehehehehe
Just received an email from RG with a picture of my new fin - I am super excited about it so thought I should stick it in this thread.....now I just need to hurry up and get onto making my board! It was made by his mate and is based on their summercloud template. Top bloke to deal with.
what we have now is an uncut diamond..so all the facets have to be shaped...like I said before a bad sander can totally ruin the board at this stage and all the computer nerds in the world have not come up with a machine to do this stage...not to my knowledge anyway....I attack it with 30grit on the grinder first...this is a bit gung ho if your just starting out...I just take off the bulk of the excess resin around the fin box and plugs
then a medium density sanding pad with 60grit paper...again a bit gung ho if your not used to the machine...I love the way the 60grit rips into it it will take of any high spots in one swipe...I have my stands set up so I can hold the board on about a 45 degree angle...I find it easier to see the shiny spots, and thats what sanding is all about...much like shadows in the shaping...shiny spots play the same role in sanding...when all the shiny's are gone the board is true
here is what I mean...in this shot I have sanded up to my chine rail...you can see the edge of the chine real easy because the filler is still shiny on the other side of the chine
now in this shot I have sanded up to the chine from the rail inwards...you can see where I have left the little shiny line to show me where the chine is...all done with mirrors....and shadows
its all about control of the tools...everyone I have taught to shape over the years...I have said the same when we start...I can show you my technique...but its all in how well you can use the tools...together with a shipload of patience...like the planer this baby becomes an extension to your arm after awhile
this machine is a lot more user friendly and is the one you should do the most with...the orbital I will put finer paper on this to finish off
I even use it to rough out the rails
then the last bit and the most grueling...the hand sanding...this is where we fine tune all the edges and get all the machine swirls out notice I am using my left hand...Im right handed but over the years I have taught myself to use both..it works really well for keeping things symetrical...I can look down both rails from the same angle both sides, it has helped my shaping heaps over the years and is now something I dont even think about...reminds me of the joke..." I would give my right arm to be ambidextrous"...thats it...ready for pinlines, then finish coat and polish...not long now Tassie
here you go pup...managed to rough yours out today
thats me doing the human lamington personation
security were on their break...gotta love a good spoon
Thanks Ron. Did not mean to give you a hurry along sorry, you are super busy I can see. Was just thinking my post might have got a bit buried in all the cool photos
Yes rounded > 903 x 22 1/2" x 2 3/4" > one of RG's delicious nice Resin art sprays (tint log next) > yummy 7 or 8 inch tinted woodie
getting close now thrill seekers time to lay down the tape for the pinline...run one down both sides...smooth long lines no bumps
follow that line...I have a thickness that I am comfortable with so I will normally stick to that one width...actually its more comfortable for me to taper the width from nose to tail dont know why it just is
roll down the edges of the tape...very important...masking tape is pressure sensitive...it needs some pressure to stop paint from bleeding underneath...then mask off with masking paper...you will still get over spray...I just take it back into the sanding room and sand it off
mix required colour...turn gun pressure down and spray two coats
this is the best part...peel the tape
gold tint brown pinline (still looks yellow?)
dimensions for the dimension freaks and its ready for my mate John to gloss and polish...its off on a little adventure tomorrow...over the other side of the mountain
I love the next bit
Oh RG that is starting to look like one hell of a nice board.....loving this thread even more now - Tassie must be frothing
wonderful RG - nice tip with the pinline tape roller , must admit I've been waiting for your mate John's part in the play .... should be interesting bloody interesting
Edit : bet taz has a fat
