Hey guys,
I was just looking at my board (outline cut and some deck sanding done) and I noticed that the foam on either side of the blank is offset slightly. I’m not sure what to do other than snading them down evenly, but even then I would have a hard time being able to tell if they’re even in areas other than the tip/tail. Should I reach out to greenlight? It’s their blank.
It’s hard to tell but the bottom is offset the same amount as the top.
…you would aware that “pre shaping” is an important factor to have a fine shape (most do not do it but many have luck to start with a leveled and not crooked blank etc)
In this case now, you can take measurements in several places at the same distances from that middle stringer, then proceed to levelling the areas.
It does look like one side of the blank is lower than the other when they glued it up. I’d reach out to Greenlight, they are pretty good with responding to emails. It doesn’t look too bad, that should all sand out when you foil out the nose and tail.
Like Reverb mentioned on any blank before you start to shape you should sight down the blank on both sides to make sure you don’t have any twists or other issues and address any problems at that time before shaping. The goal is to get an even level blank especially on the bottom before you start. On a US Blank I usually take one pass with the planer and then sand with 40 grit on a hard sanding block to make sure the bottom is as flat and level as I can get before I layout out and cut my outline.
It’s pretty simple really; the only reason you would complain to Greenlight would be if there is no possibility that the blank will give you the desired thickness for the board you are attempting to shape. If you take a cut down the bottom and a cut down the deck, the center at the stringer top and bottom will be flush or level. From there you level the bottom, then the deck. By the time you have done that the problem is remedied. Off course if you are working without a planer, the chances of you being able to level that blank with a plane and a sanding block are slim to none. Reverb and Thrilkill call it pre shape, but I just call it Shaping. You have to get your blank to a starting point and that is done with an electric planer. Surforms and EPS don’t work well together. By taking that cut down the center you establish your thickness for the shape. First thing I do, every shape. Don’t even cut the outline until I have leveled the blank. Then it’s on to outline, turn rails, finish sand and screen. If I have features to install(ie. Concaves, V, Channels etc.) ; I do that after I have leveled the bottom.
I figured that would be the best way to go about it. When I posted this is I didn’t have a planer, byt my nieghbor just offered to let me use his, so I’ll give it a shot.
There not that scary. Just go slow and take your time.
Beware of possible longitudinal twist in the blank. I set three carpenter levels across the blank, set with a square off a plumb line drawn from a 9’ straight edge - sometimes the stringer isn’t straight either. Then I sight down them to make sure they are all parallel. If not, I tediously shape out the twist.
Ah, I hadn’t even considered that headache, I’ll check for that as well. Pray for me boys.
Yes IMHO a twist can be much harder to shape out than your offset sides. Stringers do occasionally come thru with a twist or not centered, but in the blanks I have shaped over the years from seven different manufacturers I have found that issues along those lines are few and very far in between. A blank has got to be pretty bad for me to reject it. If you had seen all the Spackle I had to use on those Argentine Elovas I got post Clark you would know what I mean. I just hate to shell out too much $$$ for junk. Lowel
