So I have a few tools at my disposal, a cnc laser engraver, a 3d printer, and time. Does anyone have any jigs for fins to calculate the most accurate angles for cant, and toe-in? Looking for files that I can adapt for use, or photo examples I can work backwards from. I feel like my eyes go haywire when I am laying fins and I don’t trust them. I want to be as accurate as possible when marking the proper angles etc.
For over 40 years I have made toe templates from Masonite or thin ply.
they are designed with the toe angle on them, but each has its own toe according to the rocker, the more rocker the less toe, real flat boards need more because the board turns flatter on gutless waves.
each template has half the width ever inch marked across it, e:I 15" tail / 7-12:". Determine distance off rail and the type of rocker, slide template along stringer until you hit your marks.
hell of a lot easier that a framing square and 2 dots 5 inches apart
Don’t think that CNC and computer short cuts will necessarily give you an Encyclopedia of shaping knowledge. Jigs like Jim speaks of are a lifetime of knowledge and acquired expertise. Not an overnight shortcut. But there are commercially available jigs line the Senate/Casica fin gauge that will get you going. Like Jim I have a few Ply jigs cut for Toe and Cant. Takes time and many hand shaped boards to develop such tools.
I am super visual. Do you have pics? I am having trouble seeing this in my minds eye. I have 0 experience compared to all of you! Only 4th board I’ve shaped, and 2nd foam core. The other 2 were hws
You will need to know what you want before a jig can help you acheive it.
You also need to respect whatever contribution the fin boxes are making if using those.
For example, I use Gearbox which had built-in cant. So I focus on off the rail, up from tail, and toe in.
One has to remember which side of the line for side fins.
If you are CAD-capable, it may be just as easy to draw a half-tail with your deisred placement and print it on paper and use it to place your ‘shaper dots’ for the fins. Mark it on one side, flip over, mark it on the other
I have the clear template from Foamez, the regular EZ square one not the Senate/Casica one. Sometimes I have to re-read the instructions on the template to remember how to use it.
I use these for the toe in.
Then double check with a 2400 long piece of 3mm ply that I can use to toe into a certain point from the nose.
As far as cant goes I really want to make similar ones to these but cut them at 95 degrees and 99 degrees etc. But long enough that I can get them to sit across a significant part of the tail of the board and allow for concave etc
There you go. Secrets revealed. A lifetime of knowledge and expertise. All yours.