Best tool to cut a long curve on a plank?

[bing!]

I want to build my son a wooden body board, and then a surf board.

In building the frame, I need to cut a long curve for the central stringer.

Also, the solid outside stringers and nose will need to be cut too.



What is the best tool for this? I have a scroll saw. I could buy a jig saw. Or would a band saw be better?

And while we're at it, I also need really think cedar planks for the deck, which I think are unavailable locally. Can I mill my own within reason?

Thanks?

[pelligrini]

If it were me I'd make a template out of hardboard on the band saw then use a bearing bit in my router to cut the wood. A template would allow you to easily do matching shapes for the outsides.

[bing!]

If it were me I'd make a template out of hardboard on the band saw then use a bearing bit in my router to cut the wood. A template would allow you to easily do matching shapes for the outsides.

Thats sounds like a great suggestion. It would almost be like how the CNC kit makers produce them, `cept manually. Thanks.

[cwsmith]

My preference would be the bandsaw. You'll get a lot better control and certainly a much better cut, as there's no vibration caused by the reciprocating action of either a scroll or sabre (jig) saw.

Considering the appearance that this is project is for some rather narrow stock, I would think that even an inexpensive nine-inch bandsaw would be efficient and, IMHO, certainly more efficient than even the most expensive scroll or hand-held sabre saw.

Big advantages to the bandsaw is low or no vibration, as the banded blade rotates only in one direction. Absolutely no kickback as a result. Also, you can do very nice long or short curves with a very slim kerf.

Disadvantage is that you can't do thru-cuts (piercing cuts) with it, as the blade is basically a loop of steel. Also, it's not a great tool to use with a fences, as that leads to expectation that you will get perfectly straight rips. Blade drift is almost always a factor and needs to be understood. But, for hand-guided work, like curves, it is a "must-have" tool.

Ryobi's 9" sells for about $100 and the Rikon-like Craftsman sells for around $175, iirc. The latter is often on sale and has received some very good reviews from other users... a few of which I believe are on this forum.

I hope this helps,

CWS

[poolhound]

A bandsaw would work well although with a long piece to cut it may be more difficult to control on a small BS.

If you get a good quality JS with a similar good quality blade you can get great control. You can either cut the shape very carefully and sand/file to finished dimension or as was mentioned you could clean it up with a router and template.

[cabinetman]

Along the lines that Erik and Jon suggested, the size of the pieces and what tools you have might make a difference. I would make two templates if there are multiples of pieces. One would be for a rough cut (1/4" or less larger than the final size), and one for the final size, which would be sanded smooth.

Using a rough cut template would cut the time from drawing out the rough line. The pieces could be cut with a bandsaw or a jigsaw. Then the rough cut piece can be double sided taped or hot glued to the finished size template and routed off by a handheld router or on a table router with a flush trim bit with a bearing.
.

[Uncle Cracker]

If you don't have a bandsaw, a six-pack to the guys at your local Woodcraft would probably induce them to cut you a template. Then you could use a pattern bit in your router to make as many as you want.

[pelligrini]

What is the best tool for this? I have a scroll saw. I could buy a jig saw. Or would a band saw be better?

And while we're at it, I also need really think cedar planks for the deck, which I think are unavailable locally. Can I mill my own within reason?

I didn't notice, but it looks like you don't have a bandsaw. You could do the template on the scrollsaw, but it would be slow going and not easy. I used to do quite a bit of different cutting on my old dremel scrollsaw. Long pieces aren't easy to work with. You could use the project to justify a new tool purchase.

If you get a jigsaw follow poolhound's recommendation on getting a quality one. I used to use my dad's old black and decker, I later bought a cheap craftsman. Neither one holds a candle to my bosch barrel grip I got a few months ago.

A quick, convenient source for cedar around here is HD and lowes. They carry some 8/4 and sometimes bigger rough cut material for fences and such. The boards aren't that wide though.

[JR]

+1 on the template and router approach.

I'd make the template out of MDF. It is easy to work with, offering a lot of opportunity to tweak the shape until you you get it how you want it.

JR

[LCHIEN]

a scroll saw proabl won't do because the neck limits the length of longish items you can cut in a more or less single direction.

A bandsaw I think would be the tool of choice for me although a jigsaw might do it.
Are all the stringers the same or different? If they ar the same then a template and router (altho a bandsaw to rough cut to size would help a lot) will do but i think they are all slightly different so have to be individualy cut. Then, a bandsaw might be more comfortable for a lot of cuts than a a jigsaw.

A good quality 9-12" bandsaw may well do the job here. Long gentle curves can be done with 3/8 or even 1/2" blade. Its not intricate work.

[pelligrini]

a scroll saw proabl won't do because the neck limits the length of longish items you can cut in a more or less single direction.

Depends on the saw too. I can turn a blade 90 degrees with my old dremel. Long pieces are very cumbersome though.

When I was in college my dremel was my only powered cutting tool. It got used for many tasks it wasn't really intended to do. Like ripping long boards.

[crokett]

I would make a template, then use jigsaw or bandsaw to to cut close and finish with the router and template.