Futures Fin Install DIY Templates

[surfcowboy]

Ok, the blank is shipping this week and I need to prepare to put some fins in this thing.

I have a trim router with a 3" round base (Rigid, my buddy bought it before knowing all the templates use Makita) and I figure a lot of folks have one of those, and might want to install some Futures boxes and might not want to purchase the install kit. Enter the world of 2015 and laser cutting, CNC and 3D printing.

I might go ProBox as I really love Larry's system and I think that they have a far better template and install kit as well as the adjustability) but while I was thinking about it, I knocked out these vector files and I am at least going to do some test cuts. (I guess we all have strange hobbies.)

This set is calculated for a 3" round router base with a 1/4" bit. That seems to be the standard trim router  base but of course these can be easily customized for each brand once they are in the wild. I'm also wondering if I should just do one for a 1/2" bit and make things faster.

I'm working on finding someone local to laser cut these out of plexiglass or acrylic or CNC them out of thin birch plywood and I'll layer them up into a template. The way they would work is as follows:

There are three pieces, the first two would be glued together to provide the outer track for the router to run against. The white section is cut out and the inner grey line is merely there for reference.

This is just the backing plate.


This would show the backing plate (dark green) covered by the glued on router guide (lighter green.)


This shows the third piece (an 11mm thick inner oval to guide the deeper center cut) placed in place.


The orange piece would just sit in the plate and maybe be masking taped down.

You'd start with it in and do the deep inner cut, then remove it and do the shallower flange cut.

I know there are issues with flatness and angling the boxes but I'm guessing this would be way better than the free hand methods I've seen on other sites. Also, shimming should be fairly easy.

I've paper printed them and they line up pretty nicely. I'm going to get some Futures boxes even if I don't go that way on this board so I can play around with this.

Someone let me know what I'm missing and in the meantime I'm going to see if I can get a local hacker space to cut these out for me. If they work, I'll happily open source them for the backyarders everywhere to cut locally (ah technology!) or just DIY them out of 1/4" or 1/8" ply.

Gimme the feedback folks.

[supuk]

This is great good work! I have been meaning to do it for a long time for all the future boxes including the long board box but never got round to it. if you can do a 3d drawing I can try and convert it to g code on cam bam and will try and cut it out on my cnc and give it a test and send you one.

[surfcowboy]

Thanks man, I'll do the flat cuts here to test as we should prototype before print and then I'll bet tall dude could get us 3D (paging the Tall one!)

I should have a cutter local later today and might get it delivered tomorrow.

After that I'll tweak the dims and we can do a final. I should hand cut one but machines are cheaper.

[magentawave]

Are those templates for Probox?

[supuk]

Thanks man, I'll do the flat cuts here to test as we should prototype before print and then I'll bet tall dude could get us 3D (paging the Tall one!)

I should have a cutter local later today and might get it delivered tomorrow.

After that I'll tweak the dims and we can do a final. I should hand cut one but machines are cheaper.

great looks forward to it i had a few attempts at doing a jig myself and also a one shot bit that does them in one pass but it would be great to have something proper. Would be good to do a spacer for the harbour fright router as well as they are so cheap i just get a new one and leave it set up for whatever box it does.

[TallDude]

Thanks man, I'll do the flat cuts here to test as we should prototype before print and then I'll bet tall dude could get us 3D (paging the Tall one!)

I should have a cutter local later today and might get it delivered tomorrow.

After that I'll tweak the dims and we can do a final. I should hand cut one but machines are cheaper.

I usually make my precise router collar guide templates out of 1/2" birch ply, Appleply, or cut-up one of my old hinge templates. I'll drill press the corners with the appropriate radius bit and very carefully jig saw tangent to tangent. I use my Porter Cable 1-3/4 hp router with a 1/2" mortise bit and collar with most of my templates and for light duty work. To make my template, I'll start by tracing an actual Futures fin box.
The nice thing about using a collar as the guide instead of the router plate,  is the collar diameters are universal. That means it will work with just about any router. 

Are you looking for these in a 3D AutoCad dwg or dxf file?

[magentawave]

Hey guys, if I paid you for these plus shipping costs, could I possibly get a set of these templates too?

[TallDude]

Actually these guys in San Marcos, Ca. make the hinge and lock boring templates for the building industry. They do special order custom templates. I might be able to convince them there is a small market here, and get some templates made for a reasonable cost? I could work out the dimensions and give them the CAD drawings. This would be for a collar guide template which is what most of their templates are.

We have to figure out what the best size is for the template or templates. 1 template for the cassette outline, 1 insert to that template for the cassette pocket on the board, 1 insert for the fin box flange, and 1 insert for fin box channel. Basically clamp or screw it to your cassette material (Divinycell, PU, etc.) rout the channel, then the flange recess, then the cassette outline. Then rout the cassette pocket on the board.

About Templaco Tools

Templaco Tools Inc. is a quality tool manufacturer producing standard and specialized tools for door hardware installation. Templaco has been manufacturing and selling door hanging tools since 1981 and we now make over 250 different router templates for the installation of locks, door hardware and all types of hinges.
The Templaco Bore Master cylindrical lock installation kit is nationally known as the premier installation tool preferred by the professional door hardware installer. We produce most of our tools and associated parts right here in the United States, just north of San Diego, California.
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[magentawave]

I was going to make a rube goldberg template with my jigsaw and a piece of thin plywood, but if this can be done cheap, then this sounds mo bettah.

[surfcowboy]

Updating, I'm getting a bid for having a test cut out of plexi with an epilog laser cutter.

If this works you can just get a set cut at your local maker space or machine shop for cheap. If it doesn't let's look at Tall Dude's guys.

I'm thinking that the edits for various routers would be faster in 2D but TD can make fancy 3D stuff.

Also I wanna look into what a 3d print would cost. TD is there a benefit to the collar and template over a simple flat template?

Btw, keeping those guys in my Rolodex. They look awesome.

[magentawave]

Okay cool. Considering FCS fins fit in Probox and Futures can be modified to fit Probox, what was your decision to go with Futures boxes?

[surfcowboy]

Magenta, I'm probably going to go ProBox on my board. The template is cool and the system is top notch.

 I started this when I was looking at Futures and then I realized that I should just stay the course for the good of backyarders everywhere.

Also I'll probably do Futures in other boards for friends and such and Futures probably would like to sell more fins to guys like us who aren't really gonna spring for the full kit.

In the end, as hobbies go, making a tool is just as fun as making a board for me.

[magentawave]

Got it. Would you use the Probox template? There's a long thread on Swaylocks about Probox verses other fin boxes and the guys that didn't like Probox said they were too heavy and didn't like the Probox post-glass install. What have you concluded?

Magenta, I'm probably going to go ProBox on my board. The template is cool and the system is top notch.

 I started this when I was looking at Futures and then I realized that I should just stay the course for the good of backyarders everywhere.

Also I'll probably do Futures in other boards for friends and such and Futures probably would like to sell more fins to guys like us who aren't really gonna spring for the full kit.

In the end, as hobbies go, making a tool is just as fun as making a board for me.

[surfcowboy]

I totally don't know enough to argue those. Lol.

I like the flexibility. If I knew more about fins I'd not need the adjustments but ProBox gives you lee way and the more I experiment, the more I learn that small moves in fins really change your board. I turn better now just because I changed the fins on my Fusion.

The weight might be an issue on a short board but in a SUP I can't see it being an issue.

The install is appealing to me as I haven't really mastered the whole glass over when I did it on my handplanes. I'll do it on a mini Simmons prone board that I'm going to start soon and dial it in there.

After making a pair of keels for futures it'd also be nice to, have a simpler base to shape. I'll be buying some G10 panels to play with and ProBox is super easy in that front. I want to make a big ass pair of keels to use as a twin this summer.

[magentawave]

Yes to all of that and a bonus is that Larry seems to be a good guy that is genuinely interested in helping people with their questions.

Have you decided on where you will set the fin boxes? I'm still fuzzy on that...