Wall profile jig thread

[Wooden Rivet]

I have searched and searched to no avail for a thread I saw a while back.It concerned a commercially available jig for making a profile for the interior walls on an Airstream.I think the price was about $200.00 and looked like it would do a good job.I sure could use one if anyone knows where that post might be.

Tom

[Minno]

Chris uses this when he's doing curves on the walls of the trailer. Is this what you are looking for?

Buy WoodRiver Curve Template 107 at Woodcraft

Kay

[CanoeStream]

You can make your own by noon tomorrow -- http://www.airforums.com/forums/f36/...pes-29321.html

A reproduced contour records the shape in one location. Verify that it works everywhere if using in multiple locations. That's all just part of Airstreams being handmade.

[Wooden Rivet]

Thank you so very much.

Tom

[bobbygee]

I was taught this by a great carpenter/builder.
Get a piece of scrap ply or mdf and roughly cut it to suit the contour so it sits at 90o to the wall.
Sit the ply perpindicular to the wall, place your pencil on a block of wood to bring it out from the wall and run the block of wood along the wall this will transfer the contour via the pencil directly onto the ply but maybe an inch or two from the wall.

Then cut along the along the line and voila perfect template which cost close to nothing.

I hope this is clear but if you need a diagram I am happy to provide one.

Use the money you would have spent on the template jig on a good dinner out!!!

Cheers from Downunder!

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by bobbygee

I was taught this by a great carpenter/builder.
Get a piece of scrap ply or mdf and roughly cut it to suit the contour so it sits at 90o to the wall.
Sit the ply perpindicular to the wall, place your pencil on a block of wood to bring it out from the wall and run the block of wood along the wall this will transfer the contour via the pencil directly onto the ply but maybe an inch or two from the wall.
Then cut along the along the line and voila perfect template which cost close to nothing.
Cheers from Downunder!

I did the same thing, however I used a piece of the corrugated board that is used for making signs. I was able to cut it using kitchen shears to a rough curve before tracing along the wall with a pencil on a block as described above.

The two sides of my front end cap are close in contour, but not the same. I used a hot glue gun to attach decorative braid from a hobby shop where my new cabinets meet the walls. It looks great and takes care of any minor deviations.

[Wooden Rivet]

Thanks everyone for your replies. Apparently there are some people with a very deft touch tracing a pattern with a block. I have used that method several times over the years building cabinets, but I must not have the touch. I was less than happy with the results so I have been searching for a while for a method that is accurate, fast, and repeatable. Hope this is it. Think it may be. Maybe we can go out to dinner with the money this thing saves in material lost.

Thanks again,

Tom

[webspinner]

The scribing technique described by bobbygee above has worked for me for two dinettes and a bathroom vanity. I use an old metal school compass to hold the pencil and give me a point to run along the wall as I scribe.

The trick is to make sure that both pencil and scribe tip stay at the same level. If the two points, pencil and scribe tip, aren't always parallel to the floor, the scribe line will not be an accurate copy of the wall curve.