I started the idea of shaping an Alaia last year, and stalled during the search for paulownia wood. I opted for shaping a hand plane out of cedar, which proved to be a great material all around. Its less expensive, and if you can find the clear stuff, without knots, it planes like butta.
My hand plane came out symmetrical, though it is an entirely different shape than everyone else is using. Its more of a down the line Gerry Lopez style from the 70s, rather than the fat, stubby shapeless models of today. I have doubts, but who knows. It was a good learning platform.
The Alaia fell along the same during design process. Take a few pictures, a few dimensions, and wing the rest.
1. Draw a grid on masonite board. 6 inch squares.
2. Measure out and grid off a picture or drawing of an alaia shape.
3. Plot in out as a half model on the masonite board, trace over to your blank. Half at a time using the
centerline on the blank.
4. Cut it out, and shape away.
So far, a have a rough shape going, some work left in the nose, and the right rail needs to look like the left.
In the future, the critical path for shaping will be: shape the bottom rail first since it has the most work, and then shape the deck down to that point. I worked them at the same time, not good....
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