Donkey's Ear...

[Rick Markham]

After a long and fruitless search of the forums for some reason I can't find the pic of the nifty vise type Donkey's ear that someone here made... and I can't remember their name either :o

So I guess my question is what do y'all donkey's ears look like? Maybe the one I am thinking of will turn up... or maybe I missed my chance...

Regardless I have an interest in building a donkey's ear and want to see y'all designs so I can get some ideas, and ask politely to imitate ya! :D

[Eric Brown]

Hi Rick. Not sure if it was mine you were thinking of but here is the link anyway.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=115347


Still works fine and I'm really glad I made it.

Eric

[Derek Cohen]

Those are nice jigs Eric, but none are a Donkeys Ear ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection_html_63f3db76.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection_html_m369d709f.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection_html_m3e129cd2.jpg

Reference: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection.html


Michael Connor has an interesting alternative on his website:

http://www.michealconnorwoodwork.com.au/mitreshoot2%20copy.jpg

Reference: http://www.michealconnorwoodwork.com.au/workbenchesaccessories.htm

video: http://picasaweb.google.com/michealconnor/45DegreeMitreShootingBoard?authkey=u5PZCfEgodM#517 1438804871143106


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Eric Brown]

Derek while mine is not a plain old donkey ear, the OP asked for a vice-like one. I think mine fits that bill. As for mine not being a donkey ear, well granted it is limited in the width of board it can handle (about 8") but it does shoot 45 degree angles. 90 degree angles too. And tendons.
In other words it's a variation.

I think Rick will be happy to see lots of variations so keep 'em coming!

Eric

[lowell holmes]

www.popularwoodworking.com/images/.../Shooting%20Board.pdf (http://www.popularwoodworking.com/images/.../Shooting%20Board.pdf)


A Google search yielded this site at the top of the list.

[Rick Markham]

Eric, that was the one I was thinking of, which brings me to my next question, and it goes along with Derek's comment... Can you flip it over and use it as a Donkey's ear? It sure looks like you made it to work that way. Would you be willing to share how you made it?

Derek I have been reading about all of your shooting boards, your website is one of my bookmarked resources, during my research I came across an interesting take on the angled shooting board, where the workpiece is held flat and the ramp for the plane is angled, allowing gravity to do some of the work for you. I thought it was an interesting idea.

Lowell for some reason the link, doesn't work, don't know if it is because I don't belong to the FWW site or not. I tried googling "Donkey's ear" and variations of it but had no luck. I would have been better off doing a search for "shooting boards" and digging through the results.

Being that I have limited space, I am looking to build as flexible designs as I possibly can. Derek your shooting boards really fit the bill for that, and Eric's miter vise I can see being really useful too. Right now I am trying to do all my research, I have a "normal" shooting board I have used, it was a 5min jobby, and works but I find myself shooting edge joints without it mostly. I have a couple projects in the works that the vise, a donkey's ear, and the angled miter fence set up would help tremendously. So I figured I would do my research and just build the whole lot at once.

Thanks Y'all as always!

[Stephen Shepherd]

Here is a real Mules [Donkeys] Ear, the vise type is a Miter Jack a different animal.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii105/shepherd1857/donkeysearshootingboard.jpg

Stephen

[Jim Koepke]

Lowell for some reason the link, doesn't work, don't know if it is because I don't belong to the FWW site or not. I tried googling "Donkey's ear" and variations of it but had no luck. I would have been better off doing a search for "shooting boards" and digging through the results.


The link didn't work for me either. It did take me to a Popular Woodworking page and I used the search function at Popular Woodworking and it took me to a very informative 21 page .pdf that was then saved.


jim

[Eric Brown]

Derek and Mr Shepard are right that what I have is called a miter vice.
The main differences though is that one clamps narrower boards and one is just an angled shooting board with larger board capacity.

I just got mine here by the computer to measure:
on the 45 degree side I have 3"W x 7 1/2" L clamping surface.
on the square side its 3"W x 6 1/2" L clamping surface (with rail)
Except for the rail thats all you have for registration.
Note: The jaws only open to 4"

The donkey ear gives you a longer shooting length and longer registration.

It really depends on what you are doing.

The design I modified slightly can be used either side up and while the original design had to be clamped in a vice, mine has a big block 3 1/2"W x 5 1/2" H x 7"L that I can use a holdfast on and clamp it anywhere on my bench (or vice).

As another option to a donkey ear you could also use a fence like the Stanley 386 and have whatever angle you want.


Let me know if you want more info.
Eric

[Dave Halter]

This should be the correct link directly to the PWW pdf file:

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/images/features/Shooting%20Board.pdf

[Tony Zaffuto]

Derek,

When I make a jig, I make a jig, not a piece of furniture!!!! Your donkey ear looks too pretty to use (but I bet it's used)!

Nice job.

T.Z.

[Rick Markham]

Thanks for the link, that's all the information I could need and more! Thanks for the measurements on you miter vice Eric, I guess I will be ordering a vice screw soon.

Derek, I have to agree your shooting boards are extremely beautiful, I must admit, I love my tools and jigs to be pretty too... although not all of them turn out that way. I guess to me it's a pleasure to get to work with aesthetically pleasing tools when making something beautiful.

[Stephen Shepherd]

Here is a Miter Jack that I made, used then sold. A fairly easy project with a screw box. I also have used it with a hand saw to cut the miters first. I recommend gluing on [with hide glue] thick paper or veneer to protect the surface from the saw and plane.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050207085703/http://www.ilovewood.com/miterjack3.JPG

Stephen

[Kevin Adams]

Tony,

Well, it is used...by me! I commissioned Derek to make one for me a year or two ago to be used with my HNT Gordon trying plane. As you can see, Derek did a wonderful job. It not only works very well, but it looks great, too! He used some great native wood to go with my Down under plane...and even inlaid an Aussie coin in the top of it.

Take care,
Kevin

[Tony Zaffuto]

Kevin,

As I said, it looks more like a piece of furniture! Just nice to have something like that in the shop, isn't it?

T.Z.

[tico vogt]

I sell a Donkey Ear attachment with the shooting board I'm producing:

http://www.ticovogt.com/?page_id=311. It's about 7" x 7" and can work on another shooting board by just drilling two holes for the brass inserts for the bolts.

Best,

Tico Vogt

[Derek Cohen]

I sell a Donkey Ear attachment with the shooting board I'm producing:

http://www.ticovogt.com/?page_id=311. It's about 7" x 7" and can work on another shooting board by just drilling two holes for the brass inserts for the bolts.

Best,

Tico Vogt

Hi Tico

With a few minor variations, the design of your board, attachments, etc looks rather familiar ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

[tico vogt]

Hi Derek,

I'm glad you replied. I thought you might have read this post back in May: http://www.ticovogt.com/?p=250 in which I attribute ideas, feedback,and inspiration to you and others.

Best,

Tico

[Kevin Adams]

Hey Tony,

Tell you what, I've been trying to come up with something else to commission Derek to make for me...maybe that wooden brace he made a couple of years back. He does great work and really thinks of every little detail. He certainly makes furniture that way, so why not jigs, too?!

Thanks for the comments.

Kevin

P.S. Derek, thanks again and for ALL of your contributions to our little woodworking world!

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Kevin

I am so pleased that the shooting board is still in one piece and bringing you pleasure. I think that yours is a beautiful tool, and definitely the nicest one I have built ...

... I am not at this time considering making more (other than a ramped version built around my Carousel fence for myself). The boards made by Tico look good, or I am happy to give anyone advice if they wish to build their own.

Regards from Perth

Derek