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Gerry S. Wojtowicz
02-27-2014, 8:56 AM
Hi all,

I'm a newbie when it comes to hand planes. I'm trying to build a shooting board for planning 45 degrees in boards, but I am uncertain how to get the 45 degrees in the pieces of the shooting board itself. I know it is theoretically possible to use a hand plane to achieve that 45 degree angle, but for the life of me I can't figure out how it is done.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Gerry

Sean Hughto
02-27-2014, 9:15 AM
I'm not sure I understand your question. You achieve a 45 degree angle in the same way you achieve a 90 degree angle or any other angle for that matter - you mark well, you saw as accurately as you can, and then you adjust with plane or chisel until the angles are true as judged by your marking and measuring tools.

Practically speaking, do you have a table saw, a compound miter saw, sliding compound miter saw, or even a handsaw with a miter box?

Chris Griggs
02-27-2014, 9:19 AM
First build this type of miter shooting board...you don't need to create any perfect angle to make it, you just need to secure the pieces at perfect 45.

283465

Then use it to get the angles for the end pieces you will need to build this type....well that's what I did anyway.

283466


You'll want to have both types anyway.

David Weaver
02-27-2014, 9:20 AM
Are you marking length of lines? If that's all you have at your hands right now, I'd use basic math.

two legs of equal length to make your 90 degree angle, you'll know the angle is 90 degrees when the line connecting the ends of the two is their length multiplied by the square root of 2.

lowell holmes
02-27-2014, 9:44 AM
Google "Donkey's Ear" and select the Popular Woodworking site.

It is a very well written article on the subject.

Gerry S. Wojtowicz
02-27-2014, 12:29 PM
Thanks to all.
I'm trying to build a shooting board similar to the one Chris displayed in his lower picture. I cut the 45 degree angles with my table saw, and I believe they are as accurate as a table saw can make them (as measured with a protractor). I was looking for a way to be even more certain of their accuracy. It kind or looks like the best approach is, as Chris did, to make a shooting board to make a shooting board.

Curt Putnam
02-27-2014, 12:42 PM
Check Derek Cohen's site. He has at least 4 articles about shooting boards. One here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection.html. Also check out Rob Hanson's Evenfall Woodwerks site for commercial products. Google works nicely.

Jim Koepke
02-27-2014, 1:26 PM
Hi all,

I'm a newbie when it comes to hand planes. I'm trying to build a shooting board for planning 45 degrees in boards, but I am uncertain how to get the 45 degrees in the pieces of the shooting board itself. I know it is theoretically possible to use a hand plane to achieve that 45 degree angle, but for the life of me I can't figure out how it is done.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Gerry

Hi Gerry,

Like so many things there are a lot of ways to do this depending on the application and the result.

The shooting boards mentioned above are a great shop appliance to have on hand. Another way to shoot angles is with what is often called a donkey's ear. Here is one of mine for 22-1/2º angles:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?157217-Eight-Eared-Donkey

It was made for shooting small pieces on edge grain or end grain.

Here is a quick solution for a run of ~45º mitering:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?192600-The-Mighty-Miter-Shooter

It would also work for your needs by setting the angle reference piece on its side. Any adjustments can be made by shimming between the angle reference and the shooting board fence. With changes in humidity in my area it is a common practice in my shop.

jtk

Gerry S. Wojtowicz
03-02-2014, 11:44 PM
Hi all,

Thanks for your input. Here is an update. Bear with me in case I am not explaining this well. I'll supply pictures if this verbal attempt fails. Ready? Here we go.

I made a second shooting board specifically to cut 45 degree angles (similar in function to this https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=5f3338b7facaa1b3f1d2ebeaa3158813 ). The test pieces I tried to plane (with a Veritas low angle plane) measured 6 inches long x 2 inches wide x .75 inches thick. The 45 degree angle was initially cut on a table saw. When I tried to plane the pieces in the shooting board I initially placed it on the jig with the .75 in side down on the base of the jig, the 2 inch side against the fence, planing the 2 inch long 45 degree angle. I could not get any shavings using the plane.

I turned the board on its side such that the 2 inch side was now on the base and the .75 in side against the fence. The jig worked perfectly.

If you decipher what I said my question is why I was able to plane in one position and not the other. Am I dealing with a grain direction problem?

Thanks again to all.

Gerry

Jim Koepke
03-03-2014, 3:26 AM
In the first set up with the edge on the shooting board and trying to plane a 2" wide face, was the plane's blade wide enough to span the full width of the face to be planed?

My guess is you might have been just a hair out of square and the top of the edge riding on the top edge of the plane kept the blade from ever touching wood.

Because of the limitations of the plane most shooting boards do not work well with wide areas above the work platform. In you need to shoot the bevel on the end of a board a donkey's ear set up works better.

The link in my previous post has a link to one for making 22-1/2º bevels. It should be just as simple to make one for 45º.

jtk