The Story Stick Story - A Video

[Jim Koepke]

Mistakes were made, hopefully someone can be found to blame:

https://youtu.be/QAyFKwXMLYg

A quick video showing the layout of a story stick for my next coat/hat rack to be made. This will have four pegs, the last one made had three.

The screw markings should have been carried all the way around, they will be in a few minutes.

I am going to have to get a bit better at this. The stick was shown end to end so the 31" markings could be seen except they were off camera.

Oh well, life is tough.

jtk

[Frederick Skelly]

That gave me some new ideas. Thanks Jim!

[Brian Holcombe]

Thanks Jim! And I love the background music. :D

[Nicholas Lawrence]

Thanks Jim! And I love the background music. :D

At the end of the day, can you really trust a woodworking video that does not have even one banjo playing in the background?

I like the video Jim. Useful, and to the point.

[Tony Zaffuto]

I like the video also Jim: we have smilarities in usng story sticks, dividers, etc. also can sometimes use story sticks to check diagonals.

[Chris Parks]

Jim, why is it done in such a low resolution?

[Pat Barry]

I honestly never thought of laying out the dimensions onto a story stick and then making the project. I always thought that it was used to transfer the dimensions from a finished project to help build a new one (replicate). So my question, what did you start with to get the dimensions? A scaled drawing, a previously built piece, thin air?

[Tony Zaffuto]

Pat,

I can't speak for Jim, but I make story sticks for most projects before I start. Especially useful for those where I get sidetracked for weeks or months and then drop back to re-start.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, why is it done in such a low resolution?

My camera is an older, less expensive one that doesn't do well with the low light of my shop.


I honestly never thought of laying out the dimensions onto a story stick and then making the project. I always thought that it was used to transfer the dimensions from a finished project to help build a new one (replicate). So my question, what did you start with to get the dimensions? A scaled drawing, a previously built piece, thin air?

I started with the first coat/hat rack built for in the house:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?240132-Making-a-Simple-Project-Not-So-Simple&p=2521128#post2521128

The I built a second one for sale at the farmers market:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?241367-Keeping-it-Simple

The first was a prototype. The second was made to be simpler and a test of concept.

With the dimensions now pretty much set, I figured it was time to make a story stick to eliminate the need for measuring.

Sometimes if there are multiple pieces cut to the same size in a project I will lay out a stick in advance of starting work. If it is something to be built multiple times I may make a few to work out the kinks.

If the stick doesn't work out, it is easy to change things with the use of a plane for an eraser.

jtk

[Curt Putnam]

Interesting little video - thank you. Watching you mark the center was almost painful - I would like to suggest that you invest in a saddle square. Makes such tasks much more accurate and faster.

[Jim Koepke]

Interesting little video - thank you. Watching you mark the center was almost painful - I would like to suggest that you invest in a saddle square. Makes such tasks much more accurate and faster.

It looks awkward sometimes because of not only being slightly dyslexic, I am also a bit ambidextrous and forget which hand is which. That was one of those moments when I thought I was going lefty when I wanted to be righty and already was. I'm used to it.

I have thought of making a saddle square from a corner bracket just to see if it appeals to me. That little square is almost always on the bench, so it ends up getting used a lot.

jtk

[James Pallas]

Neatly done Jim. Story sticks (poles) as I learned it are very useful tools. I use them often so I don't introduce errors using a tape or rule. I'm good at that like marking a quarter inch on the wrong side of the inch mark etc. I also struggle with the right left hand thing sometimes have to stop and think about it so the brain can catch up to what your hands are already doing.
Jim