So I built a shooting board...

[Randy Klein]

So I built my first shooting board this weekend. Everything square and perfect. I sharpened up my low angle iron and tried out the bevel up jack plane from Veritas. I got some nice shavings, as you can see off to the side in the picture.

But then when I checked my end, it wasn't square.:mad:

So I went back and re-checked my board and the fence was no longer square to the glide. I swear it was before. I'm thinking I must have knocked it out of square when I was trimming the fence, with the plane, to be flush with glide. I thought this was what I was supposed to do, but maybe I left too much overhang to trim.

So, now I have to re-square the fence. It's held in with three screws from below, #10 - 2" screws. I didn't think it would move on me. So I'm thinking I need a better way of securing it.

Should I run bolt all the way through, counterbored on bottom for the head and wingnut on top of the fence? I figure there should be enough play to align square after the fact, and any other time its needed.

Is there a better way?

[Mike Henderson]

I haven't had that problem. I've built shooting boards where I put screws in from the top, and when I glued the fence to the base. I prefer to use screws just in case...

The other thing you can do is make your fence out of MDF. I find that MDF trims easily so when you're making your first cuts, you aren't cutting end grain and don't put as much strain on the fence. Come to think about it, I think all the shooting boards I've made used MDF for the fence.

Mike

Since everybody loves to show pictures of their shooting boards, here's some of my current one. The last picture shows the miter attachment used for shooting boards at 45*.

[Randy Klein]

Come to think about it, I think all the shooting boards I've made used MDF for the fence.

That sounds like a good idea. For some reason I was thinking I needed a hardwood fence, so I had some 8/4 hard maple laying around...

Now I can't remember why I was thinking that...

[Derek Cohen]

Randy

I built my shooting board with a micro-adjustable fence:

http://www.wkfinetools.com/contrib/dCohen/z_art/shootBoard/index.asp

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a262/Derek50/Articles/HNT%20Gordon/ShootingboardMahoganyshavings1.jpg

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Randy Klein]

Randy

I built my shooting board with a micro-adjustable fence

I like the adjustable fence. I think I've seen that before which is what made me "suggest" it earlier.

As for the LV BU jack plane, how do you position your hand? I put my thumb on the finger hole and fingers on the lever cap. I wasn't sure where to put my fingers and am not sure if I'm messing anything up by putting them on the lever cap.

[Jason Boushard]

this is what got me to go neander someone told me my shadow boxes would be alot nicer if I would shoot the mitered corners but how do you shoot a corner that is between 4-6 inches tall? is there a shooting board with a set up that lets you lay the board flat and adjust the angle of the plane? I am going to start doing dovetails and box joints to but I would like to know how to do this as well.

[Randy Klein]

Not sure on this, but there is something called a donkeys ear shooting board. I think that's what you need.

Check it out here (http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/Community/QADetail.aspx?id=28150), you'll have to scroll down some.

[Dominic Greco]

I built my shooting board with a micro-adjustable fence

You just HAD to show me this didn't you Derek! Now I'm compelled to go out and build one for myself.:D

I personally love the adjustable fence. No matter how square I think I make a fence, be it for power or handtools, it always needs some tweaking.

[Chris Mann]

this is what got me to go neander someone told me my shadow boxes would be alot nicer if I would shoot the mitered corners but how do you shoot a corner that is between 4-6 inches tall?

you could also use a miter jack on boards of this size
http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/wwmitrejack.html

[Bruce Branson]

I built two different sized modular ones from shop scraps and a design I got from a place called White Mountain Design.The fence is adjustable.http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/8577/shootingboardssm7.jpg

[Jason Boushard]

thanks for the help guys sorry for hijacking the thread I think I am going to add the donkey ear set up to my to do list.

[Al Mock MD]

That shooting board is gorgeous! The plane lying against it made my eyes well up a bit. I can't say I've ever seen an iron quite that thick. Yours in jealousy, al

[Eric Sink]

I've often wondered why nobody sells shooting boards. Every kind of tool or jig is for sale by somebody. Heck, LV even sells winding sticks. But I don't think I've ever seen shooting boards listed in any of the catalogs.

[Michael Pilla]

HNT Gordon makes a ramped shooting board in right and left hand versions. Craftsman Studio sells it for $95. It's nice but...

Michael

[Mike Henderson]

I've often wondered why nobody sells shooting boards. Every kind of tool or jig is for sale by somebody. Heck, LV even sells winding sticks. But I don't think I've ever seen shooting boards listed in any of the catalogs.
One reason could be that they're very easy to make from scraps you have around the shop. That means people probably wouldn't pay very much for them.

Probably a small market, also, even if you ignore how easy they are to make.

Mike

[Harry Goodwin]

I cheat on my shooting boards with one adjustment. Use the left or right adjustment lever to make your cuts square. When you go back to regular use reset it. Harry

[Derek Cohen]

One reason could be that they're very easy to make from scraps you have around the shop. That means people probably wouldn't pay very much for them.
....

Mike, I agree in principle - they are easy to make. However, I suspect that many are daunted by the (perceived) accuracy required and want a finished product. Look at router tables - how many build their own verses how many that seek to buy one. And when they are not easily available, they are placed in the "too hard" basket.

My own is modelled on the HNT Gordon-distributed product. I built this a few years back now but I had built several others, much simpler ones, in the years before that.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Randy Klein]

I cheat on my shooting boards with one adjustment. Use the left or right adjustment lever to make your cuts square. When you go back to regular use reset it. Harry


Harry, I don't think I understand your explanation. Do you have any pictures?

[Robert Rozaieski]

I've often wondered why nobody sells shooting boards. Every kind of tool or jig is for sale by somebody. Heck, LV even sells winding sticks. But I don't think I've ever seen shooting boards listed in any of the catalogs.

http://www.thebestthings.com/newtools/crown_bench_hook.htm

This could be used as a shooting board on a flat bench or with a flat board underneath to act as a runway (there's runway for the plane on it).

[James Owen]

So I built my first shooting board this weekend. Everything square and perfect. I sharpened up my low angle iron and tried out the bevel up jack plane from Veritas. I got some nice shavings, as you can see off to the side in the picture.

But then when I checked my end, it wasn't square.:mad:

So I went back and re-checked my board and the fence was no longer square to the glide. I swear it was before. I'm thinking I must have knocked it out of square when I was trimming the fence, with the plane, to be flush with glide. I thought this was what I was supposed to do, but maybe I left too much overhang to trim.

So, now I have to re-square the fence. It's held in with three screws from below, #10 - 2" screws. I didn't think it would move on me. So I'm thinking I need a better way of securing it.

Should I run bolt all the way through, counterbored on bottom for the head and wingnut on top of the fence? I figure there should be enough play to align square after the fact, and any other time its needed.

Is there a better way?

Randy,

The simplest and least expensive solution to the squareness problem that I have seen comes from a David Charlesworth DVD: use a (thin) paper or cardboard shim to make your work piece square (or to deliberately put an angled cut on it).

He essentially states that squareness on your shooting board fence is the ideal and real nice to have, but if it's not there, don't worry about it: it's easy to compensate for.....

Just a thought.

[Fred Gross]

What's the old saying, "If you can't make it square, make it adjustable"? Manmade materials (MDF/Plywood) for the base and fence will be less susceptible to seasonal movement. I only took half of the advice....

[Randy Klein]

I modified my fence to be adjustable by putting 1/4" bolts with wing nuts. I still had the problem of it moving, even when I cranked down on it. So I ended up gluing it down and using the bolts as permanent clamps. I hope this helps, I'll test it tomorrow with a sharpened iron. I also added an MDF sub-fence with double stick tape.

I'm also thinking there may be a lot of user error here. I'm noticing that I need substantial force to plow through the end grain and sometimes it feels like I'm just hacking away at it. The iron is really sharp and low angle, so I'm not sure what the reason is.

I've heard some mention to moisten the fibers with water or mineral spirits and it'll make it easier. Is this true, and if so, how much moisten is needed?

Also, where do you place your fingers while shooting? The finger hole is an obvious place for the thumb. I find my fingers naturally rest on the lever cap, not sure if this is a good spot for them.

[Brian Kent]

I've often wondered why nobody sells shooting boards. Every kind of tool or jig is for sale by somebody. Heck, LV even sells winding sticks. But I don't think I've ever seen shooting boards listed in any of the catalogs.

Craftsman Studio sells this one:
http://www.craftsmanstudio.com/html_p/G!901.htm