Shooting Board Question

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Why doesn't the plane shave the shooting board guide? It looks like most of the shootiing boards have a 1/2 or 3/4 inch rabbet which guides the plane. It seem like the blade would contact it and shave it which would mess up the geometry of the jig.

[Tom Scott]

Dennis,
You are correct in that the first time you use a shooting board, it will plane part of edge where the plane rides. However, this is a one time deal (unless you change the depth of cut) since the plane's blade is not full width and will not cut the bottom portion of the main rabbet. If you can picture it, you actually end up with a 2-step rabbet...the main rabbet has a very fine secondary rabbet made from the cutting blade.
Take a look at this link Shooting Board (http://www.amgron.clara.net/planingpoints/shootingboards/shootingindex.htm) as it does a much better job of explaining than I do.

Tom

[Pam Niedermayer]

Why doesn't the plane shave the shooting board guide? It looks like most of the shootiing boards have a 1/2 or 3/4 inch rabbet which guides the plane. It seem like the blade would contact it and shave it which would mess up the geometry of the jig.

In addition to what Tom said, don't use a rebate plane.

Pam

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Thanks Tom

[Alan Turner]

Tom and Pam are right, of course. I will just add that one can add a bit of a wear strip, right at the bottom edge of the top board for the lateral margin to ride on. I used a very small scrap of ebony, probably 3/16" high, and inset perhaps 3/8" or so. The plane sole runs against this ebony wear strip, which is quite smooth and wear resistant. It was just an offcut from a piece of cockbeading. Any tropical would be good.
A cross grain shooting board is a thing of pleasure.

[Eric Sanford]

Dennis, thanks for asking the question....I'd wondered the same thing and never stopped to think about the blade width versus sole width as creating a built-in reference. I love learning something new!! Thanks to the experts for the answers, too!

Eric

[Michael Perata]

Dennis, thanks for asking the question....I'd wondered the same thing and never stopped to think about the blade width versus sole width as creating a built-in reference. I love learning something new!! Thanks to the experts for the answers, too!

Eric
Echo the same comment. Kinda a "well, duh" solution, but since I haven't attemped to build one, thanks for solving the question ahead of time.