Shooting for Perfection

[Derek Cohen]

... since Kevin posts here .... :)

I have put together an article on post-construction testing of a shooting board. I think some of you will find it interesting.

There are a couple of new features as well.

This is also the last board I shall make for some months - too many projects to build for home. I am more than happy to provide help if you want to build your own.

The link: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Kevin Adams]

Thanks, Derek, I can't wait to give it a shot (pun intended)! I hope that beautiful Jarrah wood doesn't make my ebony trying plane feel bad.

BTW, I know you have "tuned" the board with the HNT plane, but is there any reason it wouldn't work with a LA jack? Would there be any significant wear of the ramp using metal vs. wood? Do you recommend waxing the ramp?

Take care,
Kevin

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Kevin

You asked me about the finish. It is Danish Oil (for durability) and wax (for smooth movements). I have used my current shooting board for a few years now. It gets heavy use. The Jarrah is extremely hard wearing. This is the timber that spanned Australia in the form of railway sleepers, piers and bridges. A lot of the stuff I use is salvaged from roofing trusses, so imagine several decades of being baked in the Australian sun!

Just wax the ramp every now-and-then.

I used to use a HNT Gordon Trying Plane, as you have, but I now use mine with a Veritas LA Jack. Use a scribble of wax on the sole of the LAJ in the same way as you would if planing normally.

Remember, it is set up and should work out of the box. But there are many tweeks you can do, and may need to do, from adjusting the angle of the fences, to adjusting the tilt of the Donkeys Ear in three dimensions.

Above all, it is just a tool.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Wallis Hampson]

Thanks for posting. Such a functional project and so beautiful. Mine is a piece of Baltic Birch plywood and Walnut that belongs in the trash after seeing this. Again.....very nice and thanks for taking the time to show us all..

[Greg Cole]

Very timely posting Derek.
I've got a build-a-bench going and am looking to add a few more little helpers like this to the arsenal.
BTW, nice touch having the Badger Pond mug in the background. ;)

Greg

[Danny Thompson]

Beautiful and inspiring work, Derek.

[Will Blick]

> Mine is a piece of Baltic Birch plywood and Walnut that belongs in the trash after seeing this.

Wallis..... :-) ...... don't ya hate that!

Derek, thanks again for sharing, I love the donkey ears!

[Zahid Naqvi]

Hey Derek, your timing is perfect. I sold my jointer a few days ago to go all neander. This is in my "to do list". the micro adjustability is the key I think. I have made a few shooting boards before and they were never perfect and I alwyas had to use shims to get the perfect angle, but that required going through the same cycle everytime I used it which got very tedious.

[Bill White]

One of the most informative posts I've seen in a while. Great pics and info. Thanks a bunch.
Bill