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Thread: Edge jointing long boards, an experiment

  1. #1
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    Edge jointing long boards, an experiment

    On reading an earlier thread, I built Terry Gordon's edge jointing jig
    to see if I might reproduce similar results. Links to hizzoner's YouTube
    page will be attached, below.

    Terry's method uses a longer handplane, turned on it's side and a
    flat sheet of plywood with a series of dog holes inline.

    The workpiece is clamped to the sheet, between dogs and the jig
    set atop your bench. With a little of the board protruding,
    the plane is run along the edge, with the side of the plane
    down on the benchtop. The plane is run along the jointing
    surface until it stops cutting (the plane sole runs up against the base).

    It's a shooting board.

    I have just completed a split top bench which as a reclaimed top.
    That top has a crown in the center, it isn't flat along it's length.

    Terry Gordon's method requires a flat standard surface, so lacking that,
    I doubled two sheets of plywood and drilled through holes to lock it to the benchtop.

    The plane runs along Teak scraps (boatyard salvage) that are waxed.
    The difficulties are two; keeping the workpiece fixed so that lateral
    forces don't push it off and keeping the plane perpendicular to the top face of the jig.

    It's MUCH easier than the matchplaning method I've been using.

    The only downside is that it produces very sharp edges.
    I got an unscheduled manicure, last night.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbkdWMIBhNc

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbkdWMIBhNc

    (Note that in the second video, TG puts screws through the jig, straight into his bench... not for the squeamish.)






    Last edited by Jim Matthews; 11-29-2014 at 8:40 AM. Reason: Video links

  2. #2
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    Cool shooting board Jim, is this set for a spring joint, or did you work the edge further after shooting?
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

  3. #3
    I made something similar a while ago also because my table is not flat and needed a better reference surface and I was not confident in my ability to plane true edges.
    I used a thick oak stair tread for a bottom and plywood for the top, reason for the oak tread is to have less flex.
    2014-11-29 13.19.54-large.jpg
    After a year or so I find that I do not care for it that much. Biggest issue is that the two surfaces are not co-planar by default so getting plane to run consistently perpendicular to the top surface is not easy. What this jig does well though is it helps to plane parts to the same exact width if one uses a third piece of wood as a fence, but having this the same width when hand tool woodworking is not critical as far as I am concerned.

  4. #4
    Jointing long boards? That's something I need help with.
    Then I was somewhat disappointed when I read the actual post. It's only a wee little board he's jointing. I sometimes have to joint longer stuff.
    This is the kind of thing I need help with.

    LongJointing.jpg

    Darrell
    time to clean the shop to get ready for the Galoot Xmas BBQ
    Wood Hoarder, Blade Sharpener, and Occasional Tool User

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Holcombe View Post
    Cool shooting board Jim, is this set for a spring joint, or did you work the edge further after shooting?
    I'm trying to get the boards dead straight.
    This was the first result directly from the jig - no testing.

    The jointed edges appeared square and straight the night I made them.
    Either I did not notice the gap when I made it,
    or the thinner board "sprung" overnight.

    Either way, this is a real improvement over what I've done freehand.
    Fast, too.

    Ten minutes to set up and shoot both edges, tops.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Reinis Kanders View Post
    2014-11-29 13.19.54-large.jpg
    After a year or so I find that I do not care for it that much. Biggest issue is that the two surfaces are not co-planar by default so getting plane to run consistently perpendicular to the top surface is not easy.
    I really like the T-track. My current trouble is keeping boards that aren't squared in place.
    There's a natural tendency for the board to move away from the plane.

    I was deliberate in setting the run where the plane travels on its side
    parallel to the top bearing surface where the workpiece is clamped.

    Were I to make another (or retrofit this one) I would cover the plane chute with UHMW plastic.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darrell LaRue View Post
    Jointing long boards? That's something I need help with.
    Then I was somewhat disappointed when I read the actual post. It's only a wee little board he's jointing. I sometimes have to joint longer stuff.
    This is the kind of thing I need help with.

    LongJointing.jpg

    Darrell
    time to clean the shop to get ready for the Galoot Xmas BBQ
    Look at the second video linked.
    Terry Gordon made one to handle 8' lengths.

    Get the guide board straight and you're halfway there.

    Dunno how well this works on something longer than the average minivan...

  8. #8
    [QUOTE=Jim Matthews;2340333]I really like the T-track. My current trouble is keeping boards that aren't squared in place.
    There's a natural tendency for the board to move away from the plane.

    Thanks. To be honest t-track clamp by itself can slip unless care is taken or it is really cranked down. Sandpaper would help I guess.

  9. #9
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    I wouldn't think it should be necessary.

    In the videos that started me thinking, Terry Gordon just has his
    workpieces held by a bench dog and tail vise.

    I suspect he's got both better technique, and a sharper blade than me.
    I'm going to try mine with adjustable stops held by holdfasts.

    I don't want to drill more holes, but I might use a Veritas planing stop
    if the adjustable stops drift.

    My money is on the blade being the limiting factor.

  10. #10
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    Another trick you can employ to help with gluing up panels like this is to joint both boards at the same time.
    If you have two boards and sandwich them together so that the edges that will be glued together are both up, then getting that perfectly square doesn’t really matter. Since you are jointing both boards at the same time, any error will exist on both sides of the joint and be complementary, so the resulting fit will be flat, even if each edge is not square to its face.

  11. #11
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    Jim, good work on the shooting board.

    Stewie, there is an advantage for some in the shooting board above match planing. In match planing (which is what I do), you still have to account for a match along one axis, the length. What match planing does is account for the side-to-side angle. The shooting board looks like it will deal with both.

    I was earlier going to suggest that a fence on a jointer would be a better jig than the shooting board as it able to deal with any size boards - and having a wooden plane (HNT Gordon), this would be an easy addition (pics below). However, a fence does not automatically provide a flat length, only a square edge.







    Regards from Perth

    Derek

  12. #12
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    From the original post, above -

    "It's MUCH easier than the matchplaning method I've been using."

    Match planing doesn't redress the problems arising from twist, or cup
    created by the plane. The point of the shooting board is to confine the
    cutting angle to one continuous plane.

    The benefit is that the blade stops cutting when the plane reaches the square edge of the shooting board.
    When no more shavings appear - the edge should be straight and square.

    That's the theory, anyway.

  13. #13
    Answer a question for a non-neander that is curious: What prevents the plane from cutting into the shooting board itself?

    That is a pretty neat idea (a long shooting board). Very similar to my straight-line ripper for my table saw.
    Last edited by Phil Thien; 11-30-2014 at 2:13 PM.

  14. #14
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    Stewie, there is an advantage for some in the shooting board above match planing. In match planing (which is what I do), you still have to account for a match along one axis, the length. What match planing does is account for the side-to-side angle. The shooting board looks like it will deal with both.

    Hi Derek. Isn't that the reason why a long jointer plane is the plane of choice when match planing.
    Last edited by Stewie Simpson; 11-30-2014 at 12:19 PM.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stewie Simpson View Post
    Stewie, there is an advantage for some in the shooting board above match planing. In match planing (which is what I do), you still have to account for a match along one axis, the length. What match planing does is account for the side-to-side angle. The shooting board looks like it will deal with both.

    Hi Derek. Isn't that the reason why a long jointer plane is preferable to use when match planing.
    Stewie, if you attempt to joint an edge which is higher in the centre, long plane or not, all you will achieve is planing a curve. It is necessary first to remove the "hump". Long jointer planes only help when there is a low in the centre of the board. It is necessary to first create this situation.

    Regards from Perth

    Derek

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