Carousel Shooting Board

[Derek Cohen]

Jim made a comment, about a week ago when discussing shooting boards, that there were few which permitted left-and right side use. Well, I designed this one about 10 years ago. I called it The Carousel Shooting Board as it uses a rotating fence.

It is quite compact, being about 12" across the width.




This is the carousel fence. It pivots around a central point, and is anchored by two bolts on each side. The wooden sub-fence is adjustable. The brass base comes from brass angle.


Mitre to the right ...



From the rear ...



Mitre to the left ...



A LA Jack is a good choice for this board ...



Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Rainey]

Handsome board Derek. Are there 90 and 45 degree stops?

[Derek Cohen]

Mark, the 45- and 90 degree stops are the bolts at the rear. They lock down in the position.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Very nice.

jtk

[Tom Trees]

Might have to steal that one off you Derek
Cheers
Tom

[William Fretwell]

Derek I use a low angle plane also, the handle does not lend itself to ease of use so I added a handle on the side secured by a large rare earth magnet and a groove shaped to fit the side of plane. The handle is very secure and a pleasure to use.
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[Derek Cohen]

Hi William

Many years ago (15 to be exact) I built hotdog handles for the LA Jack ...



Hand version: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...LV%20LAJ1.html

Machine version: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMad...ck%20pics.html


In 2011 I wrote a comparison of the LN #51, the LN #9 and the Veritas LA Jack. This led to a method of holding the LA Jack without a hotdog. The extract is below ....

The #51/52 combination was in a class of its own. Even a novice could easily produce clean edges without fail. The #51 is captured by the rails of the #52, and this guides the plane so that all the user needs do is push the plane forward.

The advantage of the #9 over the LAJ is twofold: there is better registration for the base of the plane, and this encourages a user to push the plane in the ideal manner. When a novice was given the choice of the #9 and the LAJ, they would inevitably plump for the #9.

However … when the user was taught how to push the LAJ, and/or the LAJ was used with a hotdog handle, very frequently this choice was reversed. The factor here is that the LAJ is potentially more tippy because it has a smaller footprint, it. I recall one person thrusting the LAJ forward .. and bouncing it against the fence at a canted angle.

The correct way (in my opinion) of holding the LAJ (and shooting planes generally), is to exert downforce at a central point while simultaneously exerting low lateral sideforce. One must not attempt to simply push the plane against the sidewall to the shooting board. This will unbalance the plane and cause it to cant over.




Downforce is applied by the thumb directly into the dimpled fingerhole. Sideforce is applied by the four fingertips pushing from under the levercap.

This handhold is quite comfortable and makes the LAJ a practical user without a hotdog. Indeed, there is the potential for someone to grasp a hotdog (whether on the LV or LN LAJ planes) and attempt to push it against the fence from high (and not use their fingers to maintain sideways pressure from low).

Contributing to “tippiness” is the amount of “run up” to the board that is used. Many – both experienced and novices alike – would draw the plane back to the start of the runway, and then push it forward fast in an attempt to create momentum, as if this was necessary to power through the end grain. Shooting in this manner would lead to user losing control of the plane.

What is necessary for control is minimum run up. Place the plane with the blade nearly touching the near edge of the board, and then simply push the plane forward, with even pressure and firmly. Since the shaving removed is very fine, a plane with a sharp blade will cut without much effort. Once this was understood, the extra mass of the LAJ was an advantage over the more stable #9.



Regards from Perth

Derek

[William Fretwell]

Well thanks, you were many years ahead! I never found a comfortable hold, hence I made an extra handle. When the action is comfortable you can concentrate on what you are doing with the feed hand. Not sure if you used a rare earth magnet for your handle, I’m still impressed with how firmly it holds and the effort to remove it!

[Tom Trees]

I've become fond of using a leather glove for my Bailey, quite comfortable and I don't get a hand full of oil as the planes are well coated.
A thicker tig welding glove seems to adhere to the contours well, not used anything thicker like an ark welding one to note any difference,but reckon I'd pick up any
glove now in a pinch.
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[Mike Allen1010]

Derek, typically practical, well-thought-out design that meets a real will work Woodworking need – well done! I very much admire your combination of wood and metal engineering. I really admire the combination of attractive brass and steel with wood that you incorporate into your shop built tools. My mind both effective and beautiful!
M

I would ask how the bolts that establish the 45 and 90° stops work, but realistically the engineering is probably over my head. Instead I will ask what I have to do to get one of these? Happy to come to Perth for product pick up, willing to trade vintage saws, single barrel burbon, pay US dollars -whatever currency works for you.

All the best, Mike

[Derek Cohen]

Mike, you are always very kind with your words. I shall pull the shooting board apart and take some photos for all to see the construction of the fence and how it is adjusted. It may take a few days before I can get to this.

Regards from Perth

Derek