I watched a couple shooting board videos that used a low friction plastic material for the plane to slide over, but they didn't identify the material. Nylon?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcVK5wLSPOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4VsyqVr8Gc
[OP]
Contributor
I watched a couple shooting board videos that used a low friction plastic material for the plane to slide over, but they didn't identify the material. Nylon?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcVK5wLSPOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4VsyqVr8Gc
Contributor
It doesn't look to be Nylon to me, normally Nylon is a bit less opaque and more yellow than bright white, but would work. That material looks to be Delrin (Acetal) which is widely available, machines well, and has a very low friction coefficient. It's available in white and black, in blocks, profiles, and sheets. We use a fair bit of it at work. (It's also great electrical insulator. I design high voltage equipment for a living). We don't use thin sheets of it or I'd offer to send you some.
Small pieces of it are available through McMaster-Carr. It's pricey, but not as much as some other plastics.
There are other choices as well, High Density Polyethylene would work
To be honest, I think that waxed birch plywood wouldn't be noticeably different.
DC
Contributor
Looks to be, but it ain't. UHMW [ultra-high-molecular weight] is Delrin's local cousin - it inhabits our part of the time-space continuum, rather Delrin which eases the way for giant machines. etc.Originally Posted by David Carroll
Even better - it is much less costly, will do this job perfectly, and it comes in adhesive-backed tapes of many widths and thicknesses. You don't need to build up a screw-on platform, just use tape, I use the tape - over time it gets a bit torn, so I scrape it off and replace. No screws needed, so don't need it thick enough to accept countersunk fasteners
McM-C tape page:
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/ad...~uhmw-plastic/
If you want to use solid material, they have that also.
https://www.mcmaster.com/products/uh...rs-and-strips/
When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.
Contributor
I built one out of Corian but don't see a lot of difference over wooden ones. I ended up using wax on both types. Renaissance wax is quite slippery.
Contributor
It's UHMWPE. I have some tape from 3M made of the stuff. It's about 0.060" thick with adhesive backing. I lined my shooting board with it.
Last edited by Rob Luter; 05-25-2023 at 6:15 AM. Reason: Corrected Tape Material
Sharp solves all manner of problems.
Contributor
Radu, you do not need - or benefit - from special low friction material on a shooting board runway. All you need is wax.
Regards from Perth
Derek
Contributor
Sounds like a Beatles song. But it is true, candle wax, canning wax or bee's wax all work well.All you need is wax.
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
Me too. I have 2 shooting boards - one Baltic birch for end grain and a Maple ply 4 footer with an adjustable fence for long grain. Both board’s tracks are lined with HDPE. Woodcraft carries rolls of self-adhesive 1 1/2” and 3” HDPE. Zero maintenance and functions like new after 15+ years. Is it absolutely necessary? No. But why deal with periodic waxing when a one time solution is available?
Contributor
A 4' long shooting board? Interesting- got a pic?
Contributor
Got the idea from an article by one of the Walke-Moore guys. Can’t recall if it was in a publication or a blogpost. Customized it for my needs.
60E50BAA-1B5A-4E1C-AB53-266C0C96CB59.jpg
Contributor
I built one with the uhmw. Kind of a waste it does move very smoothly but wax on a board will have it moving pretty much the same
Contributor
Thanks!! (10 characters)
Contributor
Oops, George jogged my memory. The track is lined with self-adhesive UHMW, not HDPE. 3” roll purchased at Woodcraft.
Contributor
Why wax the board when waxing the plane is faster?
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
Contributor
10?
jtk
"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
- Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
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