shooting board

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

Just a quick question about shooting boards. I will be using one to square up the top and bottom rails to the stiles of a drawer front.

My question is this. Assuming I am able to get a square rail, how is it possible to be certain the two rail that will make up the drawer front will be trimmed to the exact same length using a shooting board. No matter how squrare they are, if they are not the same length, all bets are off.

Thank you in advance for your comments.

[Andrew Hughes]

The best way I have found is to set them next each other and feel with tips of my fingers.

[Tom M King]

At a thousandth of an inch per pass, there are any number of ways to do it, including just feeling the two back to back.

[Tom M King]

Funny that we posted exactly the same thing, at the same time.

[Andrew Hughes]

Ya what a trip we said the same thing two different ways.

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

Tom and Andrew,

Duh! Of course. What was I thinking.

Thank you.

[Pat Barry]

Another option would be to put a stop block or stop adjustment on the shooting board

[Jerry Thompson]

I count the passes and make sure each one has the same number of cuts. It takes only a whisper of wood to square them if they were cut reasonably well at the outset.

[Reinis Kanders]

You can also use a knife line for the reference. Shoot board A, shoot one end of the board B, line them up and knife the line on board B from A.

[Sean Reilly]

For something like this, I would place one on top of the other. That way when you do your first end, you'll know it's flush when you flip them to do the other end. You could even tape them together to make sure they don't slip.

[Daniel Rode]

This is what I do. They're within .001 if I can't feel any difference with my fingers.

The best way I have found is to set them next each other and feel with tips of my fingers.

[Jim Koepke]

The best way I have found is to set them next each other and feel with tips of my fingers.

Like Andrew and Daniel, this method works for me for many projects.

jtk

[Gerry S. Wojtowicz]

Thank you all for your input. My problem now is this: I cannot seem to get the shooting board to function properly. I'm sure it's me. I'm new to using hand planes.

I'm using a Lee Valley low angle smoothing plane, but I can't get any shavings. As nearly as I can tell everything is square.

Is there a technique to pushing the wood into the plane, or is it the setting of the plane? I understand this is a difficult question to answer, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

[David Weaver]

If it's sharp, it should cut if the wood projects past the end of the chute board. You have to work a technique where you hold the wood steady while you're cutting it and then advance it slightly right after the cut.

It should cut easily, though. I would check the length of the resulting boards (in terms of matching) by standing them on end next to each other. that eliminates the need to line up the first end and check whether or not it has moved. I'm not sure how much leeway you have before you cause a problem with a drawer and joining and squareness, etc, but I'll bet you don't have to be that precise. More important that the dovetails are joined squarely. It's unlikely that you will work all of the baselines within a few thousandths of an inch when you're joining the drawers.

[Jim Koepke]

Thank you all for your input. My problem now is this: I cannot seem to get the shooting board to function properly. I'm sure it's me. I'm new to using hand planes.

I'm using a Lee Valley low angle smoothing plane, but I can't get any shavings. As nearly as I can tell everything is square.

Is there a technique to pushing the wood into the plane, or is it the setting of the plane? I understand this is a difficult question to answer, but any suggestions would be appreciated.

This is where having pictures helps to see what is happening.

For me, getting the plane set up is done first using a piece of scrap. Most of the time the blade has to be set to a heavier cut on end grain than on edge grain. YMMV

The piece to be worked gets chamfered on the corner on the edge that goes against the fence. This is usually done on both ends of the piece using the same side to hold against the fence.

With the plane set on the shooting board ramp and the blade behind the edge of the work piece, the piece is then positioned to rest on the toe of the plane's sole. Hold the piece being worked firmly and push the plane forward in a way that has it firmly on the ramp and registered against the base of the work platform. Repeat as needed.

jtk