The Donkey Ear Experiment

[Jim Koepke]

I am doing a variation on This "I Can Do That" Project from Popular Woodworking.

I wanted to give this a try to see how I like it before committing by building a dedicated donkey ear shooting board.

So using a few things around the shop to modify one of my current shooting boards:

First check the angle to match the splay:

Checking the Angle.jpg

Once I had the spacing set, I put a couple of screws into the riser and added some blocking at the end to help hold the end square.

Then to the job at hand:

Oh Shoot!.jpg

If I make more of these then a dedicated board will be made.

jtk

[Chuck Hart]

Keep us posted. I have been thinking of making one for very exact corners for boxes. I need to try it also to see if I can make a 45 degree ear wide enough for the box.

[Jim Koepke]

Keep us posted. I have been thinking of making one for very exact corners for boxes. I need to try it also to see if I can make a 45 degree ear wide enough for the box.

I have made ramps and work arounds for 45º shooting. I also made one I called "Eight Eared Donkey" for making octagons:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...t-Eared-Donkey

My main regret is it should have been made longer. One of the problems when you start making it longer is holding the work.

That became a bit of a problem with today's experiment. The fence on this end of the shooting board is a bit low. The thought behind that is to use it for a stop when working with small pieces or even for sticking small pieces. Another part of the experiment was to make a left handed shooting board.

It may be time to build a more versatile shooting board.

jtk

[James Waldron]

As I read your comment about problems holding the work, I had an eruption. Fortunately, it was in my brain where it could do no harm.

Took a couple of extra minutes to go back and check the "Eight Eared Donkey" to see if my brain fart would still seem to work there. I think so.

Consider:

I propose (and am trying to sort out all the variables to make a design) with the work flat, as in a square-edge shooting board, and a ramp for the plane that will register just below the edge of the board.

1. Holding the work would be much easier (or no more difficult than usual on shooting boards).

2. The plane would be biased into the cut by gravity (and hopefully "automate" maintaining the registration with the board and the work).

3. With multiple ramps or multiple adjustments to a single ramp, coupled with (nice tall) auxiliary fences at corresponding angles, a multitude of regular polyhedra might be produced.

4. With one or more auxiliary bench hooks, the work can be as long as desired, as with a square edge shooting board. No hoisting long work into the air to flail about breaking things. Particularly not breaking the workpiece itself.

I think I'm talking myself into giving it a try!

[Jim Koepke]

I think I'm talking myself into giving it a try!

Hope to see some results.

I have been thinking of something similar but haven't quite got it sorted of yet.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Jim

I've made and used a donkey's ear for many years. One like this is set up for both a Stanley #52 chute board and also a wooden ramped board ..




The following are taken from an article on my website ...

Note that the fence has non-slip (salt sprinkled over varnish).

More details. Dovetailed support at rear (for fun), and secured to the main fence with a bolt. The fence has micro-adjustability, the board has levelling feet underneath, so the Donkey's Ear is adjustable in 3 dimensions.



In use ..



It does a great job - although three sides are always easy ... it is the fourth corner that tells all!







http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/BuildingaMitredPencilBoxwithaShootingBoard.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[mike holden]

I built the 45 degree shooting fixture from Robert Wearing's book. It is the one in the middle.

Appliances 01.JPG

The others are also useful.
Mike

[Jim Koepke]

Derek and Mike, thanks for posting your boards. Hopefully others will show us what they have built.

jtk

[Glen Canaday]

As I read your comment about problems holding the work, I had an eruption. Fortunately, it was in my brain where it could do no harm.

Took a couple of extra minutes to go back and check the "Eight Eared Donkey" to see if my brain fart would still seem to work there. I think so.

Consider:

I propose (and am trying to sort out all the variables to make a design) with the work flat, as in a square-edge shooting board, and a ramp for the plane that will register just below the edge of the board.

1. Holding the work would be much easier (or no more difficult than usual on shooting boards).

2. The plane would be biased into the cut by gravity (and hopefully "automate" maintaining the registration with the board and the work).

3. With multiple ramps or multiple adjustments to a single ramp, coupled with (nice tall) auxiliary fences at corresponding angles, a multitude of regular polyhedra might be produced.

4. With one or more auxiliary bench hooks, the work can be as long as desired, as with a square edge shooting board. No hoisting long work into the air to flail about breaking things. Particularly not breaking the workpiece itself.

I think I'm talking myself into giving it a try!

Am I misreading a little? Will you have a spoilboard behind the work? If so, how will you maintain the angle on it? Make it replaceable?

[James Waldron]

Am I misreading a little? Will you have a spoilboard behind the work? If so, how will you maintain the angle on it? Make it replaceable?

Still working out the details of a design. I'll see if I can make a decent drawing in the next few days if I can sort out all the geometry.

[Darrell LaRue]

I propose (and am trying to sort out all the variables to make a design) with the work flat, as in a square-edge shooting board, and a ramp for the plane that will register just below the edge of the board.

Yes, that sounds like the one I made. Having the work at an angle is fine for short stuff, but when you are being silly and trying to shoot the ends of 10 foot long pieces of trim it just won't work. At least not in my house. But if the work was horizontal and the plane was at an angle, then I have lots of room to hold the stock securely.

donkey.jpg

Darrell

[James Waldron]

I built the 45 degree shooting fixture from Robert Wearing's book. It is the one in the middle.

Appliances 01.JPG

The others are also useful.
Mike

Well, there's most of "my" idea. I was thinking of a wider ramp for the cheek of the plane, forming a "Vee" for the plane to run in. A little more structure, a lot more control, I think.

Edit: Wearing has several book. A more specific citation would be helpful, please.

[mike holden]

Jim,
One of the places Wearing describes the "improved mitre shooting board" is "Making Woodwork Aids and Devices" ISBN 1861081294 page 78, article 101.
" This tool is an alternative to the traditional 'donkeys ear' shooting board."
I believe that it is also shown in another of his books, but it may have been in one I borrowed from the library.
The device works quite well and has the advantage of having the workpiece lay flat.
Mike

[mike holden]

Well, there's most of "my" idea. I was thinking of a wider ramp for the cheek of the plane, forming a "Vee" for the plane to run in. A little more structure, a lot more control, I think..

Jim, I do not find any problem with control of the plane with this design, YMMV. However, I would ask you to remember to leave some space for swarf and dust to fall into in your "vee". When you get it done, please post a picture for us to see. Always interested in a better mousetrap.
Mike

[James Waldron]

Jim, I do not find any problem with control of the plane with this design, YMMV. However, I would ask you to remember to leave some space for swarf and dust to fall into in your "vee". When you get it done, please post a picture for us to see. Always interested in a better mousetrap.
Mike

That's what's holding me up. I have a prototype getting started; it's going to be screwed together to make it easier to change the design when needed. I've got some decent plywood "leftovers" and some bits of hard maple to use.