What is a shooting board in woodworking? If you are a newbie woodworker, this term may be relatively strange. Let’s read the post below to get the answer.
A shooting board
A newbie carpenter may find the concept of the shooting board relatively strange. What is a shooting board in woodworking? Why do you need it for your woodworking tasks?
A shooting board is a handle-dimensioning jig. This tool gets involved in planning edge or end grain on boards.
If you are curious about this tool, you should refer to the following article to get a detailed answer. Let’s scroll down to discover more!
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What Is A Shooting Board In Woodworking?
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Definition
A shooting board is also called a chute board, and is a handle-dimensioning jig. This tool gets involved in planning edge or end grain on boards.
For instance, woodworkers apply it to trim the board end grain in a drawer or join the edge grain of a flat one, ½ inches and below.
Although you can apply the jig for random angles, it works better in mitering or squaring.
What’s more, carpenters often combine this tool with a handsaw. The aim is to create a superior finish or dimension to extremely near tolerances by cutting close to the final dimension with the saw. After that, guide the plane on the board.
This tool generally consists of three parts: a launching pad for the hand plane, a ledge that keeps the work in line with the plane blade, and a stop to keep the workpiece from moving about.
Types
There are three main types of this tool. The first kind is to trim, and joint squares and edges end. The two other versions are the miter one and the donkey’s ear one. Both are used to trim miters.
Purposes
It is used to plan the edges of thin wood to construct butt joints, straighten edges, trim an end square, or form miters.
The edge is usually square, but in some situations, as we will see, it might be at an unexpected angle.
It would be difficult to keep the plane square in the vice if you tried to plane the edge of a thin piece of wood.
When using the tool, the wood is held level on the higher step, and the plane is operated on its side on the bottom step, thereby eliminating all shaking.
Woodworking tool
How To Make A Shooting Board?
Are you looking for a practical and effective way to make a shooting board on your own? Here are the step-by-step guides for you to follow.
Assemble The Base
You can use a piece of wood to make the base. Alternatively, you can join wood pieces together to get a sturdy sheet with desired dimensions.
Assemble the base
Design The Groove
Make a 3-inch line from one side to the other. If you’re right-handed, you’ll approach from the right, and if you’re left-handed, you’ll approach from the left.
Next, determine the height of the plane’s sidewall that will serve as the shooting board.
Finally, draw a second line parallel to the first that is the same distance away from it. It refers to the two groove walls that catch the plane’s sidewall when it moves.
Design the groove
Cut The Groove
Discard the waste between the two lines with a router plane. Then, take it down a notch at a time until you reach the desired depth.
The depth will be somewhat greater than the gap between the plane’s sidewall and the iron’s sidewall. In this way, the iron’s edge will be just beneath the deck while the plane is in the groove.
Cut the groove
Attach A Stop
You should make sure the height of the stop is somewhat less than the iron’s width.
Some people prefer to screw the stop in place to be altered later, while others prefer to glue it in place.
The stop must be square to both the groove and the deck before the glue sets. Hence, check it with a square and make any necessary adjustments before the glue sets.
Attach The Bench Hook
To hook on the front of the bench, glue a strip along the front under the board’s deck. This piece should be around 3/4″ by 3/4″ and put in place.
Cut Away And Finish
To make all of the outer corners appear and feel better, give them a little chamfer. Then apply boiling linseed oil and paste wax to seal it.
Make sure there’s enough wax in the groove for the plane to move comfortably through.
Tool for woodworkers
You can learn more effective ways to perform this DIY task via this video:
The Bottom Line
This article has ultimately solved the commonly asked question of newbie carpenters: What is a shooting board in woodworking? To sum up, it is a handle-dimensioning jig to plan or trim edges.
Besides, we have also recommended the best way to make a homemade one if you need it. Hopefully, you will find it useful and easy to follow.
Thanks for reading, and see you in the next post!
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