How to set up and use a shooting board

Hand planes are very useful tools for flattening a board’s face, truing an edge or planing a bevel.  However, if you really want to move your hand planing to a new level, consider using a shooting board.

Shooting boards give you the control you need to accurately plane end grain or miters to absolute precision.   They are easy to build, and the technique to use them is very easy to master.

This site, sponsored by White Mountain Designs, offers step-by-step instructions for building the basic shooting board, add-ons that allow you to plane spot on miters and bevels and tips on how to use the jig with different types of planes.

Even if your power tools are tuned accurately, a shooting board can refine your work to near surgical accuracy.  Take your plane craft to the next level with a shooting board.

Cape May Winery

Sure, it’s not strictly woodworking, but, hey, I’m on vacation, so you get this.

Believe it or not, in touristy Cape May County, New Jersey, there’s a little bit of a wine renaissance taking place. About 18 years ago, students with Rutgers University planted a sample vineyard in a sleepy little corner of the county, away from the beaches, t-shirt shops and sunburned vacationers.

With Delaware Bay to the west, the Atlantic to the east and some very well-drained soils, classic wine grapes are being harvested and turned into really nice wines. Pino Grigio, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc are growing well, and the county is quick becoming a wine destination.

Now, what about that woodworking? Well, the vines, winery and tasting room stand on what used to be the estate of one Isaac Smith, the local coffin maker. In fact, the Isaac Smith label is in the shape of – you guessed it – a coffin.

I just had to work some woodworking in on this trip!

Understanding Wood Glue

Yellow glue.  White glue.  Hide glue.  There are so many different choices out there when it comes time to stick two boards together.  What are the strengths and weaknesses of each type?

Popular Mechanics gives an excellent primer on each of the more common types of glue that are typically found in woodworking shops.

This article goes into more than just a laundry list of glues to choose from.  Since proper technique is as important as glue choice, there are some tips on how to properly apply these adhesives to get the best results.

Although most of this information can be redundant, STICK with it, and you might learn a thing or two!

The Five Cut Method

So, you want to make sure your table saw is accurately set, but not sure how to test it? Here’s a method that will give you a great way to check just how squarely you have set your rip fence to the blade.

Basically, this method relies on producing a cumulative error on the cuts that magnifies just how far off the fence is. This makes it considerably easier to measure how much you have to adjust the rip fence in order to bring the alignment into square to give you more accurate cuts.

Once you use this method, you’ll find it to be pretty clever, and you’ll use it frequently to make sure your saw has held its setting.

Wood Magazine’s Dovetail Showdown

We’ve all head the boasting on both sides …

“I can hand cut a dresser’s worth of dovetails by the time you finish reading that jig’s manual.”

“Hand cutting dovetails is slower than molasses running uphill on a cold winter’s day.”

That’s why I love the head-to-head competition set up by Wood Magazine. Design Editor Jeff Mertz claimed he could hand-cut through-dovetail joints faster than someone using a dovetail jig and router. Watch as Jeff, armed with chisel set and fine-tooth saw, takes on challenger Pat Lowry with his router and jig.

Watch this video and discover who comes out on top!

James Krenov Direct

Mention James Krenov’s name to most woodworkers, and visions of flawless cabinets perched atop graceful long-legged stands comes to mind.  This is the official site of this well known legendary cabinet and furniture maker.

Krenov’s philosophy comes through strongly in his pieces.  His emphasis on hand-work, proper proportion and letting the wood’s natural beauty shine through speak to his appreciation of the natural side of woodworking.

Krenov spelled out his thoughts on woodworking in his books A Cabinetmaker’s Notebook and The Impractical Cabinetmaker.  Some of his viewpoints may come across as rather blunt, but there is no doubt that his method yields outstanding results.

Krenov ‘retired’ from professional woodworking back in 2002, but still builds recreationally in his private shop.  There’s a link on his site showing what he’s building right now.