Thanks, Rob, for again taking the time to share such detail, from experience! I'm slowly getting my own little corner of a wood shop fleshed out - the work bench and accessories is what's most on my mind now. This was timely, for me.
Though I no longer have it I did build a long L shaped shooting board to square up some long, heavy wood counter tops and had to add extra clamps to hold the counter tops in place. What a beast that was and now wish I had added the crown for the very reasons you describe.
I have watched this several times and found some very good information and tips but I have always found the actual use of these things to be a bit of mystery. As simple as a shooting board is I have never mastered it in over 25 years of practice. Most videos, including this video, seem to spend more time on the actual board and the plane and not much on the mechanics of using them to work the end of the board. Rob does a great job by discussing and showing the slight chamfer on one end and which side to place against the stop and the top of the shooting board. In fact, few other videos go into that much detail which has always baffled me. Holding the plane could use more attention which Rob touches on but there is no real detail. The last thing which would be very helpful would be a close up of just how far the board end hangs over or extends into the path of the plane. Or, in my case, because I only use hand tools my cuts are often a fraction of a mil off and therefore not plumb the entire length of the end of the board. A really good close up would rally help. Thanks.
Some of his newer videos on shooting boards have gone into detail on the grip, the mechanics, where to push, etc. I've gotten extremely good results following his advice!
Fweew. That business with the deliberately-introduced crown, is the kind of thing I'm glad someone else figured out the hard way. I wouldn't have come up with that, until after years of screwing around with mediocre results and multiple re-designs and rebuilds to identify the actual problem.
Thanks for the tip about hockey tape for clamp handles.It works really well.PS I noticed you don't have an 82nd Airborne patch for your apron.Let me know if you want one and I'll send you one.
Rob, I live in an apartment, so this question would need your trail and error on it. Do you have a technique to add a piece of scrap to the back of the primary board to prevent tear outs? Will the scrap board movement during engageing cause the plane to rise before it finishes the run on the primary board? Is using a small thin piece of scrapboard the best option to decease the possiblity of movement?
Thanks Rob. For some lame reason over the past two years of getting back into woodworking I still hadn't gotten round to making a shooting board. Watched this last night then went out and made one this morning, same as yours except for using a wedge to lock in the cross piece. Now, after the first use (sweet as...) I want someone to smack me over the back of the head for not doing it sooner :) And you're right, the # 5 1/2 works real fine!
Hi Rob, Thank you very much for sharing and taking time for all the video making. Most helpful and supportive. I have checked but I was not able to find the video about shooting board making, could you please share the link related to the video which is about shooting board making. I. guess I am not alone also a couple of others were lost to find the video on the way. Thank you very much in advance
I'm having a problem with my shooting board. I have squared the fence as you did - with a trusted square off the bottom of my 5 1/2. So the plane and fence are as square as anything in the shop. However, when I shoot a board, the end is always out of square. The far end of the board is too long. That is, the planed edge and fence should intersect at 90 degrees, but I am getting more than 90 degrees, by a lot. The shooting board was tolerable in a soft pine when I could finagle it. But when shooting a hard 3/4" thick red oak board the squareness is not acceptable. I spend so much time at the shooting board that the sharp edges of the stock and the plane have bruised my hands. My plane iron is as sharp as I can make it and cuts the endgrain easily if I stand the board up in the vise. The smoothness of the cuts i get are pretty good too, just not square. I'm at wit's end. I am spending a ridiculous amount of time just trying to get stock squared. Do you have any ideas? If I had to guess, it has something to do with the oak pushing my plane to the right...
Looking at shooting boards for the first time... What I dont understand is how the plane blade does not catch on the base and on the back fence... it all looks flush to each other so how can you make sure it only cuts the piece of wood and not the whole structure of the board? Tks
The hand plane blade doesn’t go all the way to the edge of the plane base. This leaves a small reference face intact where the the base and the top join. The rest of the top and the fence are cut by the plane as deep as you set the blade. Even with the blade all the way out you will never cut all the way down to the base and the reference edge will always be intact.
I have a Stanley chute board and plane but I can't seem to get them tuned up right. Probably need to start over on sharpening the iron im guessing. Can't get it through a board without stopping. Thought it was as sharp as I could get it so maybe I just need to try something else
Rob excuse me if I'm missing it but you mention you showed how to make your shooting board but I can't find it in your RUclips video list at all - can you post a link please? Thanks James
Late to the party, but just want to say "well done"! One question: you mention a reason you would not choose a #7 as your shooting plane as being clutter (like to have a single plane for all). Is that pretty much the only reason (other than size which is also the 7's main asset)? I ask because I've got lots of space and am nicely set up to have my planes ready-at-hand, and don't really mind reaching for another plane (I'll have to fetch the shooting board anyway, right? :)Thanks for the video, very helpful, especially the rabbet cut to ensure the blade clears the board.
What about grain orientation? During normal handplane use you do it with the grain. Are there any orientation considerations when it comes to shooting?
Rob, I have a novice question. If the purpose of the shooting board is to square the ends, could you not just make a more square crosscut in the first place? I think I may be missing some bit of fundamental logic for why the endgrain should be planed square.
saws leave mill marks, not good enough for a finished surface. A shooting board allows the next level of precision as well as leaving a finished surface.
Rob, do you manage to push the plane so cleanly through such a large section of end grain. When planing white oak on a much smaller piece, my 5 1/2 either tends to stop half way or jump out of the cut. It is very sharp, so all i can think is that my technique is wrong. Or could the plane not be adjusted quite right?
Hey Rob, What's your opinion on ramping shooting boards say 5 degrees to distribute wear on your plane iron ? Also dedicated shooting board planes like the lie nielsen No 51 ?
I would like to see the construction of this crowned shooting board. I looked back over the last 8 years of video and I cannot find this build. Can you help?
OK real stupid question time from a wood butcher. I fully understand the concept of a shooting board since all it does is first align the work piece and then guides the plane at a true 90 degrees. However I've never been able to figure out why the plane itself doesn't remove a shaving from the vertical ledge on the shooting board as it travels up to and then through the board edge that's being planed. I'm obviously missing something but can't figure out what that is.
I've never understood why Stanley made No 3 & 4 with corrugated soles for just that reason. It isn't like the small smoothers take tons of effort to push through the material and I often use mine to chamfer or round edges.
Thank you for the great informative video. One question...ok, I have a ton but I'm sure you don't have time. What should be the first plane to buy when starting out and on a tight budget?
A Bailey pattern No 5 Jack plane. It's called a 'jack plane' because it is the jack of all trades. The No 5 is only slightly smaller than the 51/2, Get a pre-owned one on E-Bay or at county fairs. Once you have got one, check out on You Tube how to set one up and how to sharpen the blade and adjust the chip breaker.
If male, definitely recommend a No. 5-1/2 , if female a No. 5. I highly recommend buying a WoodRiver over an older plane as the quality is far superior as are the results you are going to get.
rob 10 experts will give you 10 different handplanes in their opinion, i think a heavy plane has a bit better momentum, as for me, the veritas low angle jack is the perfect plane IMHO. good video though, thanks.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Impeccable! Not a moment wasted on gratuitous filler or palaver. Thanks, Bob.
rob
Thanks, Rob, for again taking the time to share such detail, from experience! I'm slowly getting my own little corner of a wood shop fleshed out - the work bench and accessories is what's most on my mind now. This was timely, for me.
The more I watch your videos the more I like you, short and to the subject and I like how you are modest even though you do amazing work
Though I no longer have it I did build a long L shaped shooting board to square up some long, heavy wood counter tops and had to add extra clamps to hold the counter tops in place. What a beast that was and now wish I had added the crown for the very reasons you describe.
I have watched this several times and found some very good information and tips but I have always found the actual use of these things to be a bit of mystery. As simple as a shooting board is I have never mastered it in over 25 years of practice. Most videos, including this video, seem to spend more time on the actual board and the plane and not much on the mechanics of using them to work the end of the board. Rob does a great job by discussing and showing the slight chamfer on one end and which side to place against the stop and the top of the shooting board. In fact, few other videos go into that much detail which has always baffled me. Holding the plane could use more attention which Rob touches on but there is no real detail. The last thing which would be very helpful would be a close up of just how far the board end hangs over or extends into the path of the plane. Or, in my case, because I only use hand tools my cuts are often a fraction of a mil off and therefore not plumb the entire length of the end of the board. A really good close up would rally help. Thanks.
Some of his newer videos on shooting boards have gone into detail on the grip, the mechanics, where to push, etc.
I've gotten extremely good results following his advice!
I built one yesterday, works very well!!💜 thank you!!
Built mine following your video description. It works well for me. Thanks Rob.
Fweew. That business with the deliberately-introduced crown, is the kind of thing I'm glad someone else figured out the hard way. I wouldn't have come up with that, until after years of screwing around with mediocre results and multiple re-designs and rebuilds to identify the actual problem.
Couldn't agree more... learning from other's wisdom is a quick way to get on with making sawdust without the frustration! Thanks Rob!
Great video Rob, a little wax the ramp helps with the friction.
Thanks! I just built my first shooting board and have been having some growing pains with it.
Thanks for the tip about hockey tape for clamp handles.It works really well.PS I noticed you don't have an 82nd Airborne patch for your apron.Let me know if you want one and I'll send you one.
Hi Lenny, the patches represent each Vet in that particular class.
A chamfer! Brilliant. Thanks, Rob.
Rob, I live in an apartment, so this question would need your trail and error on it. Do you have a technique to add a piece of scrap to the back of the primary board to prevent tear outs? Will the scrap board movement during engageing cause the plane to rise before it finishes the run on the primary board? Is using a small thin piece of scrapboard the best option to decease the possiblity of movement?
Thanks Rob. For some lame reason over the past two years of getting back into woodworking I still hadn't gotten round to making a shooting board. Watched this last night then went out and made one this morning, same as yours except for using a wedge to lock in the cross piece. Now, after the first use (sweet as...) I want someone to smack me over the back of the head for not doing it sooner :)
And you're right, the # 5 1/2 works real fine!
Do you use a shooting board for mitered cuts? 30, 45, 22 1/2?
Superb I'll now remake mine
Brilliant, thanks Rob
Thanks
Hi Rob,
Thank you very much for sharing and taking time for all the video making. Most helpful and supportive.
I have checked but I was not able to find the video about shooting board making, could you please share the link related to the video which is about shooting board making. I. guess I am not alone also a couple of others were lost to find the video on the way.
Thank you very much in advance
I'm having a problem with my shooting board. I have squared the fence as you did - with a trusted square off the bottom of my 5 1/2. So the plane and fence are as square as anything in the shop. However, when I shoot a board, the end is always out of square. The far end of the board is too long. That is, the planed edge and fence should intersect at 90 degrees, but I am getting more than 90 degrees, by a lot. The shooting board was tolerable in a soft pine when I could finagle it. But when shooting a hard 3/4" thick red oak board the squareness is not acceptable. I spend so much time at the shooting board that the sharp edges of the stock and the plane have bruised my hands. My plane iron is as sharp as I can make it and cuts the endgrain easily if I stand the board up in the vise. The smoothness of the cuts i get are pretty good too, just not square.
I'm at wit's end. I am spending a ridiculous amount of time just trying to get stock squared. Do you have any ideas? If I had to guess, it has something to do with the oak pushing my plane to the right...
how wide of board is the extent of what can be squared with the shooting board. 10", 12", 14"...????
Looking at shooting boards for the first time... What I dont understand is how the plane blade does not catch on the base and on the back fence... it all looks flush to each other so how can you make sure it only cuts the piece of wood and not the whole structure of the board? Tks
The hand plane blade doesn’t go all the way to the edge of the plane base. This leaves a small reference face intact where the the base and the top join. The rest of the top and the fence are cut by the plane as deep as you set the blade. Even with the blade all the way out you will never cut all the way down to the base and the reference edge will always be intact.
What is the wrapping on your handles?
I have a Stanley chute board and plane but I can't seem to get them tuned up right. Probably need to start over on sharpening the iron im guessing. Can't get it through a board without stopping. Thought it was as sharp as I could get it so maybe I just need to try something else
Sharpening is almost always the issue.
Rob excuse me if I'm missing it but you mention you showed how to make your shooting board but I can't find it in your RUclips video list at all - can you post a link please?
Thanks James
Hey Rob, what i have to do when my plane isnt right angled from sole to side?
Late to the party, but just want to say "well done"! One question: you mention a reason you would not choose a #7 as your shooting plane as being clutter (like to have a single plane for all). Is that pretty much the only reason (other than size which is also the 7's main asset)? I ask because I've got lots of space and am nicely set up to have my planes ready-at-hand, and don't really mind reaching for another plane (I'll have to fetch the shooting board anyway, right? :)Thanks for the video, very helpful, especially the rabbet cut to ensure the blade clears the board.
What about grain orientation? During normal handplane use you do it with the grain. Are there any orientation considerations when it comes to shooting?
Rob, I have a novice question. If the purpose of the shooting board is to square the ends, could you not just make a more square crosscut in the first place? I think I may be missing some bit of fundamental logic for why the endgrain should be planed square.
saws leave mill marks, not good enough for a finished surface. A shooting board allows the next level of precision as well as leaving a finished surface.
Hi Rob, I'm having a problem finding your video about building a shooting board. Could you tell me where to find it? Thanks.
Rob, do you manage to push the plane so cleanly through such a large section of end grain. When planing white oak on a much smaller piece, my 5 1/2 either tends to stop half way or jump out of the cut. It is very sharp, so all i can think is that my technique is wrong. Or could the plane not be adjusted quite right?
Cant find the video to make it. Can you link in description?
Hey Rob,
What's your opinion on ramping shooting boards say 5 degrees to distribute wear on your plane iron ? Also dedicated shooting board planes like the lie nielsen No 51 ?
I wonder why you keep your fence far away from the plane sole? I can see 1/8 of a gap there...
I don’t want my plane to cut into my fence
Could you link your shooting board making video, I wasn't able to find it.
I would also love to see a link to the shooting board creation video. Thanks Rob!
I was unable to find the video too. Please could you post a link ? Thanks for sharing your knowledge !!
ruclips.net/video/YyfvygylyJg/видео.html
I would like to see the construction of this crowned shooting board. I looked back over the last 8 years of video and I cannot find this build. Can you help?
ruclips.net/video/YyfvygylyJg/видео.html
This is really useful, thanks!
OK real stupid question time from a wood butcher. I fully understand the concept of a shooting board since all it does is first align the work piece and then guides the plane at a true 90 degrees. However I've never been able to figure out why the plane itself doesn't remove a shaving from the vertical ledge on the shooting board as it travels up to and then through the board edge that's being planed. I'm obviously missing something but can't figure out what that is.
Many thanks Rob. I'd obviously missed that the first time I watched it.
A little bit harder to use but a no62 is king with a shooting board.
The angle of the blade,just a personal preference.
Great video! I learned stuff. 🤓👍
Rob, would there be any drawbacks with using a No. 6 Corrugated bottom plane with this application?
Thank you for the quick reply. Your video convinced me, like usual, I would greatly benefit from a board.
I've never understood why Stanley made No 3 & 4 with corrugated soles for just that reason. It isn't like the small smoothers take tons of effort to push through the material and I often use mine to chamfer or round edges.
Does the 60 1/2 bevel up plane work as well on the shooting board as the 5 1/2 or 6?
Nope, too light, not enough mass to carry through a big cut. OK on small stuff however.
@@RobCosmanWoodworking Thanks!
Does a block plane will work well with a shooting board ??? ....thanks ...
Thanks a lot Rob ... luckily i have a no. 5 Silverline bench plane ... hope it works well....
Excellent explanation.However there is no 45 DEG chute.
thank you
Thank you for the great informative video. One question...ok, I have a ton but I'm sure you don't have time. What should be the first plane to buy when starting out and on a tight budget?
A Bailey pattern No 5 Jack plane. It's called a 'jack plane' because it is the jack of all trades. The No 5 is only slightly smaller than the 51/2, Get a pre-owned one on E-Bay or at county fairs. Once you have got one, check out on You Tube how to set one up and how to sharpen the blade and adjust the chip breaker.
If male, definitely recommend a No. 5-1/2 , if female a No. 5. I highly recommend buying a WoodRiver over an older plane as the quality is far superior as are the results you are going to get.
Did you build your own work bench?
Yep, built several of them over the past 30 years.
I have the same request and Fahraynk. Can you post the how to make video?
Rob, Why is it called a shooting board?
Rob Cosman ah ok, thank you!
old saying (to shoot straight)
rob
10 experts will give you 10 different handplanes in their opinion, i think a heavy plane has a bit better momentum, as for me, the veritas low angle jack is the perfect plane IMHO. good video though, thanks.
Read through the comments and found the answer. Thanks.