Layout Lines

[Mr Ed]

Not trying to start a fight (honest :roll: ) although I do know this topic can polarise opinion. It was Chris Schwarz's latest blog that got me thinking;

http://blog.woodworking-magazine.com/bl ... +Mark.aspx

Personally I have both removed and left layout lines and don't subscribe to a strong view either way;

with

without

I quite like Chris's take on it though - any opinions?

Ed

 

[Steve Maskery]

For myself, I'd say "It Depends". I'd clean them off for a box and leave them on for a drawer.

S

 

[woodbloke]

Always off - Rob

 

[TonyW]

Always off - Rob

Ditto

 

[EddieJ]

I'd say that it shows laziness, and perhaps a lack of attention to detail to leave them.
It's little details like that, which make all the difference.

Its a bit like not lining up screw heads on doors and hinges. It may seem petty, but its nice to see, and shows a higher degree of pride in your work.

 

[wizer]

Chris suitably danced around the issue. Why on earth would you leave them on? :?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Well there are two reasons.

1 You might actually LIKE them, provided they are neat. Some people do.

2 But more importantly, on something very fine, like a jewellery box drawer, planing them off may affect the fit. If they need three strokes of the plane, on both sides, that is enough to alter the fit / appearance of the reveal.

I do think the ones in his example do look scruffy though.

S

 

[Paul Chapman]

But more importantly, on something very fine, like a jewellery box drawer, planing them off may affect the fit. If they need three strokes of the plane, on both sides, that is enough to alter the fit / appearance of the reveal.

I think you've identified the key issue, Steve - on something like a drawer the fit is everything and the layout lines are of secondary importance. However, on the outside of the box where removing the lines won't affect the fit of anything, I think it looks neater to remove them.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[woodbloke]

on something like a drawer the fit is everything and the layout lines are of secondary importance.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

That's true, but if you make the drawer front slightly wider (by carefully shooting it in to start with) the lines ought (said advisedly) to disappear when it's shot in to finish. It doesn't always work, but that's the theory - Rob

 

[Ironballs]

Always off, when I'm marking up I take care to ensure that the lines do not encroach onto the pins, so they don't have to be planed off

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Off, leaving them on for me means I cut them too deep in the first place and to remove them would bugger up the fit. [-( [-X

 

[matt]

Its a bit like not lining up screw heads on doors and hinges. It may seem petty, but its nice to see, and shows a higher degree of pride in your work.

Interesting - In most cases I hate screw heads that have been lined up. I can see that it demonstrates attention to detail but I much prefer the randomness of where the screw heads end up.

Do you have bezel on your watch? :lol:

 

[OPJ]

That's true, but if you make the drawer front slightly wider (by carefully shooting it in to start with) the lines ought (said advisedly) to disappear when it's shot in to finish. It doesn't always work, but that's the theory - Rob

I approach this slightly differently... I set my cutting gauge to slightly less than the thickness of the drawers sides so that they sit proud once assembled and can be planed flush without affecting the front. :wink:

Otherwise, I agree with Steve's comments.

 

[woodbloke]

That's true, but if you make the drawer front slightly wider (by carefully shooting it in to start with) the lines ought (said advisedly) to disappear when it's shot in to finish. It doesn't always work, but that's the theory - Rob

I approach this slightly differently... I set my cutting gauge to slightly less than the thickness of the drawers sides so that they sit proud once assembled and can be planed flush without affecting the front. :wink:

Otherwise, I agree with Steve's comments.

Agreed Olly, but if you do both there's a better than even chance that they'll be removed with the final few shavings - Rob

 

[head clansman]

hi


lay out line or if you like marking gauge lines are something you place on the timber to help marking out, all to be removed while cleaning up ,to leave them just shows tiredness and no pride in your work, no self respecting tradesman would allow such a thing not even as a secondary standards in his work no matter where the gauge mark were showing, what's coming next ,leave all your pencil marks, no cleaning up , no sanding, come on guys set some standards and keep them at the level where are fore fathers set them . Eddiej your spot on .hc

 

[woodbloke]

Its a bit like not lining up screw heads on doors and hinges. It may seem petty, but its nice to see, and shows a higher degree of pride in your work.

I agree entirely on this one as well...the slots in brass screw heads in hinges should line up. They, and the screw heads should also be highly polished - Rob

 

[Steve Maskery]

Looks like I'm in a minority of one then. What a surprise!

S

 

[MikeG.]

I rub mine out.

I don't score a line, but use a pencil, so a normal rubber eraser sorts it out for me. I think a scored line left on the outside of a piece of furniture, or even a drawer, looks awful. It's only possible function is to say "Look at me......I'm hand-made".

Mike

 

[Paul Chapman]

I don't score a line, but use a pencil

A scored line is better - you can engage the chisel in it, which makes for more accuracy.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[Steve Maskery]

Chisel? Mine are all done on the bandsaw!

Oops, I'm in the wrong forum again

S