Plane for shooting

[bugbear]

friction free 8)

Would you settle for "LOW friction"?

BugBear

 

[G S Haydon]

Nah, mine is friction free

 

[bugbear]

Nah, mine is friction free

Cool!

BugBear

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Ramped shooting boards are not worth making, since they only distribute the wear on the blade by such a small amount as to be not worth the fuss.

We'll have to disagree on that Mike. One of the advantages of a ramped board lies in reducing the jarring impact. A flat board does this with a plane with a skewed blade.

To the OP: For a first shooting board, stick to a basic flat design. Long planes such as the #7 you own are not ideal, but some prefer them over all else for their extra mass. Similarly, BB prefers his #6 over the more dedicated Record. Some extra heft in a shooting plane is an advantage. Your #5 may be used, but a #5 1/2 would be better. More important than any of these factors is a sharp blade and good technique.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[marcros]

thank you all. It is indeed a first board, so I will keep it simple, basic and cheap. I have a 7, a decent length woodie and a 5, so can try all of these out and see what suits me personally- probably what I should have done in the first instance, but it is interesting to hear the different opinions. I may also treat myself to a 5 1/2 because that is a good useful bench plane. It will be a used stanley or record, so isnt going to cost me a fortune.

In time, I may make a nicer version, ramped or otherwise, for the plane of choice, or if it a task that i perform frequently, then look at the veritas offering when in the states.

 

[woodbrains]

Ramped shooting boards are not worth making, since they only distribute the wear on the blade by such a small amount as to be not worth the fuss.

We'll have to disagree on that Mike. One of the advantages of a ramped board lies in reducing the jarring impact. A flat board does this with a plane with a skewed blade.

To the OP: For a first shooting board, stick to a basic flat design. Long planes such as the #7 you own are not ideal, but some prefer them over all else for their extra mass. Similarly, BB prefers his #6 over the more dedicated Record. Some extra heft in a shooting plane is an advantage. Your #5 may be used, but a #5 1/2 would be better. More important than any of these factors is a sharp blade and good technique.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Hello,

Note that is was talking about a ramped boards (non) effect on distributing wear on the blade. The extra effort in making is poorly rewarded in this instance, though one of my boards in school is reverse ramped. Don't know if it is an exact substitute for a skewed bladed plane though, the ramp is not as effective as a 20 degree skew!

Mike.

 

[MusicMan]

The important accuracy thing is not that the sole should be perpendicular to the side, but that the blade edge should be perpendicular. Of course if the sole is not quite perpendicular then the gap will vary across the blade, but it will cut square and for end grain, I'd guess the gap and shipbreaker are less important.

I have just started experimenting with a Japanese skew rebate plane for shooting. They can be had in left or right hand designs, and have a very straight, solid, bevel-up blade and are not expensive. Far too light on their own, but I plan on building it into a heavier construction and have it run in a channel. I'll let you know how I get on, but has anyone tried these for shooting?

Keith