Shooting board plane

[Wouldchuk]

After lots of very poor results trying to cut accurate mitres for box sides using the radial arm saw (there's a few posts worth of material in me about that s*dding thing..... :roll: ) i thought i'd have a go at using a shooting board; cutting the sides just over-size on the RAS then plane to a true 45 degrees. I'm looking at making a document box with 20mm sides ish.

I only have a Record smooting plane - is this going to be suitable, it doesnt really feel like its got enough on the sides to keep it stable on a shooting board. There are a few bits on eBay so i was wondering what to go for - ive read a few threads on is it really necessary to go for a low-angle plane?

I dont mind spending on something that is going to be versatile and quality - but I am defo not in the Lie Nielsen price range!! - If i can use something like a No 5 then I'll have a look on fleabay, for instance.

Any advice welcome,


ps

Not sure if anyone who likes restoring old tools is interested, but this monster mitre shooting contraption is up at present - bit OTT for me!! :mrgreen:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hutchens-Pate ... 3f0ea95aad

Thanks

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

This is like mine but modern. http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-mt ... rod858421/ if its of any help.

Can't help you regarding using a hand plane.

 

[adidat]

you probably want something like a 5 1/2, 6 or a 7 you need abit of heft with shooting.

adidat

 

[RogerP]

Many years ago I made one of these. I cut the mitres on a bandsaw then true them on the shooting board. It works fine with a number 4 plane but I found that one of these cheap and cheerful Chinese ones from Rutlands - the 275mm one - fettled, slightly modified and used push not pull - works even better.

 

[Jacob]

PS just read the OP - it's about mitreing so the below only applies partially!

Any plane will do more or less. If it's not perfectly square (or if you want an undercut) you can trim the angle by tilting the blade, so normal steel Bailey pattern* best. But longer is better - no5 or bigger.
The shooting board can be very simple and the work of minutes (well, less than a hour if you've got the wood to hand). Basically a long bench hook on a board base. At the end stop you can adjust the workpiece with wedges or paper shims, or by clamping or just holding it down by hand. It's a good idea to work to lines anyway, rather than relying on the squareness of the kit.

* Bailey pattern lateral adjuster is really good for fine adjustment particularly on shooting boards. Old woodies or norris adjusters less good by a long way.

 

[Mike Wingate]

I have a big old guilloteen, I find it tricky taking off the slightest cut, but it is fine. I use a no.5 plane on my ramped shooting board and for better results use my Quangsheng no.62, but that needs a hotdog handle to give it better control. I use my RA saw at home with a fine toothed blade and a 45 degree jig with stops gives me good results.

 

[MickCheese]

That ebay link does not look like a guillotine to me. I looks like two planes on a travelling shoe? :?:

I cannot see any way of holding the wood so I think pushing the handle, holding the stock and keeping all still would be very difficult, probably why it is only £40.00 with no bids.

Mick

 

[bugbear]

That ebay link does not look like a guillotine to me. I looks like two planes on a travelling shoe? :?:

I cannot see any way of holding the wood so I think pushing the handle, holding the stock and keeping all still would be very difficult, probably why it is only £40.00 with no bids.

Mick

I think the condition is more important here - that's a fairly well known, and desirable, collectors piece, and also a good working tool.

To the OP - use a normal #6, s/h Record brand for preference.

BugBear

 

[marcros]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

How do you go about replacing blades on things like this- is it a matter of searching high and low for old stock, or is there an easier way? I assume that it isnt like plane blades where there are plenty of new alternatives around of a few standard sizes?

 

[Jacob]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

How do you go about replacing blades on things like this- is it a matter of searching high and low for old stock, or is there an easier way? I assume that it isnt like plane blades where there are plenty of new alternatives around of a few standard sizes?

Shouldn't be a problem. Plane blades tend to last a lifetime or longer. If not available off the shelf there's always a little engineering shop nearby who can make some up, if it ever came to it!

 

[bugbear]

Many years ago I made one of these.

I thought (until now, thanks to Roger and Alf) that that design was Robert Wearing's.

Alf - might I suggest cross referencing those "galootish gleanings" from your "Shooting Gallery" page?

BugBear

 

[marcros]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

How do you go about replacing blades on things like this- is it a matter of searching high and low for old stock, or is there an easier way? I assume that it isnt like plane blades where there are plenty of new alternatives around of a few standard sizes?

Shouldn't be a problem. Plane blades tend to last a lifetime or longer. If not available off the shelf there's always a little engineering shop nearby who can make some up, if it ever came to it!

Sorry Jacob, I meant on the bench top mitre guillotine- is it the same deal, local engineering shop?

 

[jimi43]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

How do you go about replacing blades on things like this- is it a matter of searching high and low for old stock, or is there an easier way? I assume that it isnt like plane blades where there are plenty of new alternatives around of a few standard sizes?

I've got an iron and a cap iron! Mmmmm

30kg...nah! :mrgreen:

Jimi

 

[Harbo]

Here's some photos of my two shooting boards made from scraps of things, bottom one based on Robert Wearing's:

Rod

 

[custard]

Wouldchuck,

because I do quite a bit of picture framing I've got a floor standing Morso guillotine, and the bottom line is that nothing cuts a better mitre faster. But for years before I got the Morso I tried many different approaches to box mitre cutting. The key issue is that there are two issues that really determine mitre accuracy,

1. The quality and accuracy of the cut itself
2. The accuracy and repeatability of cutting the length

Most people seem to focus on the first and ignore the second.

Ranked by quality of results and speed of getting there I'd order the various box mitering methods I've tried as follows, from best to worst,

1. Morso floor standing guillotine
2. Disc sander (the method Andrew Crawford recommended and used for his boxes before he got a floor standing guillotine)
3. Lion bench mounted guillotine
4. Shooting board
5. Festool Kapex sliding mitre saw
6. Nobex bench mounted mitre saw

A well set up shooting board is wonderful for 90 degree cuts, a bit less wonderful for 45 degree picture frame mitering, and at its weakest with the donkey's ear configeration you'd normally use for box mitering.

 

[Jeff Gorman]

There's some info on using shooting boards on my site, eg http://tinyurl.com/yevhfx9

And a 'Donkey's Ear Ehoot for box mitres at: http://tinyurl.com/yeqt8tc

I hope they're of some use to get you started.

Jeff

 

[Jeff Gorman]

By the way, also there's a pdf with details of a very useful Mitre Block that is well worth making if you're into boxmaking.

See http://tinyurl.com/2bj4zxc

Jeff, ever forgetful.

http://www.amgron.clara.net

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I have an old bench top mitre guillotine I use for this which is basically what your eBay link is pointing too, although mine it a younger model. These work great and well worth it for what your trying to do. Mine is stored in a cupboard so takes no room.

How do you go about replacing blades on things like this- is it a matter of searching high and low for old stock, or is there an easier way? I assume that it isnt like plane blades where there are plenty of new alternatives around of a few standard sizes?

Mine are the ones that are more like razor blades (see replacement blades in the axi link) and all I do is sharpen them on a wet stone. Never brought or looked for blades for it.

 

[Wouldchuk]

This is fantastic thanks - i think, with my budget as it is, i shall look out for a decent No 6 or 7 for the time being, which will at least be useful for other tasks (as much as i would love one of the LN beauties...).

In the main, its the box sides i'm struggling with as my RAS just will not cut anywhere near 45degrees.. grrr... so the shooting board is more for use in a kind of 'donkey's ear' set up, or i think i prefer the look of Robert Wareing as the workpiece lays flat.

Rod (Harbo) - your bottom photo shows your version of this design. I was thinking i could make the horizontal top guide by running a piece through the router table against a 45degree champfer bit, handsaw the side stops to 45degrees. Its not clear, but on your design have you included a bottom horizontal guide too, with the white batten providing the stop against which the lower edge of the plane rides, as opposed to a groove cut in the baseboard?

THanks all.