Tips for improving woodworking accuracy

[tibi]

Hello,

Can you please provide me some useful tips and tricks for improving accuracy in woodworking? For measuring,layout, planing, chiseling, sawing, etc. Whatever comes to mind. This list maybe useful for someone else too in the future.

e.g. When you place your chisel for mortising, place it not directly on the line, but with the edge a little bit inside. Once you hit the chisel, it will wedge the wood towards the line a bit.

Thank you.

Tibor

 

[thetyreman]

the key is always very sharp tools, good quality squares and marking gauges, if a square is out even a tiny amount everything will be out. When chopping a mortise by hand sometimes you have to wrestle a bit with the wood and stop the chisel from twisting. I also like to use very thin pencils where possible and marking knives because it's a thinner line and therefore more accurate. I hope that helps.

 

[Spectric]

Unfortunately a lot of it comes with practice and finding how you do the job best, from these forums I learnt that decent chiesels will make a difference and keeping them sharp, well yes I am a lot better but do not have the surgical skill that some people have but compared to what I used to achieve with cheap chiesels I am a lot better. Also when cutting I cut close to a line and then try the fit, then may have to remove a hairs breath to get a nice fit, takes more time but a lot better than a sloppy fit done quicker.

 

[TheTiddles]

Mostly you don’t need accuracy, precision on the other hand is really important, like getting all the parts the same size. Think of a set of Jenga blocks, the only thing that needs to be accurate is the length is 3x the width, thickness is academic but they do need to be precise in terms of length, width and thickness.

So single fence/stop block settings, thinking about your manufacturing order so those fences don’t need to be moved will give high precision as well as faster and lower stress making, at the penalty of thinking up front time

 

[jcassidy]

Very sharp tools, decent quality wood, and taking your time.

Specific tips - I never learnt the knife-wall technique in vocational school - I saw that off Paul Sellers (not discussing who invented it so let's just move on...) and I love it and I use it frequently. I've made a handful of marking knives from old Sheffield cutlery, so I always have a sharp one handy.

I also took on board his advice to cut a channel with a chisel to guide the saw. I learnt using-your-thumb-and-pull-strokes-to-establish-the-kerf technique, but the cut-a-channel technique is way more accurate for me.

I don't pay much attention to any of the Americans who seem to shove everything into a table saw, except Chris Swarz who's kind of goofy and fun.

A solid bench.

 

[Stevekane]

All I can say is try to start with stock thats square and flat,,its a bloody headache otherwise,
Steve.

 

[Mike.R]

A digital caliper was a game changer for me.... and a pair of spectacles.

 

[Jacob]

Mark everything up from a rod and don't miss any marks. 2H pencil not a marking knife.
The knife is only for cutting those few lines which need a precise edge e.g. tenon shoulders on the visible side.

 

[MARK.B.]

All good advice given above , i would add when marking out make yourself comfortable so as you are not for example overstretching your reach so as to slip and pipper your line. Good lighting has not been mentioned but is important

 

[recipio]

I can't get on without a digital vernier but have gone through about six in recent years - my last cheap Chinese job lasted eight months. I finally splurged about £80 to buy a Mitutoya off Amazon. Made in Japan of course. The difference in quality is amazing, Finally I can trust the readings especially the depth function and use it constantly to ensure accuracy. Well worth the money imo.

 

[johnnyb]

I reckon the key is marking everything that needs to be the same size at one go(on large quantitys mark 2 and put them at the ends of the stack and mark across.
that way no matter how dodgy your cutting the accuracy is essentially built in. if a bit doesn't fit properly check the lines that should tell the story.

 

[Jameshow]

Practice practice practice!!!

Keeping up the concentration it's not the first mortice that gets you but the one where your mind drifts to another subject!

Marking the waste I know it's basic but how may times have we cut out the tail and not the waste.

Im only a wood butcher so what would I know!

Cheers James

 

[Peter Sefton]

Hi Tibor

Put up a video on my YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago, hand cutting dovetails, it shows some of the techniques I use including marking out, sawing and chiseling and most important checking those elements before final assembly.



Cheers
Peter

 

[Fitzroy]

Learn about face side and face edge. I used to mark out from any old edge, that caused me no end of problems.

A knife line to chisel to was another winner for me.

A decent saw helped my cutting. I have developed a love of vintage saws, cheap to buy, easy to renovate and file with a simple rip pattern they really helped me cut true.

But key is practice and more practice. If I am even just breaking down to rough size I will mark a line and try to cut to it, gives the opportunity to practice speeding up and maintaining accuracy of cut.

 

[Richard_C]

Really good lighting and sensible clear clean space to work in.

Work carefully but be decisive - if you are afraid of getting it wrong and hesitate you are more likely to get it wrong.

Or - make it, measure it, and tell yourself you always intended it to be that size

 

[baldkev]

If you are cutting a mortice, you can use a drill bit to take out the worst of the material and then just clean up with the chisels. ( im a site carpenter, not joiner )
As said above, practice is the only real way to learn. You have to fail to see where you went wrong.... we've all been there!
Get some nice planed all round stock 3x2 or 4x2 , 4x1, make a list of joints and then get going..... when i was taught to saw, i was told to hold the saw with my index finger stretched out along the side of the handle, line saw up with line ( on the waste side) keep wrist straight, forearm in line with the saw and concentrate on the action of keeping your arm all in line with the saw.... after squaring off a ton of hardwood in the workshop, i was getting pretty good

 

[Ttrees]

The good lighting part really is the most important thing that everyone will agree on.
I tried some glaring bluish LED lighting and I couldn't see anything with the shine.
I thought all the new types of bulbs were the same until I tried an expensive, probably near a fiver
economic or whatever, standard/regular bulb which is as good as the old style incandescent type.

I was glad to get these on the bay, it's so nice to have a light source behind the chisel sometimes,
See the shadow between the face of the tool and the work, as emphasized with the gaping shadow line gap with the aluminium block.

Two benches would be very nice to have, so you can rig up operations and work on constantly evolving the workholding to be as free to do whatever you may think of, it just may be a good idea.
That way you can spend some time on a certain procedure should something be not as good as it could be, and you can get on with other things on the go aswell.

I don't have a surface planer, nor really plan on getting one for the foreseeable future.
For mainly this reason a flat workbench is a must for me, this composite countertop has got me by,
but I have to keep a check on it especially before planing long stock.
What I'm trying to say is plan on what your ideals are, and focus on figuring out the weakest points of your work, whether that's getting things done timewise or want for better results.

Tom

 

[ian33a]

From a measuring perspective I find that these have been a game changer : INCRA TOOLS :: Measuring, Marking & Layout :: Precision T-Rules

I also agree that a digital vernier caliper is well worth the money.

Being able to get square edges and square corners is a big one too. There are many ways to achieve this but an MFT grid (with dogs) and decent fences (and stops) on a square top bench has worked for me.

My background is technology where accuracy and precision is measured to a silly number of decimal places. It took me a while to realise that wood does not need such precision but it does require consistency.

 

[pidgeonpost]

Plenty of good tips above, and to those I would add the importance of holding the workpiece securely. All the care taken in measuring, marking etc. can amount to not very much if the wood slips as you make that crucial first or last cut. It could also cost you an injury as well as damaged stock and a damaged chisel if you drop it in the process.
Enjoy your woodworking.

 

[tibi]

Hi Tibor

Put up a video on my YouTube channel a couple of weeks ago, hand cutting dovetails, it shows some of the techniques I use including marking out, sawing and chiseling and most important checking those elements before final assembly.



Cheers
Peter

Thank you Peter, I will definitely watch your video.