# Wide miter shooting board fence



## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Well, getting ready to prototype another small box to be constructed all with hand tools. This one is for a demo session at the Kansas City Woodworkers Guild open house in June. 

A while back FLWoodRat, a friend from another forum, paid me in some teak boards for "renting" the custom beading bit used on the blanket chest project. I've been sitting on the teak thinking about what to make with it. I decided it would be fun to make a little pencil box. I'm still working on some of the design issues but in the meanwhile I also decided that I'd use that box build as a live demo at the guild's open house.

One idea I had was to mitre all the corners for the box. By hand the "easy" way to get a perfect miter is with a shooting board and fence. This fence is to make the wide miters. Its made from scrap 3/4" cherry ply and a few other odds-and-ends. It clamps onto the right angle fence of my shooting board.

The registration fence is adjustable for square and the whole appliance itself can be tilted using little leveler feet I made with some #10 screws on its underside. Likewise, it can be microadjusted into and away from the regular shooting board fence with another pair of #10 screws. These adjustments let me tweak it into making a perfect miter. 

Remember, if you can't make it perfect, make it adjustable. :sarcastic:


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

I really like your work Rob but isn't it tough on the wrists to use the plane on it's side? Also, how do you clamp the work to the shooting board?

I've seen pictures of [90*] shooting boards at work but never talked with someone who'd used one.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

BigJimAK said:


> I really like your work Rob but isn't it tough on the wrists to use the plane on it's side? Also, how do you clamp the work to the shooting board?
> 
> I've seen pictures of [90*] shooting boards at work but never talked with someone who'd used one.


Gravity does most of the clamping. My left hand is managing the workpiece and my right hand runs the plane. Most of the work holding is concentrated on keeping the piece down to the ramp and not twisting away from the fence at the far end. The planing action holds it to the fence at the bottom.

It doesn't seem hard on any of my joints. This is not to say it can't be tiring. These types of appliances are intended for relatively small pieces and with a sharp (or SHARP since its endgrain shavings) and a fine set it doesn't take much effort. 

Two other important tips I've come to appreciate are to use the heaviest plane possible for the job and keep the ramp (runway) waxed.

You can buy or make planes specifically for this work. They typically have a handle on the side but with my #6 and #7 they have tall enough sides there is plenty of room to hold on.


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## gal turner (Mar 3, 2010)

Were these called Donkey ears? Haven't seen aboard like this in ages. I've seen flat ones a bunch. Looks super & thank you for sharing this "old timey" project with us


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

gal turner said:


> Were these called Donkey ears? Haven't seen aboard like this in ages. I've seen flat ones a bunch. Looks super & thank you for sharing this "old timey" project with us


As near as I've been able to tell, the "donkey's ear" or "mule's ear" type are a little different. Typically they are stand-alone appliances that are clamped either in the end-vice (a little wing like a ships keel sticks out below into the clamp) or have flat bottoms and are pinched between dogs. The resemblance to the ear of a donkey is minimal at best. 

The ramp hangs down off the side of the bench and the work piece is held UP into the plane instead of DOWN like my arrangement.

I considered making a donkey's ear but did this version instead. You can build in adjusters for this type more easily, in my opinion, than the donkey's ear.


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