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Or alternatively, the outfeed table isn't set perfectly in line with the edge of the cutters ... a more common occurrence than a misaligned infeed table IME , although admittedly quicker and easier to rectify.

I started with a shooting board when I first began with guitars. Everyone said it was the way to go. My little 4" jointer sat quietly in the corner collecting dust.

After reading this I think I'll give it new blades and give it a try. The shooting board has never stopped being a pain for me.

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Joe Beaver
Maker of Sawdust

My first planed joint a few years ago took me quite a while, I think the 2 boards lost about 3 inches, my jumbo was in danger of becoming a uke... My last couple took maybe 5 minutes each. I don't think the length of the plane has too too much to do with it, it's more about the pressure, and where and when you place it. It seemed counterintuitive to me that mild hand pressure on the toe or heel could affect it's ability to create a straight line so much, but it's true. Sharp blade, VERY light cut, even smooth pressure starting at the toe and moving seamlessly to the heel is the trick.

Short planes, long planes, sanding sticks, they all work. Anything is possible with enough skill. It is also possible to eat soup with a fork, but I prefer the right tool for the job. If you are a plane person, I would encourage you to look for an old metal bodied jointer plane. They are around, and cheap if you find one. I have always used a Bailey #8. The 24" sole really works well for joining. I bought one of those Veritas Shooting Board planes at the GAL convention a few years ago. It is actually made for shooting end grain. The sales guy at the convention did not mention that, and I did not know enough to figure that out.. When I called Veritas and asked about the problems I was having getting as good a joint as I could get with my Bailey, they promptly informed me their plane was intended for end grain. I sold it on eBay.

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Yes... I would say 85% technique.

If you have already mastered jointing wood with sand paper - it's not much of a stretch to mastering it with planes. The understanding of hand and clamp pressure and hollowing out the joint under the pressure is the same. The difference is then the 15% related to the plane and setup.

You don't need a dead flat plane. Though it makes understanding the technique and the effects of clamp placement and hand pressure that more critical.

Thanks

Just curious about what problems you were having? I got the Veritas early this year and my transition took about 5 minutes, for me its superior steel PVMII and much better control. I had no trouble using my Bailey #4 with a hock blade, this is definitely easier. The superior steel was the key to joining a set of crazy grained Chechen nothing else in my shop would touch it.

I work mostly in koa, so I don't know how the Veritas would work on other woods. The Veritas would dig out very small chips in curly koa, even with the good blade sharpened very well. I could make it work with an extremely fine cut and varying the applied force, but the job is just much easier with my old Bailey and the Veritas was not worth keeping. I already own too many nice looking, expensive tools that are marginal in application.

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“ The meaning of life is to find your gift and the purpose of life is to give it away” Pablo Picasso

Some woods are just plain nasty, especially planing interlocking grain, tamarind, santos mahogany , osage orange. etc I made a 28in high angle shooting plane with at 60 deg bedding angle and a single HSS chinese 1 3/4 in blade /The opening is about 2mm or 3/32 in . My L/N low angle jack with 40 deg microbevel will not work on these woods. I have numerous other planes/scrapers and they each respond differently to certain woods, I don/t use sandpaper as it has a tendency to roll the edge and not create a solid long lasting joint .IMHO A joint with a sharp blade cut seems to work better for me than sandpaper. I also made a router /jointer plane using a craftsman yard sale router table an an old ryobi router it is set up to take about .015 off each pass and then on to the jointer plane that should take about .001 shaving for accurate shooting. learn to use a plane and it becomes your go to tool.

Not trying to hijack, I know this thread is about shooting boards but after learning that Mario Proulx trusted his power jointer, I started using mine & haven't looked back.

If you have a power jointer, besides the tables needing to be properly aligned, the blades must be set to within 0.001" which is a major PITA. I've resorted to using a dial indicator for the task.

I aways check the outfeed table height to blades before using too. On an inclined wedge bed type jointer as opposed to a parallelogram bed, this will drift which can will also mess up the joint, IME.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

For blade set up make or buy a magnetic -- in my view a quantum improvement over a dial indicator, like having an extra pair of hands



http://www.rockler.com/rockler-magnetic-jointer-jig

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Ken Cierp

http://www.kennethmichaelguitars.com/