REVIEW DC DVD Part 3: Precision Shooting Simplified

[Alf]

This is the eagerly awaited third in a series of videos/DVDs made by David Charlesworth in collaboration with the Lie-Nielsen Toolworks; reviews of Part 1 (Plane Sharpening) here and Part 2 (Hand Planing) here. Don’t let the title mislead you; this one doesn’t reveal DC’s hitherto unknown prowess with a twelve-bore , but rather his use of simple bench appliances and jigs for the precise planing of wood whilst using the plane on its side. In short, it’s shooting, shuteing or maybe even chuteing that’s the, ho ho, target… All right, enough of the bad jokes, and on with the content.

This video is shot exclusively in a one-to-one workshop set-up, and evidently after DC had been pretty busy teaching, or at least talking… His voice is coming and going something terrible and you can’t help but feel sorry for him , but it doesn’t detract from the info, once you get used to it. There’s a short introduction explaining why you may find the need for a shooting board and the stated intent to make the necessary appliances for so doing as simple as possible. Subsequently there are six sections:

The Bench Hook Shooting Board
A brief introduction to DC’s very basic Bench Hook-a-like board, clamping it to the bench and the benefits of a removable tool tray bottom for same.

Practical Application of the Shooting Board
Why the plane doesn’t plane away the edge of the board, avoiding tipping the plane and how different plane designs assist this, the benefits of a heavier plane to give you momentum through the cut, gripping a Bailey and a #9 mitre plane, adjusting a curved blade for shooting, how you might prefer to use a straight edge in a dedicated plane, the rhythm used to take the shaving and how thicker shavings help with this, using shims to adjust for out-of-square shooting board or plane, how the fence helps avoid spelching and finally the advice that shooting boards are really best at small, thin work. Yes, it’s a long section…

Mitre Fixtures
The use of supplementary fences for work angled in the horizontal plane, principally the fence for 45° mitres, using the same planing rhythm and shim procedure as for squared work and using the left hand for shooting on the opposite face of the fence.

The “Bird House” Fixture
Using a simple block of wood and fence to hold small work for shooting mitred edges in the vertical plane, such as for mitred box linings.

Shooting Freehand
Edge jointing thin stuff, such as draw bottoms, in pairs, by clamping between two boards on the bench and using the usual edge jointing technique (as in video #2) to get a straight edge, rather than running it against a guiding board. Hence “freehand”, although of course the side of the plane is guided by the bench top.

Shooting Veneer
As above, but with two leaves of veneer.

As before, this DVD is very much what it says on the box. It’s how DC does his shooting, and as such it’s clearly and calmly presented and somehow reassuring. Evidently David’s schedule in the US took it’s toll though; he’s not quite as “on the ball” as usual and the presentation is a little disjointed in parts. Only with difficulty did I resist the urge to lob Fisherman’s Friends at the telly… The demonstration, and particularly the close-ups, of how you build up a rhythm of pushing the work into the plane, locking it against the fence, taking the shaving, pushing, lock, shaving etc was excellent, and would, I imagine, be very helpful to the novice. Seeing something done is always going to be beneficial, and I can see that aspect of the video alone being worth the cost of entry as far as a lot of shooting novices are concerned. However, I do have some reservations about the use of the bench top as the “runway” for the plane. Not because I have anything against a different approach to shooting boards, but simply because it was never once mentioned or explained. I would guess, like me, most people have the traditional image of a shooting board with a built-in “runway” and failing to mention the lack of one or what condition the bench top should be in to use in this respect strikes me as rather a serious omission. But as far as David’s techniques are concerned, it seems to cover everything else well and in reasonable depth. The trouble is his methods have some unusual aspects that might have benefited from a little more explanation; I can see it producing considerable confusion on forums when answers based on traditional techniques are read by people who are basing their questions on the DVD, but that’ll be entertainment to come. I predict using a curved blade to shoot with causing particular difficulties… If you’re looking for information on more traditional shooting boards, step-by-step guides to building them or a discussion of the possible advantages of using a low angle plane, you won’t find them here.

In short, it’s good but like the other DVDs it’s very much one man’s approach, not a comprehensive examination of shooting in general. But when all’s said and done you just can't beat seeing it done and I can only agree with DC that it is “one of the most powerful and useful techniques in the workshop” - you really need to know how to do it if you’re ultimately to triumph over those pesky trees!

David Charlesworth Hand Tool Techniques. Part 3: Precision Shooting Simplified DVD 63mins £19.95.
Video also available, both direct from David Charlesworth and Lie-Nielsen.

Very many thanks to David for sending me this DVD to review.

[gidon]

Thanks Alf - good review as ever.
Cheers
Gidon

[Philly]

Nice review Alf! Cheers
My copy is ordered-just the waiting to do know!
By the time I have the "Full" collection of His DVD's it might of worked out cheaper going on his courses........
Maybe not,
Philly
_________________
The PhillyBlog!

[Espedair Street]

[dedee]

Alf,
will there be a competition for a 2nd hand DVD coming up?

Andy

[Alf]

[froglet]

Alf you are quite welcome to have it back if you need it, after all people are far more likely to ask you about sharpening techniques than they are me

Graeme

[Alf]

Ooo no, I didn't mean that Graeme; you won it fair and square. Anyway you might set a dangerous precedent there and Trend ain't getting back the T5 not no how...

Cheers, Alf

[Alf]

Update.

Apparently regarding using the bench top as runway, DC "usually puts a sheet of thin MDF under the board, but TLN did not have any!"

I'll refrain from comment...

Cheers, Alf

[Guest]

Alf

For begineers only or anything in there for a woodworker that has used a shooting board for a few yesrs?

[Alf]

[Chris Knight]

A very useful review - thanks Alf.
_________________
Chris

[David C]

Whilst being grateful for the fair review of my recent DVD, I take grave exception to the following passage;

[Good Surname or what ?]

David Charlesworth wrote

[Alf]

Welcome to the forum, David. Sorry that you should only have felt the need to post when upset. I'll try and explain.