Board moving while planing - tips?

[Dino]

I am planing quite small boards right now. I have no issues planing the sides or the end grain as I can have the boards in the vice when I am doing that but when I try to do the long sides (relative, since the boards are only about 4" x 6") I have a lot of issues as they keep moving around my surface and I have no way to stop them, other than clamping down one side, then swapping the clamp to the other side when I am ready to plane that side.

Any tips?

Note: I've also tried gripping mats, varying success.

 

[AndyT]

You need a bench stop. This can be a metal or wood adjustable peg in a hole or something as simple as two screws in your bench, sticking up a bit less than the thickness of the wood.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

That's one reason why you'd have done better to have left your wood in longer lengths.

 

[GLFaria]

Ah!, that's an advantage of the workmate! It has a number of dog-holes which, in conjunction with that big heavy bookshelf at he front to act as a prop and, when needed, a couple of extensions I made to fit into said dog-holes, allows me to plane anything reasonably thick and not overly heavy from 4" or less up to about 4 or 5 ft long! I couldn't ask for more! (well, I could actually, but here's no point in being too grumpy... 8) )

 

[Dino]

That's one reason why you'd have done better to have left your wood in longer lengths.

Lesson learned, believe me.

Bench stops are a good, cheap idea. I'll put some in.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

It sounds like a sticking board is what you are after. I built an adjustable version for planing small parts.

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTo ... Board.html

... some perspective ...

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Carl P]

Derek,

I really like the shooting board - is there any reason the bolts are left so long? I know it wouldn't take me long to lose bits of my skin if I were using it!

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Carl

It is not a shooting board. It is a sticking board. This is used for planing small pieces, such as mouldings. The raised screws are liberate - they are planing stops.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Carl P]

Hi Derek,

Not quite sure why I called it a shooting board ,not been awake long enough for the caffeine to kick in! I was referring to the bolts that hold the fence, but I guess they are as long as they are because they are as long as they are.

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Carl

I know how that can feel! :lol:

The photos were taken shortly after the construction. The long bolts did not get in the way of anything. so I left them. Later, after others had queried the same, I cut them off. I guess I need updated photos :?

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Jacob]

You can do the same but more easily by putting 2 screws into your bench top as end stops, and 2 more as side stops on the far side. Or ditto into a piece of scrap board clamped to your bench top.

PS or nails. Round wire nails with a flat head best as the heads will grip the wood slightly.

 

[Carl P]

Hi Jacob,

I have done that on a board before, although quite soon I'll be doing lots of small fiddly things (furniture for my daughters dolls house) so having something adjustable seems quite attractive - mainly of course I thought I'd missed something about the purpose of the long bolts, but it seems I'm not the only one who just leaves it as it's not in the way (yet!).

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[Jacob]

If you use screws you can adjust by taking them out and putting them back in a different position. Keep it simple!

 

[Dino]

The sticking board looks like a fantastic idea. I'll look up how to build one and get to it.

As a side question; what kind of wood would you recommend to build jigs and boards?

 

[Carl P]

I quite agree Jacob, at the momeent I'm not sure how much adjustment I'd actually need, it's only worth the effort if it gives a significant benefit in either ease of use, accuracy or longevity.

Cheerio,

Carl

 

[Jacob]

The sticking board looks like a fantastic idea. I'll look up how to build one and get to it.

As a side question; what kind of wood would you recommend to build jigs and boards?

Any old scrap will do even MDF.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Another jee-jaw that might help if you have a bench with a face vice, is the vice-gripped planing stop. Take a piece of scrap wood, say about 2" square or thereabouts and as long as the vice jaws are wide, and a piece of 1/2" ply or similar about 12" long and 3" or 4" wide. Grip the piece of 2" square in the vice, with one face level with the bench top. Place the piece of ply on top of it and across the benchtop, so that one of it's long sides is square across the bench. Screw the ply to the 2" square using several screws. You now have a planing stop against which you can butt a piece of wood to face-plane it. When done, take it out of the vice, sling it under the bench, and fish it out again next time you need a planing stop. Materials can be whatever you have to hand; a thinner one would do nicely for planing thinner stock.

The idea would work in a Workmate, too; the jig may have to be opposite-handed for convenience of use.

This is one dodge taken from Bob Wearing's book 'The Resourceful Woodworker'; tracking a copy down would be an excellent investment. It's full of home-made solutions to all manner of workshop problems.

 

[Trafalgar]

I am planing quite small boards right now. I have no issues planing the sides or the end grain as I can have the boards in the vice when I am doing that but when I try to do the long sides (relative, since the boards are only about 4" x 6") I have a lot of issues as they keep moving around my surface and I have no way to stop them, other than clamping down one side, then swapping the clamp to the other side when I am ready to plane that side.

Any tips?

Note: I've also tried gripping mats, varying success.

Nail thin battens, birds-mouths, etc. into your bench to trap the workpiece exactly where you want it to be. A couple handfuls of thin battens and small brads/sprigs will do wonders for your workholding. Obviously, this argues for a replaceable benchtop out of deal or other softwood rather than one comprised of a $1,000 worth of material and thousands more dollars in time to build.

I've had a precious bench and I've had a few that I didn't mind nailing stuff into all over the place. The latter were the far more useful ones I can assure you.

 

[Argus]

.

Short of nailing work down to the surface of your bench, (which ruins both), bench stops or dogs are essential and a bench hook (preferably two, though one will do) is all you need, though you can still use holding boards in a side vice using long wedges etc..

But have a look at this short vid by Richard Maguire.

http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/?p=1434

The second half of the vid shows a notched batten used with a bench-hook and a dog in the bench which is very effective for holding short pieces.

Hope this helps.

 

[Trafalgar]

.

Short of nailing work down to the surface of your bench, (which ruins both), bench stops or dogs are essential and a bench hook (preferably two, though one will do) is all you need, though you can still use holding boards in a side vice using long wedges etc..

But have a look at this short vid by Richard Maguire.

http://www.theenglishwoodworker.com/?p=1434

The second half of the vid shows a notched batten used with a bench-hook and a dog in the bench which is very effective for holding short pieces.

Hope this helps.

My post apparently needs clarifying -- I am not suggesting that somebody nail a furniture component, itself, to the workbench but only battens with which to trap it. Small brad holes do not 'ruin' a benchtop, certainly one not meant to be a showpiece in the first place.

Art Carpenter's bench comes immediately to mind though that might not mean much to you personally.