Wiley Horne--So. Calif.
Hi All,

The discussion above is very interesting. However, there are different designs for ramped shooting boards, and the consequences of each will differ. Though surely ramping has the benefits claimed whichever design is followed.

How many types are there? For reference, here is Lee Valley's unramped board and shooting plane, showing the 20 degree skew:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/Wood/page.aspx?p=70926&cat=1,41182,48945&ap=1

Derek's ramp tilts the work, with the plane running on the flat. He adds numerous other amenities as well (mitre attachment, donkey's ear attachment) and startling good looks. What is ramped here is the stick to be shot:

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/ShootingforPerfection.html

Going back a few more years, there is Jeff Gorman's ramped shooting board. In this design, there are actually two opposing ramps. The plane is running downhill, and the work is canted slightly uphill. This design could give the effect of considerable skew*, even with a straight-bladed plane. Adding a skewed plane to Jeff's design, it appears to me that all the ramps and skews would be additive (effective skew = ramp angle for the work + ramp angle for the plane + plane skew). Am I seeing this right?

http://www.amgron.clara.net/page68.html

And are there other basic ramped shooting board arrangements?

Wiley

*"Effect of skew" means ease of entry; unlike a true skew plane, there is no lowering of the cutting angle. On the other hand, Jeff's design adds gravity to the momentum of the plane.