WoodCentral Forums

Est. 1998 — 27 years of woodworking knowledge

adjusting to length, how?

Posts

adjusting to length, how?

#1

adjusting to length, how?

bill tindall

>It took me a long time to realize that often the best way to adjust the size of something to "just fit" is with hand tools. But there is one adjustment that I have yet to find a good way to do, and that is adjusting a length. No doubt sawing it right to begin with is the answer but that doesn't always happen.

I'm currently fitting dividers into a frame and would like a nice friction fit. Suppose I need to shorten by a few thousandths to get the perfect fit. One can't hand saw this small amount, or at least I can't saw an amount less than a blade width. I have tried pareing, but it is hard to do on end grain and keep things square while controling depth of cut. Maybe there is a trick. (the table saw works ok) So, what do you all do?

Re: adjusting to length, how?

#2

Shoot

Skip in Falls Church

>Hi Bill,

I use a shooting board and plane - it's pretty easy to take a very small amount and keep it square.

Skip

Re: adjusting to length, how?

#3

Second: Shoot *LINK*

Christopher Schwarz

>Simple shooting boards and a *heavy* plane allow you to reduce the length of a board in .001" increments if you please. It is, hands down, the best way to fit flat mullions and muntins.

A good place to start is Jeff Gorman's site below. Also, David Charlesworth's DVD (from Lie-Nielsen) on the topic is excellent. Charlesworth's shoting boards are simpler than any you'll find. And just as effective.


http://www.amgron.clara.net/planingpoints/shuteingboards/shuteingindex.htm

Re: adjusting to length, how?

#4

thanks

bill tindall

>I have been meaning to make a shooting board for about 2 years but needed a motivator. Looks like you all provided one. And, I have just the plane to try on it, the low angle woodie I made some time ago. It was to be a block plane. the sole ended up long and I never got around to trim it to a short length. Should be perfect.

👍 This page answered my questions

Your vote helps other woodworkers quickly find the answers and techniques that actually work in the shop.