Your shooting board is too fancy! Use this classic design instead!

[@RexKrueger]

Don't forget to check out the plans so you can make your own Classic Shooting Board: www.rexkrueger.com/store/classic-shooting-board

[@ericsmathe]

After watching this video, I sent an email to Graham Blackburn, who lives locally here in Woodstock asking about lessons in traditional woodworking. He called me back that very day and was an absolutely kind man. I am so fortunate that I will be able to learn hands on from him starting next month (June). Thank you for the amazing content that you create, sir!

[@lmeharg2010]

The first half of the kzbin.infoUgkx3ICSK6nSknaL_45CU2NmFSoXjarGMDiJ book is everything about wood: types, tools, finishes, setting up shop etc. The second half is all about doing projects for inside and outside of the home. The color pictures are helpful. After reading a dozen of these types of books, this is probably the best overall (layout, color photos, plans). Only detraction is that many of the projects use a table saw/router/planer, which are usually expensive and take up space, so the plans are less friendly to newcomers and the budget conscious. But I know I can use a drill, circular saw or a jigsaw to make the projects.

[@jagerregaj]

Yeah, whatever, SCAMhead

[@Mighty_Atheismo]

I gotta say Rex... your approach of "okay yeah but what would a medieval european free laborer" do has really eased a lot of my anxieties and perfectionism. Oh and also buying a gazillion gizmos. Every time I'm at rockler the little Rex Kreuger in my head says "yeah but do you *really* need it? Would Bob from 1600s Cornwall have used this?" And then I dont buy the gizmo. Thanks for being excellent and keep up all the good work buddy!

[@nickpitt]

I always struggle to get long edges perfectly square, partly because I have a very small work space and can't really get behind the plane, so I was thinking earlier today about why we don't shoot long edges with a shooting board. And then up pops this video! I think I need to keep reminding myself that there's lots of ways to do any job.

[@nagranoth_]

there's also the traditional jointer, which is basically a huge plane up side down on legs. Instead of sliding a meters long plane over a board, you slide the board over the jointer.

[@ipick4fun27]

If you are a power tool guy, cross cut sled on table saw dialed in crazy accurately can square very large panels. But one of these days, I'll try the modern day shooting board because it's cool. It seems very simple to make to me - I mean with power tools.

[@mrmaldoon8362]

%100

[@LilyJaneH]

I’ve been learning to build guitars in my spare time for the last two years. Both of my shooting boards are very long because we use them to joints the sides of the top and back plates. I’m not really heard of long shooting boards being used outside of guitar building, so it’s quite interesting to see that it’s a historical form.

[@pierrea6371]

Love when you bring back traditionnal design. It's always a good source of inspiration for handtools work

[@pierrea6371]

I just thought again about this video. I realized i'm using less and less my "regular" shooting board and that most of the time, I shoot directly on my bench hooks (which took me about as much time to build as my shooting board). Best of both world the bench hooks fit in my toolbox. It won't address planing long thin edges though. But I don't plane thin edges that often. Still, I use my "regular" shooting board for working on small pieces that I have diffulties to clamp or hold or when digging mortise to protech the bench. In the end, I have 2 choices: learn to work without large equipments (like shooting boards) or find a place in the workshop to fit all large equipments that I don't use that often but that I still use :) Thanks again for this design!

[@AMTunLimited]

In a number of demonstrations I've seen of Japanese woodworkers, their "shooting board" is just a flat scrap of wood used to prop the board off of the work surface, then lay the plane directly on the work surface. I've also seen them hang the board over the side of the bench against some bench dogs and use the plane freely in the air, especially for end grain

[@bighands69]

That is a jig to plane would and using your bench as a surface to run the plane is easy and is something that was used in Europe as well. If you have ever seen a tool well on a bench it can be used in that fashion as well. You can use it in conjunction with dog holes and so on or even vices. I have a series of jigs that can be used with dog holes and vice to allow me to quickly plane end grain or long grain on boards. I can run 8 feet lengths by plane very easily and when you oil the plane surface and have a sharp iron it can be like a hot knife running through butter. Now does that really have purpose to be able to plain a board that long and square?

[@davidgodwin1951]

My grandpa was what they would call today a trim Carpenter but back in the 1920s, 30s and 40s back everything was done by hand. The kitchen cabinets, the trim and even the doors were often all made on site and were not purchased from the store. Dad talked about my grandpa making shooting boards and other jigs out of scrap materials that were laying around the job site. He would use them for one job and then usually toss them. the next job he would knock together a new shooting board and any other jigs he needed. He would do the same for his English work bench as they were too much trouble to move around it was easier to knock together a new one together from scraps. The old bench would be burned in the scrap fire when the job was finished.

[@DialMforDavid]

I have been using the ‘fancy’ shooting board from your plans for a while now Rex - I have found it to be very much worth the effort of putting together and it has held up wonderfully.

[@trep53]

Graham Blackburn is tops! Funny that you mention him because I just watched his shooting board video. Graham has a very friendly calm way of teaching.

[@okiwatashi2349]

“Your Shooting Board is too fancy!” Says the man with the fanciest shooting board plane! You’re right though Rex

[@SAHBfan]

As soon as I saw the plane I clicked the comments section to make this comment, but you’ve done it for me 😎 I do find my standard bailey plane is a bit tricky to hold nice and flat on its narrow side. Wish I had one of them ‘technical’ planes.

[@twcmaker]

@@SAHBfan The Record Technical Jack is brilliant for this. Made fir shooting, without the huge cost

[@borjesvensson8661]

​@@SAHBfan The wood jointers used back in for shooting shure have a biiig flat side and the iron and wedge give a handhold

[@benjamingiese841]

Hey Rex, You were one of the guys (additionally Sellars, Tom Fidget, WBW, and a smattering of others) who provided me so much input as I got started with hand tools only a few years ago scratch. I come back once in a while as you continue to provide bumps in the right direction and new ideas. In the meantime, I've got a full shop of restored antique tools, a 250 kg antique bench and quite a few nice tables without a touch of metal anywhere in them. Thanks.

[@benjamingiese841]

How did I forget Mr. Chickadee? That weirdo too....

[@johnfreiler6017]

I love the shout outs you give to other KZbin channels, Rex. Great stuff! Keep 'em coming!

[@robertberger8642]

I was going to say the same thing! Rex is quick to give credit where credit is due. He watches others, shares their ideas, and encourages us to follow them, too. I deeply admire him for this.

[@eloscuro704]

I made this, but with one significant change: I used Baltic birch plywood instead of pine. Trying to get pine straight and square without a jointer and planer is a challenge, that I don't have to worry about with plywood. A 12 x 30 1/2 inch thick piece costs $22 at Wood Craft. Turns out that is almost exactly what I needed for this project. After ripping the stage and track on my table saw, there was enough scrap leftover to make the battens and fence. And since plywood doesn't move like regular wood, I was able to glue the battens instead of using screws. Drilling and driving 30 screws is a lot of work, and I have a hard time getting them accurate. When I glued those battens, I didn't even clamp it. I just set them in place and put some 5 pound weights on them. Everything took less than 15 minutes. The only thing left is the cleat. I have a scrap piece of wood that I am going to clean up for it - using my otherwise complete shooting board once the glue has dried overnight.

[@davidgee1585]

We had the traditional style shooting boards back in the 70’s at school in UK. Made from hard wood, mahogany if I remember rightly. We were taught to use them as you describe.

[@Lamefoureyes]

Rex, your videos have been a massive encouragement as I've gotten into woodworking. Thank you so much for the work that you do.

[@4yflr0i]

Thanks Rex, I've been shooting edges on the flat for a while before even seeing a long shooting board (Cosman). I just clamp my board with holdfasts on my flat bench propped up on a 1/4 piece of hardboard. My mitre plane rides on the bench top parallel to the bench edge. If it's a long board I can just walk along the bench.

[@trackie1957]

One thing that people overlook is that the squareness of the end relative to the tabletop is determined not by the squareness of the plane’s side to its sole, but instead it’s the squareness of the plane iron to the side of the plane. It’s a good idea to check with a piece of scrap to see if you have to adjust the iron.

[@stauffap]

I made it even more simple. I just used a couple of boards and put them against the wall (on the floor). No nails, nothing! I was surprised at how well it worked and how nice and square the endgrain came out with this half assed approach.

[@buzzmooney2801]

Excellent video! I create a lot of 18th-century tools and jigs, and a video that SPECIFICALLY addresses the differences between modern shooting boards and the older styles, is EXTREMELY helpful, to me! Also, I livevthe fact that you specifically address and support other KZbin channels, many of which have also been extremely yseful, to me. I learn Much more, faster, by seeking out videos like yours, Rob Cosman's, etc., than if I were to do everything by trial and error. Thank you!

[@matthewhardesty6872]

Man I love your vids. Bought your book yesterday and already on page 33. Your simple approach is so reductive (in the best way possible!)

[@kreech68]

Nice video, and thank you for introducing Graham and his channel. The link to Graham's video has a timestamp/start-time in it.

[@RexKrueger]

Well, I did not intend that!

[@BlackHoleForge]

When you're shooting board needs a shooting board. It kind of makes sense to have a end grain and a long grain tool for cabinet making. It still amazes me that they can make such complicated beautiful works with just the simplest of tools and the right knowledge.

[@eloscuro704]

In high school wood shop, we had industrial grade power tools. I am talking 5 HP Powermatic table saws, 24" Oliver thickness planers, stuff like that. All you had to do to get perfect furniture was to set the fence and feed it through. The furniture practically made itself. On one project I tried to do a little cleanup with a hand plan and got planer tracks all over it. Almost ruined it. I avoided hand planes for decades after that. But when I visited the old lady in the apartment next door with her 19th century furniture, I wondered how they made it so well. With videos like Rex Krueger's, now I know.

[@bighands69]

It is one of the reasons why a country cabinet maker 150 years ago could fit one cabinet a week rather than taking 3 months to do it.

[@paulneeds]

First tool/jig I made - MDF/pine. I use it for jointing book-matched guitar tops.

[@abcaabca6364]

Kudos to Rex for mentioning that other guys exist for instruction. And that there is consensus in methods.

[@sjorsvanrijswijk358]

Awesome!!! I am building a book case, and my plan is to create shelves from laminated floorboards. I need to glue those up, and therefore need to be able to hold them to plane them. I had actually planned to first create a workbench, to be able to plane those boards. With this, I can start planing and glueing already, to work towards an end result. Best idea since sliced bread, thanks Rex!

[@bighands69]

You can make jigs that allow you to side the board up on its side so that you are looking down on it like you would when it is in a vice. With modern clamps it makes the whole process more simple.

[@StephenHughesJelen]

You should also check out Paul Sellers' shooting board. Made one in a couple of hours, and has both a 45 and 90 degree fence.

[@elanman608]

As I have said before I learned most of my wood working from my Father who was in turn taught by his Father who was a time served Cabinet Maker. I was taught to joint thin timber simply using one or two battens on the bench top and my Fathers shooting board was just the opposite side of his bench hook.

[@spencerhanson7808]

Shooting board & plane is just a deli slicer for wood.

[@ianpearse4480]

I love Mr Blackburns site, alongside your work it is a good reference. Thanks guys.

[@darkounet3478]

Hi rex. Since i got into hand tools, I found i rarely shoot end grain on a shooting board... i mean rarely do i need plane endgrain at all. I find than in cabinet making/joinery most of the time you are assembling frames using mortise & tenons (or equivalent) or fitting pannels in frames, so usually straight from the saw is good enough. Sometimes you make drawers or boxes or even mitering and in these case the shooting board might be relevant (depends on your sawing skills). I believe old timees would have a lot of these jigs depending on the type of product they were making to help with repetitive tasks, as they would be usually making the same type of piece over and over again (chair, tables, couch, doors, windows... )

[@bighands69]

It depends on what you are making. Certain fine furniture would most certainly have used square end grain. Inlay doors would need accurate end grain finishes. It also depends on your work style as it is not necessarily needed to have square finishing on furniture or buildings as long as the naked eye does not pick it up it will not be noticeable.

[@WaltherGrube]

Loved this traditional shooting board! Next thing to make.

[@jimcarter4929]

I have two small mdf shelf boards that the long piece is laid on top of , clamped down to bench, then just run plane down board, the plane just rides bench top. Also have standard shooting board. However half the time I use a bench/saw hook, the cleat that holds it is squared to edge and runs all the way across. So after sawing just flip over and shoot edge and on opposite side. Also just plane running on bench top. Down and dirty baby. All these methods work well.

[@johnkelley9877]

This explains a lot. I had always had some questions about how the shooting should be used and you answered them. Thanks for sharing this.

[@jons2447]

Thank you!, Mr. Krueger! BTW, I *LOVE* your book! I think I'll build a shave horse w/ features from your book's workbench. I want a traditional horse w/ 3 legs, that was common down south here in the old days. I just rehung an old axe head (stamped [cast?] U.S.A.). I used my Craftline Basic 511, a drawknife & a 10-Inch Surform Half Round to carve the handle & shape the head end. I had made a section of oak into a mallet & used that to drive the handle. I'm coming along OK for a 67 yr-old disabled medical retiree. I want to learn the old ways, before power tools so I've bought used a used drawknife, a brace (need bits), a hatchet, & the old used axe-head. I've started a railing-mounted workbench (shelf?) on my porch & I've got a small anvil, too. I've got to oil my axe so I'll see you in your next video, BTW, Thanks! for Mr. Blackburn's link. Have a GREAT day, Neighbor!

[@mattevans-koch9353]

Thank you again Rex. Have a great day.

[@glencrandall7051]

It's interesting how complicated a very simple concept can become. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

[@maty7645]

I'd be interested in your thoughts on this shooting board now that you've had a chance to use it and (hopefully) improve. Have you considered occasional review videos where you reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the benches/tools/fixtures/etc that you cover/build/design? I'm often left wondering how they perform over a longer period. Thanks for all the great ideas.

[@markfannin3975]

Not only do I learn a lot from your channel, I have always admired you giving positive shoutouts to those who have inspired or helped you. Total RESPECT for you.!. I wish you were my neighbor. Best to you and your family.

[@RexKrueger]

Thanks to the internet, we ARE neighbors.

[@joeharris2074]

I never thought of using a shooting board for jointing. Seems like it should have been obvious. Thanks Rex!

[@michaelmcdermott2178]

Lovely! I didn't know Graham was still work, either. So this video gave me a twofer.

[@pettere8429]

At 8:51 one option would be to cut a slight notch/dado next to the shoulder, the width of the distance between the side of your bench plane and the edge of the iron. Then you can plane the steps with your bench cross grain.

[@mykolashatkovskyi8817]

Great video. Great channel. Great Graham's channel. Thanks.

[@ImaginethenMake]

Thanks Rex for another outstanding video! Your explanation of the classic shooting board design plus your demonstrations have convinced me to make one of these. Thanks again!

[@CleaveMountaineering]

Excellent shooting board, so simple. I'll have to make one.

[@gjbmunc]

Rex, thank you for recommending my chanel, Graham Blackburn.

[@nonobrochacho240]

Hmm using a shooting board for that is pretty brilliant. This actually solves a problem for me I’m facing now, thanks!

[@Mater585]

I'm not even doing any woodworking projects any more. But still enjoy the videos. Thanks Rex.

[@christopherharrison6724]

Love Graham’s channel,oh love yours too 👍

[@slomkaadas9603]

6:06 That is a smile 😃 Cheers Rex 🍻

[@dennisclapp7527]

Thanks Rex

[@Musicpins]

I built the paul sellers shooting board with replaceable wedged fences, and I really like it! Its a classy design.

[@bighands69]

It does not need to be that complicated for it to work but it is a nice shooting board.

[@SAHBfan]

I built the Paul Sellers one, too, but I do find the wedges change with heat and humidity and I am frequently fiddling with them as they either go in too far or not far enough into the cutouts. Easily fixed, but slightly annoying to have to tweak…

[@lincolndickerson1293]

… I think I will build them both. The jointing of edge grain on a shooting board is fantastic. I don’t have a jointer. Though there are tactics and techniques for use the tablesaw this seems so much simpler and more gratifying.

[@ArniesTech]

I love the level of accuracy that can be achieved with hand tools! 🙏

[@christophermcclellan8730]

Euclid’s Door makes heavy use of a makeshift long grain shooting board for the projects. I’ve been looking forward to actually doing some of those projects.

[@anthonymiller8979]

Great idea. Going to have to make one of these mainly for edge grain and just use my old one for ends.

[@imadethischannel]

Nice work as always! I learned so much - again!

[@thathandtoolguy]

Beautiful work as always Rex.

[@andyc972]

Interesting to compare and contrast between the two designs, thanks for this Rex, another great video !

[@cospittner3526]

Excellent information! Great video.

[@atticus_ink9487]

I’ve been waiting for this video - so excited! 😁

[@davewest6788]

Great video. Graham is awesome

[@joegiotta7580]

Rex-"But you can't argue with the results." If the internet has taught us anything, it's that people will find a way to argue with ANYTHING. Great job as always Rex.

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty interesting indeed, Rex! Thanks for all the info!!! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@woodworksbygrampies1284]

Hola! 🖐I always enjoy your videos, I find that they are packed with tons of information. I especially appreciate all of the research you do to share with all of us. Take care and have a good one, Adios!👊

[@RangerJahu]

Put a wide long piece of lumber on the opposite side and use bench dogs to hold it down to the shooting plane both providing a firm square edge for your piece to but up against and not tip, but also holds down the shooting plane to the bench top. Regarding your comments at minute 10:00

[@1deerndingo]

Great video for homies who don't have, want or trust themselves with a whirling mass of electrically powered, finely tuned bear claws. I would say that I think the more common shooting board has evolved to something that is just about solely used for end grain trimming. What you've very well demonstrated is something that would be an absolute aid to jointing a board. And if I had two boards to joint for a glue-up I could place them face to face, joint them with the 7 and they would be perfect. 1 guess who's building one of your long shooting boards ASAP! Thank you heaps.

[@ДмитрийЕгорович-н5д]

great as always!

[@zhiccai]

very nice video; didn't know about edge jointing long sides before this is a great idea.

[@JeanMinutile]

I have been using my shooting board to join "long" edges since I build my shooting board based on your design and plans. But never thought of building a longer version to be able to join longer edges.

[@dennisshoemaker2789]

Thank you for making this content for us. You inspire me to make things. Keep up the great work!

[@Ikantspell4]

Well put together video as always. I've seen your previous shooting board videos. As is common you kinda are going overboard with the options and details in you channel's library. Part of of what I need as a hobbyist is something concise that condenses the important information down to what I need to know to get started making my own projects. I loved the woodworking for humans projects because it was just that- and that's why I fell in love with your content. Several videos with different takes and options on the same thing eventually become counterproductive to dummies like me. Obviously you're well studied and practiced at woodworking and every video you make is thoughtful and excellently produced. What's even better for people like me is less content, even though it's good, on the same subject.

[@ChiefTiff]

I have an even simpler way; when I needed to shoot 40” long 24” wide boards I did it by laying them on a sheet of formply with some 3/8” thick packers underneath and shot them with my Luban LAJ plane on its side. I worked to lines struck with a knife; very easy to sneak up to. Thank you for NOT spitting out annoying “shorts” like James Wright has started to do; I unsubscribed from his channel because of them.

[@ga5743]

Sweet plane never mind the shooting board..

[@yaacov.7796]

It's clear you put a lot of thought and research into your videos. Thanks, Rex!

[@thecatofnineswords]

Most of my woodworking has been done with small and/or thin pieces of wood. TIL that I have been jointing long grain edges like this without realising it was a historical technique.

[@jueves-4]

Great video, keep it up!🇬🇧🕊️,

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

Thank you Sir.🎉

[@e2linuxos]

Very interesting video. Thanks for your content.

[@LoosiuFlying]

Enter the English Woodworker ;) - just kitting . Excellent learning both technique and history!

[@deemdoubleu]

Nice one Rex

[@toblexson5020]

This is basically the opposite of what this video is about, but it's made me realise that the overdesigned fretboard marking/cutting jig I'm building will also double as a long shooting board like this. Yay for multi-purpose jigs.

[@TimRoyalPastortim]

I laughed when I watched this video... I always meant to make a fancy shooting board. I love yours and James' (Wood by Wright) I started years ago by making a perfectly square bench hook and used the bench surface to slide my #5 or 7 plane on... somehow I never got around to a shooting board. The bench hook works perfectly

[@nagranoth_]

I've basically never found a use for a shooting board. If you've got the skill to use an old style shooting board, you can basically do the same thing freehand in your vise. It's only with really thin stock where you can't balance the plane on at all where a shooting board adds something.

[@jewishmafia9801]

Like Rob Cosman said(paraphrasing): "You're largest shooting board is your workbench."

[@maty7645]

I've just had a thought that might make the creation on the step-down in the battens easier - probably not an original idea but nevertheless... if you use a wide piece of stock and create a step down across one end of it (easier than having to hold all the narrow battens together in a clamp) then rip it into narrowerer individual battens. It could also help with the initial thicknessing.

[@mattfissell3068]

Most people make me think I need more clamps, Rex makes me think I need more planes!

[@JoeGP]

I was hoping this video would answer my 1 question I have about shooting boards, but alas, it did not. The question is: How do you deal with or avoid the plane digging into the top piece of the shooting board ? you plywood piece doesn't look thin enough to avoid that, but now that I think about it, I guess it doesn't matter since it doesn't dig all the way down and therefor stays straight. I guess I answered my own question, which happens a lot.

[@carlinglis7705]

I spent most of my time while watching this making "oh for..." and "why didn't I..." type noises, with a couple of forehead slaps - thanks Rex, another execellent video, and one that will help reduce my frustration levels no end.

[@jejkobprodukcje9060]

Awesome!!

[@ericsmathe]

Graham Blackburn is a local here in the Catskills. I'd love to go spend some time with that dude.

[@fred5480]

Very cool. I thought Matt Eslea had invented the ramped shooting board! But there it was in your historical reference.

[@RexKrueger]

They've been around for ever, but Matt's is very nice.

[@andrewtyndale2687]

I caved and subscribed, the content is too good to ignore. Thank you. Joining from Jamaica so we don't have as much problems with wood movement(or so I believe). Does anyone know why Stanley 5 /1/2 are seemingly more expensive than a 5?

[@windhelmguard5295]

interesting fact: contrary to popular belief, plywood is not a modern invention. plywood dates back to antiquity where many cultures, such as the ancient romans used sheets of wood, glued together with perpendicular grain orientation, to construct objects that were required to be lightweight but also strong, mainly the scutum, the stereotypical roman shield, was constructed out of plywood.

[@thatguythatdoesstuff5899]

Yup, but I think the difference is now plywood is made as a sheet you can buy and make anything you want out of it while as back then it was made straight into the final product. If that makes sense.

[@windhelmguard5295]

@@thatguythatdoesstuff5899 well that and the thickness of the sheets and the glue they used were different from what would be familiar to us, but my point was that the Romans were aware of the benefits of clueing wood with crossing grain together.

[@ianpearse4480]

Very cool.

[@Tool-Meister]

Nicely done Rex. 😅

[@RichardBuckman]

When you put the extra piece of wood to protect from blow out, doesn’t it need to be higher than the wood in order to protect it by directly supporting it?

[@finnmcool2]

A shooting board will always be just a bench hook with a good publicist.

[@lelandallen]

thanks