how to make a shooting board...

Today in the school wood shop I plan to have a tool day to introduce my students to the use of a shooting board. As far as I can see, I've been remiss in not asking them to use this tool before, as it would allow them to square the ends of their sawn stock, giving them better attachment of wood when using nailed joints.

I keep learning. And if I can help my students to achieve a higher degree of craftsmanship, they will reap greater rewards from their work.

As you see, the shooting board consists of three layers... a base of plywood, a layer of thin plywood, and a stop. The important thing is that the stop be square to the thin plywood layer.  Hold a carpenter's square tightly to the thin plywood layer and against the stop as you drive screws through the stop into the base.

Your own shooting board needs not be made to the same dimensions as shown below. Shooting boards can be made so quickly that I made 3 more while I was waiting for my students to arrive at wood shop. These are kid sized and for use with smaller planes.

Make, fix and create...