Replies

1. 
   Thorvald | Mar 05, 2009 05:26am | #1

   Very nice.  I'm on my way to build one -- as soon as the cement is dry and the walls are up. 

   I may try to make one improvement.  Seems that a little more support would make registering the work to an accurate 45 deg. a bit more certain.  Or, I could be missing something, in which case, please square me away.

   Verne

   If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to cut it up and make something with it . . . what a waste!

1. 
   Woodman41 | Mar 05, 2009 05:46am | #2

   When resting up against the base of the vise, the working end of the jaws provides a fairly accurate 45.

2. 
   AZMO | Mar 05, 2009 07:06am | #3

   As you plane the miter, do you plane the jig itself? One of the advantages of a regular shooting board, the plane registers itself and does not continue to cut deeper in time. The difference is the gap from the blade to the side of the plane. That piece is always in the same place, and never cuts. Does your jig have this or I am just obtuse and not seeing it?

   AZMO

                     

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1. 
   Woodman41 | Mar 05, 2009 07:14am | #4

   It's a good question, the answer is that it's an adjustment you make as you are using it. I pull the workpiece up about 1/64" proud and as I am planing I am conscious of where the piece relative to the jig. As you can probably tell by the picture, I've taken a few shavings off the jig!

1. 
   AZMO | Mar 05, 2009 07:39am | #5

   A suggestion? Install a stop to the left side so the plane can register itself. Then perhaps a stop at the back of the cut as well so you can adjust for a purfect 45? Me, I need all the help I can get, and fir sure, I would end up planing the jig to a nice concave shape.                   <!----><!----><!---->

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   -------(*)/ (*)   http://www.EarthArtLandscape.com

1. 
   Woodman41 | Mar 05, 2009 10:03am | #6

   good suggestion. I'd like to say I'll make that in the 2.0 version but I must admit that I'm not really good about making jigs with all the features. I tend to make something that works well enough and go with it. I'm always envious of the heirloom grade jigs I see in the magazines and in this forum.

2. 
   Tony Z | Mar 06, 2009 12:11am | #9

   I've read that you are to glue paper on the face on the jaws.

   I have two vintage miter jacks that have been on the "to do" list for years to rehab for regular shop use.  The issue I have with them is my shooting board takes up far less space.  The vintage jacks hang on the wall in a different room. 

   T.Z.

3. 
   MKenney | Mar 06, 2009 05:12am | #10

   AZMO,I've made and used a miter jack as well. At first, your plane blade might nick the two reference surfaces, but you get the hang of things pretty quick. You can feel when where the blade is and keep it on the workpiece. You might nick the reference surfaces around the workpiece some, but the majority of the surfaces are left untouched. If you use a plane that's long enough (I use a low angle jack) the sole will register off the parts that are left untouched, so even if the surfaces get a bit out of wack right around the workpiece, it doesn't matter.These are cool tools. In addition to truing the miter of one board, you can use the underside to true up tenon shoulders and cheeks. My favorite use is for mitered frames (e.g., a picture frame or a small mitered box). The sides opposite one another must be the same length if the frame is to be square. So, I put both sides in at once and clean up the miters at the same time. The come out precisely the same length.Well, I'm rambling on, but that's easy to do. I love my shooting boards and miter jack.-MattThis is my personal signature.

1. 
   AZMO | Mar 06, 2009 06:22am | #11

   Nope no rambling around here. I think you described how it works very well. Pretty slick, and having never used one, nice you could x-plane it me. ;-)

   Morgan                  <!----><!----><!---->

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3. 
   mwenz | Mar 05, 2009 04:21pm | #7

   Nice looking miter jack.

   I went the wimpy route and purchased a vintage one. I had the one from my grandfather for quite a number of years before that (it was stolen and so needed replacing). Doesn't necessary replace a shooting board, but can. One nice thing about a miter jack is shooting angles that vary off of 45/90 degrees--the two faces of the miter jack.

   To do other angles, first knife the stuff at the angle needed, saw close to the line and place the stuff to be shot so the knife line matches one of the faces and tighten. Shoot till one is satisfied. Easier than messing with shims on a shooting board.

   In theory, one uses a thin piece of veneer on the two faces (the 90 deg. face is useful too) so that it can be replaced over time. Reality is I have never seen a vintage one with veneer on either face.

   Used properly, the planes used for shooting never eat into much of the faces. Just a little before and following the cut. So the soles of the planes one might use still bridge the untouched faces.

   I have used my current one for several years and I doubt I will ever see the need to recondition the faces.

   Again, nice job!

   Take care, Mike

1. 
   Woodman41 | Mar 05, 2009 11:23pm | #8

   thanks, that's interesting background on this jig. I would agree that veneering the jaws seems a little overkill, I use the heck out of this and have only a couple of times gone into the jaws. If in 20 years I need to spend a couple of hours making a new one, well I won't complain.

4. 
   Garry | Mar 06, 2009 06:26pm | #12

   My wife bought a vintage miter jack. It works well but is a beast.
   I think yours would likely get more use because it may be easier to store.
   Mine is shown to the left of the window on top of the cabinet where it lives and very seldom moves

   View Image

   http://www.superwoodworks.com