# easy way to get square edges?



## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

I`m working with some ROUGHLY cut cherry with only a bandsaw and hand tools. I roughly shape my stock on my band saw and it will be square (When looking at the end grane ). I then use a plane to take off the saw marks. After planing all but one side will be square and have to dial it back into perpendicular with the plane adjustments and combo square. This process works but takes a while and can end up with oddly dimentioned pieces. Is there a better way to do this?


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

If those are the tools you're using, not really. Typical way w/ hand tools is to flatten face, straighten edge and square it to face, hand saw close to final width and/or hand plane to width, then use reference face to set thickness and plane it down, finally cut to length and clean edges on shoot board. Sounds like(and is) a lot of work, but once you've done it a few times it gets quicker.


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## ACP (Jan 24, 2009)

You sound like you've got the process down. The only tool that might make it a little quicker is a marking gauge. You can score a line all the way around the board referenced off your first, flat face and give you a line to work to with the plane. That's all I got.


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## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

Sounds like what I was expecting. Just curious if there was something huge I was missing. I just cant understand why all my edges are square, then after the plane takes off the saw marks evenly they would suddenly be out of square on one edge. If the plane were out of square that would be one thing but all edges but one being square is a puzzler to me.


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## Billy De (Jul 19, 2009)

Hi GISer3546 between yourself and sawdustfactory and ACP Ithink you more or less have it off to pat.
There are a few tricks that you can use that just make life a little bit easier.

Always have a pencil with you to scribble across the wood it will show you where your not planing,sight down the board with one eye it will show you any undulations in the board,keep the board just a bit longer than the stock you need,as you use the 5 or bigger fore planes cant them over so they are resting on the corner of the sole and the shoulder and you can use it as a straight edge to sight over the board,when you have finished the first side mark it face side then there is no mistake you know this is your reference side.

When you plane the edge if you have trouble keeping it square to the face don't hold the plane by the front knob,place your thumb on the plane in front of the knob and your index finger on the sole underneath and pinch the plane between them when using the plane the index finger slides against the face side of the stock pretty soon your fingers will tell you what is square but even so check often with a square, use a long straight edge to check the edge as you plane. When finished mark it face edge no mistakes.When marking a square line around the stock these are the only sides you lay the square against,get that right and I`ll guarantee when you mark around the stock the lines meet.

When you turn it over as said mark the thickness with a marking gauge, if you are to use a scrub plane take a block plane or a bench plane and shamfer the edge down to the scribed line so the scrub plane dose not break the wood out of the face edge as you use the scrub plane across the grain. put that all together and away you go.

Billy:thumbsup:


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

GISer3546 said:


> I`m working with some ROUGHLY cut cherry with only a bandsaw and hand tools. I roughly shape my stock on my band saw and it will be square (When looking at the end grane ). I then use a plane to take off the saw marks. After planing all but one side will be square and have to dial it back into perpendicular with the plane adjustments and combo square. This process works but takes a while and can end up with oddly dimentioned pieces. Is there a better way to do this?


Been there

Use an Exacto knife to scribe the board perfectly square. Start with a square and then check with a ruler or tape diagonally (exact same measurement) to ensure you have all the corners perfectly square before scribing the lines.

Then sandwich the board between two scrap straight square sticks, the wider the better. Clamp the sandwich together so that the widest of the two boards are positioned with the edge running exactly on the scribed line. Now use this as a guide and start planing away, it will keep both your corners and your edges perfectly square.

I use to get within 0.001" accuracy using this method.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*other than attaching a side plate to the plane ....*

A plate attached to the side of the plane will keep the edge at right angles to the blade. There may be a commercial version, I donno?

Here's the video from You Tube:


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## CedarSlayer (Oct 5, 2013)

*Make and then use a shooting board!*

To make the ends square use a shooting board. 

Here is another Paul Sellers Video where he makes one and explains it.





You can even make a shooting board to make the sides square and parallel.

http://toolmakingart.com/2012/06/04/long-shooting-board/

Bob


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## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

my issue is more the angles when looking at the end grain... not sure what the name for it is.


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

I just watched the peter sellers video. It's 18 degrees outside, but I know what in making when it warms up. Thanks for the thread. Even if it doesn't answer the op's question, it was great.


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## railaw (Nov 15, 2011)

*Ok, it's just a typo but....*



EastexToolJunky said:


> I just watched the peter sellers video. It's 18 degrees outside, but I know what in making when it warms up. Thanks for the thread. Even if it doesn't answer the op's question, it was great.


Wasn't Peter Sellers and actor? The videos are Paul Sellers. I chuckled when I saw this both times - thinking of perhaps a woodworking version of "The Party".


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*this what I had in mind*

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=59999&cat=1,230,41182,48945

A hand plane with a side plate attached at 90 degrees doesn't seem to exist and that's puzzling to me. There are powered versions and Porter Cable made a good one:


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## GISer3546 (Jan 30, 2013)

I had known this existed:
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/joinery-planes/bronze-edge-plane/

but since it seems like this problem was about as common as a regular hand plane I wanted to be sure there wasn't something I was missing... also I'm painfully cheap... can't forget that.


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## Gilgaron (Mar 16, 2012)

http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?p=41716&cat=1,41182,41716 

This goes on any old plane to keep it square. There are vintage versions that attach with cams. You could also probably make one of wood with a slot for the side of the plane.


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## EastexToolJunky (Mar 25, 2013)

Ha, my bad. Peter, Paul, Mary, whatever. Chuckle.


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## railaw (Nov 15, 2011)

EastexToolJunky said:


> Ha, my bad. Peter, Paul, Mary, whatever. Chuckle.


Then I watched both videos. I haven't seen a wedged shooting board before. It looks very interesting.


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