Squaring end of timber

**Brekel** · 12th August 2016, 03:51 PM

Hi.

I've got an old GMC sliding compound miter saw from when I was building a deck and doing a few projects a number of years back. It was fine for that sort of work, but not for anything needing a degree of precision.

Apart from the fact that it's almost impossible to buy a replacement blade for it locally (25mm hole on a 190mm blade), it has one big problem: There is a little too much slop in the movement and a bit of movement in the blade. This means that after spending a lot of time adjusting it to cut square, it won't. It will seem to cut ok, I'll cut a couple of boards, and it will be a bit off.

When I hold a straight edge to the cut, not only is it not square to the edges of the board but the cut itself doesn't seem quite dead straight.

The long and short of it is I'm looking for a way to nicely square up the end of some 10mm boards I have to cut. I don't have a tablesaw, jointer, or anything like that.

I do have a router - one option I thought of was to clamp a straight edge square across the board and square it up with a guided bit. I've put together a table for the router so I guess this shouldn't be too hard to do as long as I have a nice straight edge to use, or make a sled to hold the straight side of the board at 90° to the fence.
I guess another option would be a shooting board, as I've just picked up an old Stanley No. 4 and sharpened it up. But that would mean going out and buying more material for the shooting board. I'll most likely do that in a little while, but would like to put it off for a little while.

Are there other simple techniques people use?

Thanks,
Brett.

**Pagie** · 12th August 2016, 06:27 PM

Have a look at Paul Sellers vids. Handsaw and chisel, and square.

**Luke Maddux** · 12th August 2016, 06:49 PM

I say use the plane, either as a shooting board or just by hand with a square.

It's easy to make a basic shooting board. All you really need is plywood, screws, and a square.

Cheers,
Luke

**Glenn.Visca** · 12th August 2016, 09:00 PM

+1 shooting board. And plane must be SHARP !

**KeithP** · 12th August 2016, 09:21 PM

Look up Shooting Boards, and make yourself one. Not hard to make and will bring your woodworking to a new level.

Keith

**Brekel** · 12th August 2016, 09:33 PM

Thanks guys.
I came across some Paul Sellers stuff a while ago. Its geeat to have a skilled craftsman passing on his knowledge to help others.

The shooting board does sem like a very useful addition to the workshop. Sometimes it eems like more time is spent making jigs and equipment for the workshop than is spent building the items themselves! But once they're made, they're there for future projects.

**FenceFurniture** · 12th August 2016, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by Brekel

I do have a router - one option I thought of was to clamp a straight edge square across the board and square it up with a guided bit.

Technically that will work, but will result in unacceptable spelching (chipping) on the trailing edge of the board unless you clamp a sacrificial board behind it (more buggerising around). By the time you've made the sled you could make a shooting board (no bad dust, no noise, more satisfying).

**Brekel** · 12th August 2016, 09:35 PM

True. I want to do more with handtools too. That's why I picked up the plane from ebay

**justonething** · 12th August 2016, 10:04 PM

You can also get one of these: Hand Mitre SAW in VIC | eBay

**NathanaelBC** · 15th August 2016, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by FenceFurniture

spelching

Learned a new word today!

**Xanthorrhoeas** · 15th August 2016, 03:58 PM

Yes, FF has been teaching us all that new word

. BTW, even with a shooting board you can get spelching on the trailing edge so a piece of sacrificial soft pine or similar should always be jammed between your board and the stop/edge guide.

If you have some good sharp chisels and a marking knife you use a square to score a line around the end of the board then cut close to the line with a handsaw then pare away to the line with the chisel, checking for flat and square as you go.

**NathanaelBC** · 15th August 2016, 05:03 PM

Paring end grain is really hard, any tips? Other than "Your chisel should be so sharp it'll cut you just by looking at it"

**joe greiner** · 15th August 2016, 05:09 PM

If your going to use a hand saw anyway, use one with a mirror finish. As you cut, look in the mirror so that the mirror image is in line with the remnant behind the saw. The image doubles the angular error, so it's easy to keep the cut square, both horizontal and vertical.

If you're right-handed, use the right-hand end of the board; otherwise opposite.

(And thanks for the new word).

Cheers,
Joe

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