How To Use Winding Sticks For Woodworking


Find out how to Use Winding Sticks

The method of utilizing winding sticks could seem a bit complicated at first, nevertheless it’s pretty simple when you perceive the steps. Right here’s a step-by-step information on how one can successfully use winding sticks to examine for twist and flatten a board.

Bill Anderson Using Winding Sticks While Making A Wooden Jointer Plane

Step 1: Put together the Board

Earlier than you start utilizing winding sticks, you have to place the board you’re engaged on on a flat floor, comparable to a workbench. If the board has vital tough spots or unevenness, you might need to frivolously aircraft the floor first to take away any main inconsistencies. The smoother the floor, the extra correct your studying shall be with the winding sticks. You possibly can see my video & article on flattening boards right here:

Winding Sticks

Step 2: Place the Winding Sticks

The subsequent step is to place the winding sticks on the board.

  • Place one winding stick at one finish of the board and the opposite winding stick on the reverse finish. It’s vital that these sticks are centered throughout the width of the board. This ensures that any readings you’re taking are correct.
  • The winding sticks must be balanced and stage, so take care to place them correctly. If the sticks are inconsistently positioned or angled, the studying shall be inaccurate.

Step 3: Sight Down the Winding Sticks

As soon as the winding sticks are in place, you have to place your self on the finish of the board and look down the size of the sticks. Ideally, you need to sight from eye stage in order that each winding sticks are in view.

  • Concentrate on the reference bar or mark that’s often current on one of many sticks. The concept is to match the reveal—or the seen area—beneath the reference bar on each side of the winding sticks.
  • Transfer your head up and down barely to get a great sense of the alignment between the 2 sticks.

Step 4: Assess the Twist

At this stage, it is best to have the ability to decide whether or not there’s any twist within the board by observing the distinction within the reveal between the 2 ends. Right here’s what to search for:

  • No Twist: If the reveals below the reference bar on each the left and proper sides are the identical, your board is flat, with no twist.
  • Twist Current: If one aspect of the reference bar is increased than the opposite, this means that the board is twisted. Particularly, the nook the place the reveal is bigger is the “excessive” nook (together with it’s diagonal nook), whereas the alternative nook is the “low” nook.

For instance, if the reveal below the reference bar is increased on the best aspect, this implies the back-right nook of the board is excessive, whereas the back-left nook is low.

Step 5: Right the Twist

When you’ve recognized the twist within the board, you possibly can right it by handplaning down the excessive spots. That is the place considered use of a hand aircraft comes into play. Fastidiously aircraft between the 2 excessive corners till the twist is eradicated.

After every spherical of handplaning, it’s a good suggestion to check the board once more with the winding sticks. Proceed this course of till the reveals on each side of the reference bar are equal, indicating that the board is now flat and free from twist.

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