I know some of this has been dancing about before. Some say, "It's close enough for the women I go out with...."
In residential carpentry (homes), 1/4" tolerance is allowed. In finish, cabinets and furniture carpentry, 1/32" or 1/16- as it is referred. That is in "work." What you create. You create it with tools.
I started this thread for us to share what we use to align, true, square, setup those tools and jigs. How can work be close if the tools you are creating it with be off?
Tools- set machined blocks.
- I have brass bars in 1/8", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" and 1/2". These I can use to set distance from cutter to fence -or- common tool heights.
- I have steel machined blocks 3/4" and 1" with a right angle and 2 45 degree angles. I use these for tool setup and checking square of blades and fences.
- I have 36" pieces, each of 5/8" x 5/8" and 3/4" x 3/4" square stock to put into miter slots, to align and square fences.
I have squares, levels and straight edges. I have dial indicators, calipers, micrometers.
Some may say that such accuracy is not needed for woodworking... To a point. I feel that the closer you can get with your tooling, the more sluff room you have in your work. Example- If your tooling is out 1/8" in x distance, how do you ever expect to be within 1/16"?
For most people doing small projects, a miter in 5 degree stops is acceptable to them. They wouldn't notice how being off a small amount means a whole lot more at 8 feet out. Now then at 0.1 degree increments, I agree, that is a pain and somewhat frustrating. Yes, it is all a matter of perspective, but if you take the time to bring it in close, it makes it all easier in the long run.
What do you use to set or square your tools? For instance, a miter gauge?
In residential carpentry (homes), 1/4" tolerance is allowed. In finish, cabinets and furniture carpentry, 1/32" or 1/16- as it is referred. That is in "work." What you create. You create it with tools.
I started this thread for us to share what we use to align, true, square, setup those tools and jigs. How can work be close if the tools you are creating it with be off?
Tools- set machined blocks.
- I have brass bars in 1/8", 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" and 1/2". These I can use to set distance from cutter to fence -or- common tool heights.
- I have steel machined blocks 3/4" and 1" with a right angle and 2 45 degree angles. I use these for tool setup and checking square of blades and fences.
- I have 36" pieces, each of 5/8" x 5/8" and 3/4" x 3/4" square stock to put into miter slots, to align and square fences.
I have squares, levels and straight edges. I have dial indicators, calipers, micrometers.
Some may say that such accuracy is not needed for woodworking... To a point. I feel that the closer you can get with your tooling, the more sluff room you have in your work. Example- If your tooling is out 1/8" in x distance, how do you ever expect to be within 1/16"?
For most people doing small projects, a miter in 5 degree stops is acceptable to them. They wouldn't notice how being off a small amount means a whole lot more at 8 feet out. Now then at 0.1 degree increments, I agree, that is a pain and somewhat frustrating. Yes, it is all a matter of perspective, but if you take the time to bring it in close, it makes it all easier in the long run.
What do you use to set or square your tools? For instance, a miter gauge?