Winding Sticks

Great looking winding sticks… What length did you make them?

Thanks for sharing

-- Scotty - aka... SgtSnafu - Randleman NC

I want to say 24” or there abouts.

Joe

-- Second Chance Saw Works http://www.secondchancesawworks.com Blog: Positive Rake http://www.positiverake.com

I am liking them Joe. A nice set are on my to do list. At present I use two pieces of aluminium angle with some black electricians tape on one of the pieces for contrast. They work well and don’t fall over, but they don’t look as nice as yours.

-- Andy -- Old Chinese proverb say: If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it.

The angle iron I think for a pair over 24” is a good call. Truth is if I had some I most likely wouldn’t have made these. ;-)

Joe

-- Second Chance Saw Works http://www.secondchancesawworks.com Blog: Positive Rake http://www.positiverake.com

Joe, they do look great, however, the winding sticks I have seen for sale all have an alternate color at the top of one of them so you can easily see how much your board is out.

I would think that with the beautiful grain on yours, it may not let you see the twist as clearly.

Maybe they work fine, I am thinking I would have trouble seeing the difference (older eyes maybe?).

-- Randy "You are judged as much by the questions you ask as the answers you give..."

Yea Randy I my end up painting or using some tape if need be.

Joe

-- Second Chance Saw Works http://www.secondchancesawworks.com Blog: Positive Rake http://www.positiverake.com

I have been using hand plans more and more I think I will make a set as well thanks for reminding me about them.

Hi all,
My use of winding sticks is mostly confined to the reconstruction of tall clocks. When I reassemble them I need to know that the waist and the base are pretty much in line. As a matter of expediency when I set up the first time I grabbed a couple of 24” levels. Been using them ever since.Actually the whole set up uses three levels.
I know that they are not all that fancy but I don’t have to worry that they might go out of straight or square.
BTW n2b’s winding sticks are very nicely done.
tom

-- "certified sawdust maker"

Very nice . I tried using winding sticks but I could not find where you wind them up :))

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

Are you working through Jim Tolpin’s book? Straight edge and now winding sticks, both on my list from that book.

On another note, have you ever considered making a WW paddle? Thinking about that for next season, I will probably start with a canoe paddle first.

I don’t want to rain on anyones parade, they are quite beautiful, but the grain, while beautiful, might be a distraction to function. You said you might paint the top edge and that would be a good idea. I’d make one white, the other black.
The length will work well for checking boards or glue-ups up to about 18”, but the length, at 24”, is too short to use for a table top effectively. Winding sticks need to be longer than the width of the surface being checked.

I hope you don’t take these comments as mean or ill willed. I’m just trying to offer some constructive criticisim.

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

Very nice. These should work just fine.

-- Make furniture that lasts as long as the tree - Ryan

I’ll work backwards,

Crank49 no worries. The grain doesn’t bother me and they work well without the lighter color on the second stick. I have the advantage of 20 years of prepress that helps. I check proofs for type and color and at this point see thickness differences in my sleep. Also adding an inlay of a lighter wood really wouldn’t be to hard afterwards. I made these from scrap and finished with BLO, so they were quick to make and no real loss.

Arminius I have not read jims book. I will google it. I read Chris Schwarz book and these were some of the tools on his list. I have made paddles, and had the good luck of becoming friends with Jim Snyder who makes some of the best wood paddles I’ve used. you can check out his here I don’t know the type pf paddling you do but one of the best things I’ve made is wood hand paddles. It’s been years since I’ve made them but I will post some pictures if your interested.

tom427cid yes anything will work metal rules or levels are great. I guess the advantage to wood is it’s easy to true them. I know if I put 3 levels next to each other they may be level but I’m not sure true.

Joe

-- Second Chance Saw Works http://www.secondchancesawworks.com Blog: Positive Rake http://www.positiverake.com

Joe,
Good point,however, making sure that a level is “on the level” is easy. First mark a spot on a relativly level surface and use the mark as an index. Set the level on the mark and note where the bubble is. Reverse the ends of the level and put it in the same place and if the bubble does not return to EXACTLY the same place-discard the level. This applys to any level,the inch and a half 50 cent give aways to the six foot hundred dollar door jamb.
Hope this hellps.
tom

-- "certified sawdust maker"

a very nice set :-)
may they be true for ever

Dennis