# Winding Stick Sighting Trick



## ChuckM (May 12, 2008)

This trick first appeared in Woodworking Magazine in 2008. Drill a series of small holes (1/32" say) across a tin sheet (I prefer using the plastic cards instead). Hold up the card and sight through the holes to check if the winding sticks line up equally on a board.

Winding stick and drill bit info: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=53276&cat=1,230,41182 and http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=41754&cat=1,180,42240 You can make your own winding sticks, though.

For other previous hand tools-related posts, please check out my projects section.


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Cool. Similar to sighting using a compass. How do you like the Veritas winding sticks?


----------



## ChuckM (May 12, 2008)

Hi Wayne,

I like the reflective edges. If you shine a light at the stick placed at the far end of a long board or frame, you can notice even slight difference between the sticks with the use of this card trick. That may not be the case with other other wooden sticks. The background, of course, also affects the sighting of the sticks. New to the idea of using a compass for sighting. Any more 411 on it?

Thanks again for the advice on the posting rules.


----------



## WayneC (Mar 8, 2007)

Your most welcome. I was referring to the use of a compass in land navigation.


----------



## ChuckM (May 12, 2008)

Hi Anji: 



 from Rob Cosman

The pin hole card allows you to focus your sighting to check if the edges of the two sticks placed on a surface are parallel.

Click on the instr. button in this link to learn more:

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=53276&cat=1,230,41182


----------



## ChuckM (May 12, 2008)

Hi Anji,

The Veritas winding sticks work by themselves even without the pin hole card. However, the series of very small holes on the card allows a person with not very strong eye-sight to narrow and focus his or her vision on the edges of the two sticks which can be far apart (four feet apart or more, depending on what the workpiece is). These tiny holes keep distraction to the minimum and act more like filters. It isn't much about the depth of field as I understand it.

Unlike the one-hole method which doesn't quite work at all, the tiny holes in this method prove helpful in the sighting. It won't take one more than 5 minutes to make one and try it.


----------

