A straight edge is essential for flattening and straightening boards—so it’s necessary to every woodworking enthusiast. In fact, making a wooden straight edge is great for practicing beginner woodworking skills.
There are also metal straight edges but wooden straight edges have various advantages over them, such as being:
- Repairable
- Inexpensive
- Lighter
- Softer
- More aesthetically pleasing
- Easy to make
There are some tools needed before proceeding in making wooden straight edges, namely:
- Rip saw
- Coping saw
- Low-angle rabbet block plane
- Cabinet rasp
- Jointer plane
- Modeler’s rasp
- Technical mechanical pencil
- Quick grip clamps
- Cut back saw
Making a Perfect Straight Edge
- Choose the correct wood to make a perfect straight edge.
A stable wood will make a straight edge with great quality. A well-seasoned dried Quartersawn wood measuring ½’’ or ¾’’ is a good start. Avoid any wood that has knots. Other wood species that are great for making straight edges are mahogany, cherry, walnut, etc. Simply put, it should work as long as it’s stable and has a vertical grain.
- Measure and cut the wood.
Flatten and square up the wood using hand planes and saws. Cut the board to around 36’’ long and 3’’wide with ½’’ thickness. A longer straight edge has greater accuracy. Cut out some parts of the wood or just add an arc so that you can distinguish the straight edge from scrap wood.
- Apply wood finish
Any types of finish should work.
What about Round Edges?
Making round edges without a router is a rather daunting task. But, it is certainly possible. By the way, round edges are actually for protection. Being hit accidentally by a round edge is less painful than being hit with a sharp edge.
The tools needed are:
- Chisel
- Hand plane
- Spokeshave
- 100,150,200 grit sandpaper
- Card scrapper
- Scratch stock
- Cornering tools
Tips on Making Round Edges
- Take time to memorize and visualize the rounding process.
First, create the largest chamfer, then create two more corners and then pass the corners lightly. Afterwards, sand off the edges.
- The hand plane has several types. Familiarize yourself with them.
Jointer planes are great for doors and boards. A jack plane is great for beginners. A smoothing plane is shorter than a jack plane, and is suitable for all sizes of edges.
Crafting a Round Edge without a Router
- Cut the first chamfer at approximately 45 degrees.
Mark the depth of the round over, and then proceed at cutting a 45-degree chamfer using the hand plane. Use controlled and straight movement so as to create a clean chamfer.
- Plane down every chamfer’s corner and then apply a finish.
After planing down every corner, smoothen the plane for the finish.
Straightening an Edge without a Jointer
A single straight edge is needed. Put the straight edge on top of the workpiece, so that the edge that needs straightening and the straight edge are on opposite sides. Secure it using short screws. Then, cut off the workpiece to create a new edge.
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