Ian Kirby’s design for a veneer-shooting board (Fine Woodworking #47} reminded me of the modifications I have made to mine. Initially I wanted to make the device easier for school children to use, but I soon preferred the new model, too.

One of the difficulties with the original was lining up the loose top board with the baseboard without moving the veneer. My modifications hold the ends of the top board so that it remains aligned with the base. This makes it easy to slip veneers between the two boards into the correct position for planing. You could construct the shooting board with dowels at both ends instead of the keyed stop, but I use mine for shooting small panels, too I simply remove the top board and square the panel against the stop for planing the edges.

Ernie Ives, Ipswich, England

Fine Woodworking Magazine, June 1985 No. 52

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