This is just a long shooting board.  The 48″ jig can be used to joint parts down their length instead of just the ends.  It can also be used to square up and taper table legs.  

Without a power jointer or planer in the shop I’m left with hand planing to fine tune my boards.  During a frustrating attempt to clean up the top of a table leg with my #4 stanley, I realized that i was tilting the plane.  The surface of that poplar board was smooth as glass but no longer square with the other faces.  In a moment of clarity(or luck), I grabbed another bench hook and placed it on the one I had been using.  With the leg on the top hook and plane on the bottomhook, I quickly shaved the piece flat and square.  Later on I turned this idea into a jig

It is made with a 12″ by 48″ piece of 3/4 MDF.  On top of which i have a 1/8″ sheet of Masonite, smooth side up, and a norrower sheet of 1/4″ Masonite, rough side up, as the top layer.  The rough sheet supports the boards and provides a straight edge for planing. the smooth sheet is a good surface for the plane to slide on(I keep it waxed).  The jig disassembles so that any of the parts can be replaced. 

I’ll add a few dog holes in the jig that line up with those on the bench to increase stability and improve my clamping options.   

Launch Gallery