The Solution at Hand - Making a planing stop

I picked up a book not so long ago from Lost Art Press called The Solution at Hand, by Robert Wearing. You can find it HERE. This book contains many of Wearing's jigs and work helpers from his many years of printing with Woodworker magazine. My goal with this book is to try out as many of these items as I can and pass the results along to anyone with an interest.

The book starts with a workbench, guess I will skip that one for the time being. I really don't need another workbench, but I may use the designed later if someone wants one or I get another apprentice.

The first item I found of interest were two L-shaped pieces to lock your workbench in place. Well, even 'The Beast" will walk away from some heavy planning from time to time. I made these out of some scrap maple plywood and installed them at opposing corners of the bench.

I haven't had any more problems with movement, even with a lot of test work to try push the racking of the bench as much as possible.

Moving on to the next project, I decided to build a simple planing stop. I don't currently have one morticed into the bench top, so I figured I would follow one of Wearing's templates and make one I could clamp into the vise and that could handle narrow or wide boards. It would also use one of the holdfast locations I installed the day prior.

This old shelf has been under my feet for months. I've been hoarding it for over 10 years and four different workshop spaces. I have yet to find someplace worth hanging it in this shop so it has officially volunteered to be recycled. 

I took it apart, saving the brackets and 2x4s for later projects. I honestly hadn't even planned on keeping the shelf this long. 

I ripped a length from the shelf, 3-inches wide. Notice the holdfast being used!

I then took one of the scrap 2x4s and planed one edge slightly out of square. This detail will force the plywood strip down to the workbench top when the stop is clamped in the leg vise. 

I glued and screwed the two pieces together and the planing stop is ready for use!

It's such a simple jig and takes mere minutes to make. You can also make multiple stops at varying thicknesses as needed.

Dan.