Australian Wood Review – June 2017

11

Pinhole Sightings

Rob Porcaro once wrote that the use of a single pin hole would not improve

the vision result when sighting across the winding sticks. A small pin hole

forces you to move your head to sight the full length of the sticks and the

head movement affects the accuracy of sighting.

Instead he drilled a horizontal row of seven small 1mm diameter holes (4mm

apart on centre) on a brass card, 0.4mm thick. In use, sight the winding

sticks through the holes on the brass card while keeping your head steady.

I sometimes use this method for final sighting after I remove the twist.

42 Australian Wood Review

PROJECT

Using the winding sticks

Winding sticks can be used to test twist in more than

just boards. For example, they are essential when making

a dead-flat assembly table or platform to build, say, flat

torsion boxes. Another little known application is that one

can clamp the winding sticks to the wheels of a bandsaw to

check if the wheels are twisted out of alignment.

Regardless of what they are used on, the procedures are

similar. First, place the winding sticks at opposite ends of a

board. Centre the sticks on the surface and sight across the

top edges of the sticks. Lower your head to see if the top

edges are parallel; any wind will show up as misalignment

of the top edges of the sticks (photo 1 1 ).

For some people, even with the contrasting edges, they

may still find it hard to see the line-up in focus. American

woodworker and writer Rob Porcaro, an optometrist

himself, came up with one visual solution to that (see below).

Reposition the far-end stick on the board to check for

any other twists, while keeping the aft stick in the same

position. This will ensure that your sightings and readings

are all based off the same plane.

11. If the top edges of the sticks do not line up, the board is in wind.

Left: Pick a contrasting

background and sight at

about an arm’s length from

the rear stick.

Below: The row of pin

holes allows you to sight

the full length of the sticks

without moving your head.

Charles Mak, a semi-retired businessperson in Alberta,

Canada, enjoys writing articles, authoring tricks of the

trade, teaching workshops, and woodworking in his shop.

Email: [email protected]

Bespoke winding sticks like these deserve to be properly

cared for: try to keep them in a place not subject to wild

swings of humidity. As they say, your own handcrafted

stylish tool will be a joy to hold and a pleasure to use.

* In this meaning, wind and winding are pronounced as in wine.

Photos: Charles Mak

Diagram: Graham Sands