[Diggin Jiggin]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Finally I take the plug to the belt sander and smooth off the slope. The sander will free the remaining part of the face when it reaches the tablesaw cut.

Not very efficient, but it works.

Note, I think there is a potential problem with hydro-orienting darters and bottles. The grain often ends up horizontal across the lip, rather than vertical. If the plug hits bottom, as darters often do, the lip shears off unless the grain is vertical. I also think, but am not sure, maple is more likely to split when the hook holes pass perpendicularly through the grain lines, rather than parallel to the grain lines. If I've got this wrong, I'm going to be very unhappy in a few months. Anybody know for sure?

I hadn't really thought about that but when I make metal lipped swimmers I always cut the lip slot cut perpindicular to the grain so the lip won't split the blank.