The wonderful world of wedges and woodworking

For those occasions when you need a stable way to hold a board on its edge, turn to a tool that's as old as woodworking itself—the wedge. I fashioned the wedge stands shown at right from scraps of 2x6 and a 3/8x6" bolt and nut.To make the stand, cut a 7"-long chunk from the 2x6 and drill a 1/2" hole centere d 2 1/4" from the edge and 1 3/4" up from the bottom. This hole reduces the likelihood of the stand splitting once the wedge is cut out. Mark the cutlines for the wedge as shown in the illustration, and then cut it to shape with a bandsaw. For a more attractive wedge, round the nose off with a sander. Finally, strengthen the stand by installing the bolt through its base. (This prevents the base from splitting when you drive the wedge.)For extra convenience, you can connect the wedge to the stand with a length of lightweight cord so the parts don't become separated. When tightening the wedges, be sure to use a rubber mallet or dead-blow hammer to prevent unnecessary damage to the wedge.—Anthony Weiss, Dover, Del.