Through the use of this site I want to make math easier to understand and show how it can be a very useful tool for your shop to improve your skills and knowledge as a woodworker.

Woodworkers of any math ability are welcome and encouraged to participate. You will find practical and useful information.

You can view some of my Woodworking Projects here.

I encourage you to send me your questions via my email address John Sommer. I will include your question and explanation on this site.

Topics:

• Tips and Tricks
  • Easy to use tools to help you work with fractions in the shop
  • New method to divide a line segment using a straight edge.

• From the past
  • The Golden Rectangle (and other Golden Geomtric figures) to help you with design proportions
• Handy rules
  • Some basic facts from geometry with practical shop applications
• Reader's Questions
  • Taper Jig
    I am constructing a taper jig to use with my ShopSmith woodworking machine. Is there an already derived formula for conversion of taper (inches per foot) directly to degrees and vise versa. I used the tangent of the opposite side (taper) divided by one foot (12 inches, adjacent side of triangle) and then look up the degrees for the derived tangent for my right triangle. This is the answer but I thought perhaps you already have a quick and easy formula for this. Your help is appreciated. I really like your website. It has much useful information.
  • 12 sided planter
    A reader had a question about the construction of a large cedar planter for a palm tree. It is 12 sided planter with slanted sides. He wanted to know how to calculate the dimensions for the width of the sides.
  • Curved Deck Rail
    My deck has a curve in it. It's like a half circle, except its depth is not equal to its width. From a bird's eye view, the curve is 72" wide and 48" deep. How can create the curve for the railing?
  • Bird Feeder
    I'm into building bird feeders(see picture ) and need to know if there is a formula to calculate the length and the width of the pie shaped pieces that make up the roof, I would like to keep the roof about 16" wide and about 5" high using 10 pie or (pyramid) shaped pieces per roof.
    If you have a better or easier way to compute the sizes I'm all ears.
  • Pole Barn Angle Brace
    I'm constructing a pole barn. Think of a wall as consisting of several rectangles in a row, each defined by an overhead 2x6 and a bottom 2x6 and a vertical 2x6 on each side. I am placing a 2x6 "angle brace" in each rectangle from the bottom left side to the top right side. Is there an easy way to obtain the needed cut angles at the top and bottom of the "angle brace" 2x6?
  • Architect's Ruler
    
    I was wondering if you could tell me how a scale ruler works?
    I can see the obvious in the feet part of the ruler, but can't figure out how to read the fraction of a inch. The whole numbers I get, the fractions is the concept giving me trouble.
    Thanks for any help you can give me on this