How to Create a Story Stick

[extiger]

Can anyone provide me with a tutorial on how a person makes a Story Stick.
I guess this is most useful for built-in cabinets.

I'm not a paying member at Fine Woodworking (Taunton), so I can't access their back articles.

Thanks,

Gary Curtis

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Here ya go, Gary.  This is a video on Taunton's website, accessible without a paid membership.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/video/how-to-make-a-story-stick-7236/view/

 

[sw1211]

or you can pick one up at Woodcraft, Story Stick, they also have a metric version.

 

[extiger]

Steve, making the stick isn't the challenge. But how to mark it up and use it.

I'm just so darned useless when it comes to drawing plans. Usually I sketch out what I want. Then I use that to create a cut list.

On about 20 feet of workbenches with drawers in my shop I botched cutting the lumber because I couldn't decipher my own plans.

People have suggested I try using Sketchup on the computer. But I am reluctant to learning yet another complex computer program, and I am not attracted to the results ---- specifically an 8x11 inch sheet of paper. I want something closer to life size that I can easily read.

Gary

 

[sw1211]

Gotcha, maybe these will help

Woodcraft - how to use a story stick

Fine Homebuilding Story Pole Video

Story Stick Article

 

[extiger]

That video Shane sent did the trick for me. Along with installing cabinets on walls, it gave me some ideas how to avoid the dreaded irregularity that pops up things like banks of drawers. You know, where things look good on the parts beforehand, but when assembled. the rows of knobs don't align perfectly.

Thanks,

Gary

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Where these guys really excel is when you are doing joinery in curved pieces.  I make an extra copy of the template I use to cut the curves, and mark where all the mortises go.  I'm making a set of 6 chairs, which will use 20 mortises on each chair.  The story 'curve' should give me a good shot at getting them all where they belong.  Try doing that with a tape measure, heh, heh.  The story curve also shows centerline and top/bottom of each leg so I can cut them to length accurately.