trouble

[yip]

  I'm have a trouble making straight lines, i think the main problem is sitting in this @!*% chair, is there a trick in doing this

[rich pierce]

  I'm have a trouble making straight lines, i think the main problem is sitting in this @!*% chair, is there a trick in doing this

Not sure what you’re doing. Drawing, incised carving, engraving?

[HSmithTX]

Pull tape, masking tape. Makes a nice easy to follow line that is super easy to see if it's straight or not.  It's not cheating if you win......

[Pukka Bundook]

Bit more water with the whisky....

[45-110]

I swear some of these queries are written in code!

[smylee grouch]

Are you trying to cut a straight line in or on the surface of wood? When cutting with or in the same direction as the grain it can be problematic .

[taterbug]

Yip, I remember that you require that chair.  In your case, you might try to figure out a way to move the workpiece to be in a comfortable range for you.  That might mean moving the workpiece more often than you'd like, but you can get used to it, and figure out a way to do it quickly. 

I know that if I try to reach very far with the tools, my work suffers (even more than usual!).  I have to keep the work and tools close to my body to be in control.  I either have to move my body (maybe not as easy for you), or I have to move the workpiece. 

I also really need good light, AND vision correction so I can actually see where my tools are going.  I really need to see what I'm doing wrong!  It's taken a while to figure these things out on my own, and since vision keeps changing, so does my workspace. 

And the workpiece needs to be REALLY, REALLY stable.  If your bench, or table, or vise moves when you try to put some force into the work, the tool will not go where you want.  Is it possible you may be having issues with your chair moving a bit too? 

[Scota4570]

Best of luck on the chair.

For making straight or even curved lines, say a molding front the toe to the trigger guard, I cheat.  I can not free hand draw well.  I need a guide.  Dymo label tape works great.  I rough in a line with a pencil.   Then stick the plastic tape to the line.  The tape is very straight but can be made to follow a slight curve.  The tape works a disposable straight edge.  I then cut my line with a safe side single line checkering tool.  I then measure what I did and duplicate the position on the other side. 

I lay out all checkering master lines the same way. 

[Craig Wilcox]

If you want to make a double-line design, use the skip-line checkering tool.  They come in many different spacings.

[Waksupi]

A checkering liner cutter is good for such things.

[Steeltrap]

I cannot stand for long periods of time. Even short periods are difficult.  (MS) I have a bar-stool height chair for my workbench and then when I need to do finer work I clamp on a piece of 15"x15" piece of wood so that it extends out from the bench and allows my legs to be under it. The work is much closer to me and I don't have to bend out or bend over to do what I'm attempting.

[Col. Barnett]

If you haven't been yet, get checked for macular degeneration.  It can distort how you view a line and causes  lines to curve.  You could probably check for it yourself with a piece of graph paper.  Put a dot, any size, in the middle and look at the dot.  If the lines curve away from the dot, you may have it  I have it in my right eye and make it difficult for me to determine if something it straight

Ric

[yip]

  THANKS FELLAS, I THINK IT'S TIME TO HANG IT UP AND WORK ON JIG SAW PUZZLES

[yip]

  i think i solved my problem, just hope it isn't to bold of a line, chasing the cut line.

[reddogge]

  i think i solved my problem, just hope it isn't to bold of a line, chasing the cut line.

]                                       

You just gave me an idea not for doing a straight line but for painting vermiculation on the sides of carved ducks. I've been using painting combs for decades but this will give me finer lines. Thank you.