Layout an accurate ellipse with a stick, 2 nails, and a pencil

If you need to make an elliptical backing for a cove or arch, you could look at the 15 ways Wikipedia shows how to do it and risk your head exploding, but there's a better way.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

This technique is excellent. Thanks for posting. When I was still an apprentice woodworker, a tile setter showed me another method that works well (but not as accurate as this one). You set 2 nails as the center points, the attach a string to both of them, leaving some slack, then set your pencil inside the string and draw the ellipse, being careful to keep the string tension the same as you go. It's less accurate though, because the string can be pulled to hard or too soft. So I'll be using the technique you showed us here now instead.

[@dslynx]

Wow.. Mind blown! And perfect timing.. I plan to do some rounded shelves to transition a corner between a desk and counter.

[@jmeneely]

I knew that would work for a quarter circle by putting the pencil dead centre but never knew it would yield a quarter ellipse! That's cool!

[@ManhattanWoodProject]

Great idea, that would be great for making corner shelves and tables!

[@NickWisda]

I'll probably never use this but my brain still pooped its pants anyways.

[@DOGFOODACTUAL8541]

Thank you. I just did this for an oval table I had to make that I wasn't sent a pattern for.

[@ArunasSakalauskas]

Smart! Thanks!

[@40317330EJM]

COOL! VERY COOL

[@loloolololololol]

that's fuckin sick, how do I buy that bloke from MD a drink?

[@timbarry5080]

"And risk your brain exploding" lol

[@renataprokes5689]

Cool..

[@kenbarker6478]

please tell me where I can get a pair of work suspenders like those?
Thank you in advance Ken :-)

[@skripnigor]

wow

[@jeremiahchace5314]

Damn!

[@lunarmation]

it's backwards...

[@billf7062]

You’re right. The corner is the discard part. He’d have to make a 90 corner and flip it over to have the pattern he had drawn.

[@safepethaven]

Not a 'trick' -- it's just applying good ol' fashioned geometry: the 4 vertices, major & minor axes [whether horizontal or vertical], center, and foci.

[@matthewitt2276]

Thanks Captain Buzzkillian

[@safepethaven]

@@matthewitt2276 guess you completed all the way through third grade arithmetic, then? HAHAHAHAHA and it took you a mere 6 years to think up that insult?