Do you need both the left and right hand plow?

[Cliff Polubinsky]

I have the right hand version of the Veritas plow and I'm wondering if it would make sense to add the left hand version? The last project where I used the plow I had some tear out on the grooves where the grain was running the wrong way. I expect the left-hand version would solve that, or is there a way with better technique to solve that with just the one plow?


Thanks for any suggestions.
Cliff

[Zach Dillinger]

No, you don't. Tearout in the bottom of a groove wouldn't be a problem. If you are tearing out the sides of the groove, you can mark it out with a marking gauge, which you should be doing anyway to make sure that your groove is straight (your plane can lose its settings quite easily). Also makes setting up the tool much easier.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

I'd agree with Zach.

The main thing I think, at least for me, is to choose your stock wisely, taking into consideration all the steps that are apt to follow before making the bits and pieces of your project. Not just for grooves and rabbets either, but also for which direction you'd prefer to be smooth planing the outside of finished pieces if that is a possible factor.

I don't know how long the arms are on the veritas plow, but occasionally on smaller pieces, i plow my grooves with the fence registering from the opposite side - this really only comes up when I want grooves on both edges of the stock, or maybe a rabbet on one and a groove on the other.

I've also got a little metal plow for weather stripping that I can run against a batten, which has proved useful at least once . . .

[Chris Griggs]

No need, do what Zach said. Lightening the cut a bit will help as well. Also, you may know this already, but make sure you start your groove at the far end of the board and extend it back the full length over a series of passes.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Plow planes do not have skewed irons, so a left and righ handed plane are not necessary. Just flip the fence to the other side of the plane if you feel the need to reference off of the other side. Only planes with skewed irons are truly left and right handed, and even then, only new ones (old ones were only made in right handed). The left handed version of the LV plow is really just designed for a left handed person. If you must have perfect groove bottoms, just turn the board around and plane it the other way. You can put the fence on the other side of the plane if you need to (at least you can on every old plow I've seen).

[Zach England]

I am trying to deepen some rabbets that run along an inside corner for the tool cabinet I am making and I wish I had a left-handed plough plane. I was trying to do it by switching the fence around on my 044 but that didn't work. I eventually has to use my small router plane with the blade installed sideways.

Had I cut them to the proper depth in the first place (before assembling the case) I would not have this problem.

[Zach Dillinger]

Zach,

I can't quite see the situation you are describing. Is there something preventing you from using a rabbet plane to do what you are describing?

[Zach England]

It's hard to explain. I'll post a photo tonight.

[Jim Koepke]

I have the right hand version of the Veritas plow and I'm wondering if it would make sense to add the left hand version? The last project where I used the plow I had some tear out on the grooves where the grain was running the wrong way. I expect the left-hand version would solve that, or is there a way with better technique to solve that with just the one plow?


Thanks for any suggestions.
Cliff

Though some problems might be solved with a pair of plow planes it isn't the only way.

Last night I was cutting a groove in some ash that had changing grain. That would not have been solved by having an opposite handed plane.

My solution was to score the edges of the grove before using the plow plane. This kept the surface edge crisp. There was still some problem below the surface that was easily corrected with a pair of side rabbet planes. Careful use of a chisel could have also taken care of this.

If you cut a lot of grooves or rabbets, side rabbet planes are a worthy investment.

However, the thought process of reading this thread, and others, has me thinking. My plan was to build a dedicated wooden slotting plane. With a hearty slap to the forehead, it is now clear that it should be made as a left handed model since I already have planes that can do the right handed function.

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

I wonder if Zach is trying to get a deeper groove, in a corner?
The front of the plane must not clear something in the carcasse...

I'm always keen on solutions to these sort of assembly problems, my work is rife with this sort of thing.
I can't count how many mirror image time savers (cut two identical pieces at once) have set me back for days...

jim
wpt, ma