Plow Plane as a Marking Gauge

[Karl Andersson]

Stew, I think that would work - might be harder to manipulate than a slitting gauge, but for long pieces especially, it would have a tendency to wander less with the grain. Something I thought of while playing with the pieces of the Stanley 55 I wrote about is that you could take that impressive slitting blade (same on the 45 and 55) and mount it on a custom-made slitting gauge or panel gauge, which may be more versatile than holding the plane.

It seems that Don's original need was for something other than a sliced line, so he could see it better, so he used the 1/16 blade to make a groove. I have made much narrower grooves by hand with a Tamiya "modeler's scribing tool" when marking irregular surfaces like antler and bone- it has a hooked blade that works like a tiny plow blade (you pull the scribe towards you and it cuts on the hooked end:
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I've thought of making a marking or panel gauge with a blade shaped like this made out of old saw plate - maybe one of us could make a similar blade to fit the 45/55 slitter position if we had the same need as Don for a more-visible line. Beats trying to make a 1/16 or 1/32 blade for the 45. it could also be used for making grooves for stringing - if it followed the edge.

Karl

[Don Rogers]

Thanks for all your ideas and help.


My apologies to all for the 1/16” plow plane blade. I made a quick, but incorrect guess on that size. Actually my blade is 1/8” , not 1/16”.


Actually, this does not make much difference in the overall idea. A 1/8” groove cut about 1/16” deep around all 4 sides using my plow plane Is not difficult to make, at least on the board I tried.


The resulting groove Would be easy to see and it’s lower side would be be set at the desired board thickness the same as if using a marking or cutting gouge. It’s upper side would be 1/8” (or more depending on the blade thickness if not 1/8”) above that. The upper wall side may may or may not be there depending on tje board’s rough thickness.


Assuming that the complete groove is there and one planes the top surface down to that point, then the desired thickness marking lime becomes visible from the side and also from the top. The original groove is now a rabbet which should make things a lot easier for some of us to use as a target to plane the board to size. The lower side of the groove or rabbet could even be darkened or colored and when planed off would signal arrival to the desired thickness.


I have not yet found time to try this and only got as far as making the plow plane groove around a board. But, it sounds good to me at this point and I am after your opinions also.
Of course, as I mentioned before, I already have a plow plane which considerably reduces my expenses in using this idea.


Stew, I believe the idea of a using a Stanley 45 in that manner is almost the same as mine although I do not have a Stanley 45 and really know almost nothing about them. However I think a slitting blade is not necessary - any larger blade should work but too large might be difficult to push. I use an adjustable square, and marking knife quite often myself but mostly on smaller work. Keep collecting tools, Stew, and try to use them while you can. I look forward to seeing pictures of the marking gauge you are going to make.


Karl, you suggestions are good also but again, I don’t believe a small blade is necessary as long as the blade is sharp and can male a clean groove.
Again thanks to all who responded - you have given me lots to think about and to try.

Don

[John Schtrumpf]

... The original groove is now a rabbet which should make things a lot easier for some of us to use as a target to plane the board to size...
Don

Page 70 in: Wood-Working Tools - How To Use Them

A Boston industrial school manual. Shows using rabbets on the ends of a board, to flatten a surface.

[Don Rogers]

John, thank you for posting that information confirming that he idea is not new. My first statement " Don’t know how common and/or useful this might be but it sounds like a good way to solve my sight problem when sizing a board’s thickness after flattening the opposite side" .

The Boston Industrial School manual shows a rabbet on the board's ends but my first attempt will have rabbets on the long sides also. Others, of course, will be able to surface a board from a marked or cut line. I may even try that but I probably need a more pronounced visual target.

Don

[Don Rogers]

In reporting my plow plane/markng gauge attempt when thickness surfacing a board, I discovered the following:

1. The 1/8" cutter on the plow plane makes marking the thickness of a hoard relatively easy, even on the end grain. It is not as fast as using a marking gauge but speed is not my concern. It is certainly more visible to me.

2. When planing the thickness down through the upper wall of the plow plane groove, it became a rabbet which was more difficult to see when looking down from above. The freshly cut lower rabbet wall blended into the freshly planed surface which made it more difficult vor me to see. However, after marking the lower part of the rabbet with a black dry marker, the target thickness became much more visible. I was then able to plane down to that black mark and then finally plane off the black mark to reach the desired thickness. To be more precise, the original plow plane groove could be moved up a very slight amount to compensate for planing off the black mark.

3. While not as easy as using a marking gauge, this method works for me. YMMV. Later, however, I will try using a marking or cutting gage and then coloring the line. My perceived problem is having to remove the board often in order to check my progress.

Don

[Jim Matthews]

Good idea, using the marker.

If you can get a good groove in end grain,
this should be a workable solution.

Is there a minimum thickness that you can set the plow plane?

That would be the primary advantage for a purpose built gauge,
thin boards can be readily marked.

[Don Rogers]

Hi Jim

As far as a minimum thickness with the plow plane, it's fence goes as far as touching the blade but I don't know how usable this might be. I have not yet found a need to go much thinner than 1/4". BTW, I have not tried that.

A purpose built gauge sounds for groove cutting sounds like a good idea. Do you plan to make one?

Don