Joinery Planes

[Tony Shea]

I personally think a decent rabbet plane and plow plane is critical to a hand tool workshop. And i honestly think Lee Valley versions of these two tools are well worth the $ they cost. For the price these two tools really can't be beat. I am personally a big LN fan which is in large part due to the fact they are relatively local to me so I really wish they would snap out of it and get their version of the plow plane to market. Having said this I still think I would have chosen the LV plow over the LN due to the cost and usefulness of the tool. The next tool after these two tools is a router plane. I really like having a router plane in my arsenal. Most jobs that a router plane does can be done with other more common tools such as chisels, saws, etc. But the router can be much more accurate in these situations.

[Brian Holcombe]

Brian, surely you use more than these two planes for all your joinery?

This is actually an interesting exercise to recognise which tools we do use/need for all joinery tasks.

Regards from Perth

Derek

That's what all the saws and chisels are for.

I have a shoulder plane and router plane but I don't consider them 'joinery' planes really.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Brian

I left off my HNT Gordon 1/2" dado plane, which you also have. This is great for through dados. However, I use a router plane (along with saw and chisel) to create stopped dados and stopped sliding dovetails. What do you do?

The question comes down to 'what constitutes a "joinery" plane' .. since many planes/tools do double-duty in the shop? Is there such thing as a "must have" tool for joinery? What plane could one absolutely not do without? As I mentioned before, a chisel (and as you mentioned, a saw) are fundamental, and can do it all, but some planes make the job easier (a case in point is a side rabbet plane - hardly used but so useful when needed - or, as you have demonstrated in your builds, dado and dovetail planes).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Christopher Charles]

Thanks all for the replies. Derek, yes you've reflected the intent of my original question well--I'm interested in see what other's value when creating joinery. The question was posed in part b/c I just sprung for the LV skew rabbet plane after looooong holding out. I have other planes that can do it's function, but am hopeful I've spent well Also, the topic seems to be one that has not gotten much traffic.

FWIW, I've a LV med shoulder plane, a Record 043 for plowing, a LV large router plane and the skew rabbet in the mail. I got the shoulder plane first and still use it in many situations for joint fitting but not really for joint making (as pointed out earlier).

The task that I'm still puzzling over and working to optimize is making dados but haven't yet done enough by hand to have settled into to knowing whether a dedicated plane(s) would be worth it.

Thanks again,
C

[paul cottingham]

You will love the skew rabbit. It takes practice to master, and you will be very happy with the results. Don't bother with two. Just buy the one for whichever is your dominant hand. As an aside, I really really like my LV medium router plane. I reach for it most often now, as I find it the best combo of size and utility.

one thing I don't think anyone has mentioned is a block plane. I use a LV apron plane and a LV block. If I was starting over, I would buy a LN block, as it is a little smaller than the LV block. I really like the apron plane for small trimming chores.

block planes are very personal. Some people never use them. Other folks can't live without them. I'm somewhere in between.

the larger LV plow may have more utility in the long run for you, as it certainly can take a larger selection of blades, and the handle is much more comfortable.

[Kees Heiden]

Not so glamourous, but here are two of my go-to joinery planes.

foto.jpg

The Record 044. Most probably the best dedicated plowplane ever designed! Easy to use, keeps its settings without a hitch, comes with a nice set of cutters that are easilly sharpened, easy to adjust. It's a pitty it isn't made anymore like this. One could of course cut a groove with saws and chisels but I don't think anyone would really want to.

And the pretty modern Nooitgedagt rabbeting plane happens to be the best performing one in my collection. I've got half a drawer full of rabbets and fillisters in various variations, but this one is always sharp, removes wood in a hurry and is easy to adjust. Again, making a rabbet with chisels is doable (better then grooves) but you would need a rabbeting or shouder plane anyway if you want the surface to look presentable.

[Brian Holcombe]

Hi Brian

I left off my HNT Gordon 1/2" dado plane, which you also have. This is great for through dados. However, I use a router plane (along with saw and chisel) to create stopped dados and stopped sliding dovetails. What do you do?

The question comes down to 'what constitutes a "joinery" plane' .. since many planes/tools do double-duty in the shop? Is there such thing as a "must have" tool for joinery? What plane could one absolutely not do without? As I mentioned before, a chisel (and as you mentioned, a saw) are fundamental, and can do it all, but some planes make the job easier (a case in point is a side rabbet plane - hardly used but so useful when needed - or, as you have demonstrated in your builds, dado and dovetail planes).

Regards from Perth

Derek

Much the same, I use the saw and router plane for stopped dados and dovetails.

My latest blog post details those points specifically, if you would, take a look.

[Allen Hunt]

Hi Christopher,

I have 4 dado planes. HNT Gordon in 1/8, 1/4 & 1/2 inch. Auburn dado 1 inch. Love dado planes! Love the anti tearout anvantage skew blade gives you. Use as a shoulder plane too.

I have the left and right HNT Gordon side rebate planes.

A Stanley 46, which I higly reccomend for a plow/dado because of the skewed blade.

LN large and small router planes.

LV left and right skew rebate planes.

LV left small plow to compliment my Stanley 46.

Something 400 5/8 inch shoulder plane.

LN large shoulder.

Stanley 78. Its okay.

Stanley 75. Not very useful to me.

LN block rabbet. Not skewed.

LN 10 1/4 big ole rebate plane! Hey I might do some timber framing someday, you never know...

I definately fall in the camp of "more is better" from a flexibility and fun of owning/using point of view.

Allen

[Allen Hunt]

Oh i forgot my latest and unsed as of yet, the LV left shooting plane!!!

Allen

[Matthew Hills]

If you want only a single (admittedly big) dent in our wallet:
http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/pag...at=1,230,41182

Matt

[Christopher Charles]

Kees, plenty of glamour there for me

Brian, as always, many thanks for taking the time to share your work and knowledge.

I'll refine my question just a bit more and come at it from the "anarchist's toolchest" perspective. When starting out, one of the things I found daunting about joinery planes is the cost to apparent use ratio. So, for those looking to get into the game with minimum early investment, any suggestions on minimum kit or no-brainer starting places? Shoulder planes and router planes seem to be the most recommended by magazines, but...

[Christopher Charles]

Matthew,

I saw that when last on the LV site and _almost_ tried to convince a friend into going in with me as a way to save on an upgrade to my plow. Reality prevailed, however...

[Patrick Chase]

A Stanley 46, which I higly reccomend for a plow/dado because of the skewed blade.

I've been curiously watching to see if anybody would recommend the 46. I don't have one, but if I did spring for a classic Stanley combo plane that would probably be it.

[Brian Holcombe]

Kees, plenty of glamour there for me

Brian, as always, many thanks for taking the time to share your work and knowledge.

I'll refine my question just a bit more and come at it from the "anarchist's toolchest" perspective. When starting out, one of the things I found daunting about joinery planes is the cost to apparent use ratio. So, for those looking to get into the game with minimum early investment, any suggestions on minimum kit or no-brainer starting places? Shoulder planes and router planes seem to be the most recommended by magazines, but...

My pleasure! I find Dado planes incredibly important, they can double as a rabbet plane in a pinch (mine does all the time), they require a batten which forces the panel flat while the groove is being cut which comes in handy at times, especially for thin material.

Use is always dependent on the kind of work that you'll end up doing, if you are doing cabinet work I think you'll find them hard to replace.

[Kees Heiden]

Dado's are really easilly made with saw and chisel, but a router plane defenitely makes cleaning up the bottom a lot easier.

My first joinery plane would be a plow plane, because making grooves in any other way with handtools is a bunch more work.

And then a router plane and a rabbeting plane.