The ideal plough plane..

[Brad Saltvick]

Jake,

I am a long time lurker on this forum and one other. I have been reading alot about hand tools and have purchased several old Stanley Bailey planes with the intent to clean up and use.

This thread taught me alot about plough planes and how to set them up. I appreciate the time and effort you took to display a wonderful tutorial.

My question. With the flared blade, which obviously works well, aren't you in danger of running out of blade at some point? Not running out of blade actually, but the ability to plow a 1/2 inch dado or any other specific width is lost if you sharpen the blade too many times.

Do you just have multiple blades on hand to keep one at each specific width? Or am I over thinking this? Sharpening is a skill I have yet to master but on my chisels and plane irons, the length does change ever so slightly.

Brad

[Jake Darvall]

My question. With the flared blade, which obviously works well, aren't you in danger of running out of blade at some point? Not running out of blade actually, but the ability to plow a 1/2 inch dado or any other specific width is lost if you sharpen the blade too many times.

Do you just have multiple blades on hand to keep one at each specific width? Or am I over thinking this? Sharpening is a skill I have yet to master but on my chisels and plane irons, the length does change ever so slightly.

Brad

Hello Brad,

I see where your coming from.....The blades will eventually get too short anyway to be gripped by the planes clamp down, and will just have to replace.

...buts also, due to the flaring as that blade is resharpened over and over the actual width of the cut gets smaller and smaller......very gradually of course...but even if you use them regularily we'd be talking years I'd say.

...but because the width gets smaller and smaller, you can't really refer to
it as say a 1/2" blade anymore eh......the process will never be like using a powered router whose router bits will always cut the set width.

yep, so there's a disadvantage in flared blades....but personally I'd prefer to have that so I can have a workable plane. Else I'd just use a router. I just don't like risking a messy cut.

So, for joinery you'll obvious have to make the fit to your groove.....ie...choose a blade from the set that closest resembles the width your after,,,,accept their widths as something you can't change and work to it. Shouldn't be a problem.

Since the plough cuts quite reliable I'd be tempted to use the plane for cutting the rebates in say glazing bars (then cut off after)..found this process to be more accurate than a rebate plane or a fillister cause there's two depth stops in play........drawer bottoms....... or rebating two pieces simultaneously (uno, cut the plough in half).......you can rebate normally with the plough as well of course...but only one depth stop used for that....

[Brad Saltvick]

Jake,

Thank you for taking the time to respond to my question. I see the obvious benefit to the flared blade. The pictures are dramatic!

Again, Thanks for the informative post.

[Jim Dunn]

This was the most awesome, informative and thorough post I've ever seen. Thank you so much.

And I can honestly say I agree with the above. My only statement beyond that is I'm not much of a neander and really don't have a plane like that either. If I did I'd be grinding the blade instead of writeing this

[Jake Darvall]

Hey, no problem. Appreciate the kind feedback.

I enjoy experimenting and trying to understand these problems so I can attempt a fix . Bit odd I suppose. I guess the process of writing it all out clarifys it all for myself as well.