How many and what rabbeters do I need...

[Jeffrey Larsen]

Greetings:

I know that rabbets are quite integral to wood working; At this point, I have a stanley 78 (I know that this probably isn't of much use for the "fine woodworking" that I aspire to, as the 78 is an agressive tool to say the least...), a stanley 75 (man was that tricky to get working!), and most rescently( I don't have it yet) a skewed blade LN rabbet block.

I am wondering what other planes I should be looking toward obtaining for my amature newbie upcoming woodworking efforts... Stanleys in the 90? stanleys in the 10 range?

will be interested in what folks think on this issue--

Thanks, Jeff

[Mike K Wenzloff]

Hi Jeff,

I personally think you are fairly tooled up in the rebate department. Rebates aren't generally a function where the result needs to be done with a great finish.

In the instances one desires a nice, clean result, the #78 can be made to take a fine shaving--fettle the plane and learn to use it for fine final shavings.

But in general, a tool to remove the waste quickly is desired. For that, a #78 is a fine tool.

Take care, Mike

[David Weaver]

I agree with Mike. With all of the knowledge now about fettling tools, and all of the tips on the internet, you can make something like a #8 into a super smoother, and you can certainly make a 78 cut a fine shaving. If you do that, though, you'll find yourself getting bored with the process, and quickly figuring out how deep of a cut you can take without having a negative effect on the results.

Once you have a few tools, try them on the job you got them for, and then buy more tools if you find that you're short a few that you need to do the job properly. Else you'll be spending money that you could be putting somewhere else in your tool collection.

[James Mittlefehldt]

I agree with both of the previous posters, master what you have now then buy as the need arises, and be careful to seperate needs from wants. I thought I needed a scrub plane, and subsequently bought one, and then discovered that I had the means to take down rough grain at hand already.

I would go slow with the tool aquisitions, unless of course youn are flush with cash and it is burninog a hole in your pocket. I also agree though about the 78, it takes a big bite if not set properly.

[Robert Rozaieski]

Once you have a few tools, try them on the job you got them for, and then buy more tools if you find that you're short a few that you need to do the job properly. Else you'll be spending money that you could be putting somewhere else in your tool collection.

I couldn't agree more. Don't get caught in the "I need to get every tool I might need before starting" syndrome (DAMHIKT ). Pick something you'd like to make, figure out what tools you need for that project and get started. The best way to learn the skills to use the tools is to use the tools. You can spend years and thousands of dollars just aquiring and cleaning and tuning tools and then find out you need less than half of what you just aquired to make what you want. I know, I did it and then sold off a lot of the tools that I found out later I did not need when I actually started making stuff.

If your intent is to build fine furniture, pick a piece to build and get started. When you get to a point that you cannot go any farther until you get a specific tool, then get that tool. You will likely find that you don't need a lot of the tools that are out there. You may want them later but a lot of jobs can be accomplished in a lot of different ways and without a lot of tools.

I suggest starting with something like a simple side table. If you want to make it a bit challenging, build one with a drawer. This seemingly simple project will teach you a lot about lumber selection, grain orientation, different kinds of joinery (at least three), surface preparation, wood movement, finishing; almost all aspects of the craft. And it can be built with little more than a fore, jointer and smooth plane, marking gauge, marking knife, try square, back saw, a few chisels, a mallet, a card scraper and something to sharpen with. Some sandpaper and a marble floor tile can serve double duty. You can use them for sharpening your edge tools and for sanding your project. You can decide later if you want some proper sharpening stones, or not (a lot of people stick with the Scary Sharp sandpaper method). If you want to drill and pare the mortises then add a brace and one or two bits. You can get all of these tools and get them into working order for around $100.

Then get some straight grained cherry, walnut or mahogany and get started. These woods are good for hand tool use and are fairly forgiving. Stay away from the figured stuff until you learn more about reading grain direction. Focus on design, proportion and grain orientation; this is way more important than what plane was used to surface the wood. Get a book that has some focus on design and not just how to use the tools. This will be way more important in the long run. The best furniture pieces out there weren't just built by masters, they were designed by masters. The best way to learn is to jump right in.

[Michael Pilla]

The 78 and skew rabbet really cover a wide gamut. My 78 (actually a Sargent 79) proved to be a great acquisition. A little tuning and the addition of a Lie-Nielsen replacement iron and it can do hogging or more delicate removal.

Michael

[Jeffrey Larsen]

Thanks gentlemen!

I'll hold off on further purchases until I do get into the project and see what I need. Quite frankly, I have already done much too much buying--45, 55, 3, 4, 5, 606, 7, 8, 113, 12,75, 78, 191, 80, 12 stanleys as well and regular and low angles. Also numerous old saws--Sandvik, atkins, diston as well as new ones--japonese. An old richard wil. vice and 2 jointer fences. also numerous old chisels--berg mostly.


So, I think I am ready for a project. The only other thing I think I need at the moment is a shooting board.


My first project is going to be something for my daughter. I have some 12 inch knot free yellow pine that was under deep layers of lead paint from the 100 year old appartment I lived in when she was little. The appartment was torn down. The wood was from shelves in the kitchen. Have been cleaning it off with an electric planer and uncovering beautiful wood underneath. Clearly, yellow pine isn't the end all be all, but Given its history, I thought it would be cool to build something for my daughter from it. Trying to descide what. not sure what to do with pine though interms of something nice...

Thanks again, Jeff

[Robert Rozaieski]

Clearly, yellow pine isn't the end all be all, but Given its history, I thought it would be cool to build something for my daughter from it. Trying to descide what. not sure what to do with pine though interms of something nice...Thanks again, Jeff

Nothing wrong with pine. It works well with hand tools. Might make a nice blanket or hope chest. You could leave it natural or finish it with a good milk paint.

Careful with that lead paint though!

[Jake Darvall]

agree.

When using without the fence to cleanup or whatever, I suggest you lap the left hand side of the plane ( the opposite side to where the spur is) as well as the right side and the sole.....then regrind the blade so just the very corners of the blade peak out the left and right sides at the same time....might have to grind the sides of the lever cap as well, cause its a bit too wide as it comes from the box.

What I'm getting at, is you want to be able to use the thing right and left handed, because as it is, you can only plane a rebate in one direction. Which means if you hit a grain reversal, you'll be tearing out. Not that it always matters too much, because rebates are often covered, but you don't want a stuttering plane. Affect accuracy no doubt.

So in use, you read the grain in advance, stop yourself before you strike the reversal. Lift up the plane and take it in from the other direction, just for the reversals.

Or you can forget the stanley 78 mods, and buy a stanley 10. (but I'd still practise that 78 to death first or else you'll end up with a whole of tools that you really can't use. uno)