This is mostly an add on to what Derek said.
I even made a video to show how to cut a rabbet with a side rabbet plane:
https://youtu.be/1-d2CLdgaLs
I used to make rabbets using a Stanley 45. It took many tries and a lot of frustration to learn the ways of my Record #778 (similar to the Stanley #78 but better, imo). Now that I have it figured it is my go to rabbeting plane. The point of this is it was easier for me to start making rabbets with a more complicated tool. It took me a bit of time to get to the finer points of the #778. It does a better job of rabbeting than the #45.
My starting place on setting the blades side projection on the #778 is to slightly loosen the lever cap and press the side of the plane on my bench. The depth stop needs to be out of the way for this. This usually sets the blade cutting along the edge or right behind the nicker. If you want more projection, sheets of paper can be used to lift the plane body for more projection. Setting this is something one will have to figure out how to do for them self if they want ANY rabbet plane to work well.
My #10-1/2 is a short jack rabbet. Good for some things, not good for starting a fixed rabbet without scoring a start line. This is how it would be done without a fenced rabbet plane in the past. Score a line, carefully angle the plane to cut a trough in the waste next to the score mark. After a few passes of cutting the trough the plane body can be brought back to vertical a few degrees with each pass until the plane becomes level and the desired depth is achieved.
short video?
The other thing to avoid difficulties is to score the work if needed. Sometimes it is also better to work from the other side. I know some folks have a hard time switching to working left handed, sometimes that is the best way to work the grain. It is not as hard as it feels when you first start. It is like learning what you already know all over again. Only you are quicker at 'feeling' your mistakes. That would be an interesting survey, have everyone try using a #5 left handed and find out if others can feel the cut being off.
jtk