Large Blind Rabbet Question

[Rick Rutten]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new Neanderthal and very new woodworker who just got approved to post here this morning. Before asking I did a quick search and found some good advice but still need some help.

I am trying to cut a large partial length relief in to the back of a 2x6 (I think this is called a blind rabbet.) The dimensions of the cut are 35" x 3.5 x 3/4" deep. I have been taking some of the area down with a #5 plane and then a #3. I have also been using a moving filister from Veritas with the extended fence. It looks like I will need to clean up the last 5" or so with a chisel since the planes ride up at the blind end of the rabbet.

For now it seems to be very slow going with a lot of clean up work at the end. Is there a better way to do this?

Many Thanks,
Rick

[harry strasil]

Personally, I would start by sawing a kerf to depth for the sides, then use a chisel bevel down to remove the majority of the waste, working back from the open end of the blind dado/rebate, then clean up with a router plane. Or work the blind end to depth for several inches to start with and then plane the rest. Chisels work so much faster for removing a gob of waste, versus the the many strokes when planing.

[Derek Cohen]

Hello Everyone,

I am a new Neanderthal and very new woodworker who just got approved to post here this morning. Before asking I did a quick search and found some good advice but still need some help.

I am trying to cut a large partial length relief in to the back of a 2x6 (I think this is called a blind rabbet.) The dimensions of the cut are 35" x 3.5 x 3/4" deep. I have been taking some of the area down with a #5 plane and then a #3. I have also been using a moving filister from Veritas with the extended fence. It looks like I will need to clean up the last 5" or so with a chisel since the planes ride up at the blind end of the rabbet.

For now it seems to be very slow going with a lot of clean up work at the end. Is there a better way to do this?

Many Thanks,
Rick

Hi Rick ... and welcome!

The following extract is from my website ...

The rebated back of the cabinet

I know it is not the ideal way to do it, but I used a stopped rebate at the upper panel ...

Step 1: Do as much as can be done with rebate plane (until it no longer cuts)...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ArmoireProject1_html_m2a20b2eb.jpg

Step two: Finish off with a router plane ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ArmoireProject1_html_64ce0579.jpg

Step three: Completed stopped rebate (of course I later discovered that I needed to extend it by 1/4"!) ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ArmoireProject1_html_m14c8c32a.jpg

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/ArmoireProject1.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Rick,

Welcome to the Cave side of the Creek. Your location doesn't show in your profile. Where do you hail from?

Pictures always help. A few descriptions won't hurt either.

It sounds like what you want is a stopped rabbet. The ends are usually cut out by hand and can be cleaned up with a router plane or a chisel.

This is where the Bull Nose style rabbet planes can come in handy. They require less area at the ends of the cut to allow for the plane's toe.

Examples of the Bull Nose planes can be seen at Patrick's Blood & Gore.

#90 and #78 are two very different examples.

jim

[Rick Rutten]

Jim I updated my location in profile. I am in Colorado Springs, CO. Sorry about the lack of description. I am putting a 2x6 overlay on a work bench I inherited with the house. It looks to be an artifact from an office with a 30" wide formica top. When we moved in I put a 1x4 backing strip to keep things from going off the back of the surface into the open stud wall so that is what I am trying to accommodate with the stock removal. That was before I discovered WW. As to pictures: I am kind of a luddite so that is a skill I need to develop. I do have arouter plane so I will look to using that for clean up.

Derek thanks for tips from down under! I do have those two planes in your pictures so I will look to try to use them more efficiently.

Harry thanks for the words of experience about using the chisels for waste removal. I will try that tonight for the big chunks then bring in the filister as mentioned by Derek. I broke my cheapo mallet last night so I need to get another today. One more suited to the task. Although new, I do know enough not to use metal on the end of my chisels.

I'll check in here again before the end of the day, then head out to see if I can make some forward progress on the project. Probably a combination of all your suggestions. Thanks again for the quick help!

Rick

[Jim Koepke]

I broke my cheapo mallet last night so I need to get another today. One more suited to the task. Although new, I do know enough not to use metal on the end of my chisels.

Rick

One of my favorite mallets for light work is an old piece of oak 2X4 from a pallet that has one end cut down to make a handle.

What ever works.

jim

[Bill Houghton]

I have to confess that I'm having trouble visualizing the construction problem you're trying to solve with the rabbet, so this may be seriously off-base.

But could you resolve the problem by filling in whatever gap you've got with a section of 3/4" by whatever width wood, so that the 2x6 can butt up against a solid surface, instead of making the rabbet?

[Rick Rutten]

Bill you are right in that I could have laid a 1x4 over the top of the existing one and called it even. I would have had to rip a pieceof 2x6 for that length and inset but that would have been a good bit easier than what I did. :o

I did finish the cut out this evening. I had to figure out how to clamp the board on its side. Once that was done chisels were used to remove most of the waste. I have developed a new found disdain for knots. Once in the neighborhood for depth I finshed up with the filister plane then router for details at the end. Except around knots. I found a chisel to more effective vs. the joinery planes. Next steps are to join the top together with dowels then anchor it to the existing bench top and frame extension.

So I am learning more about how to use the various tools I have accumulated. So far, I have sharpened all of my hand saws, bench planes, and chisels, used my bit and brace, #s 5 & 3 bench planes, router plane, moving filister, mortise and bevel chisels, and got a decent mallet for chiseling. Oh, I also learned to always have your safety glasses on when chiseling. ;)

I think I have made more mistakes than successes with the exception of persevering. It is a lot of fun, although my quality of work would not pass a junior high shop class. Fortunately, I am not in junior high. When I am finished I will see if I can post a picture. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!

Rick

[Bill Houghton]

I think I have made more mistakes than successes with the exception of persevering.

If you don't repeat them, mistakes are called "learning opportunities." Over time, your mistakes will become ever more sophisticated.

Good on you - sounds like you're learning a lot, so this effort was useful and productive.

[Rob Woodman]

If you don't repeat them, mistakes are called "learning opportunities." Over time, your mistakes will become ever more sophisticated.

Good on you - sounds like you're learning a lot, so this effort was useful and productive.

I agree Bill.

I love it when I get a chance to do things with hand tools, though in a commercial workshop the opportunity is rare.
One of the big lessons that one learns is that you can 'give up' or 'give in'.
If you 'give up' you never finish the task, if you 'give in' to the fact it is going to be hard work and take time and still carry on you learn that you are not a quitter! Then you really start to enjoy each new challenge.:D
Rob.