Tooltopia

[Andrew Gibson]

I have wanted a rabbit plane for some time now and never found one in my price range that i was happy with. well early this week Mark Wyatt put a #78 up fro sale in the BST. I jumped on it and boy am I glad I did. It took a little work to re establish the bevel and square up the cutting edge, but it honed up well and talk about a nice working tool. I did a test run on some scrap and other then me not paying attention and giving the edge a little notch this plane worked flawlessly.

Standing there looking at the ribbons of wood on the floor I thought to myself, self I have the perfect tool to clean up the rabbit, a #79. To the tool box I went and a quick setting, swipe swipe and there it was, a beautiful rabbit. It is so nice to have the right tool for the job

Another nail in the electric routers coffin. Next on the list is a Plough Plane.

http://i283.photobucket.com/albums/kk294/handyandy3459/100_1324.jpg

[Jim Koepke]

I was playing with my Record equivalent of your plane recently. Put a hunk of rose wood on the fence.

It is a great plane for a lot of work.

Sounds like you have found a great tool.

jtk

[Andrew Gibson]

I will have to do that Jim. I was thinkinking of adding a piece of some wood to the depth stop as well.

[Bill Houghton]

While I haven't tried this, you might try, for your depth stop, some of the thin Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight plastic that is sold for putting on table saw fences. You won't lose depth of cut that way.

By the way, what you made yourself there is a beautiful rabbet. A beautiful rabbit looks like this:

http://www.fullissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/rabbit.jpg
http://greennature.com/gallery/farm-animal-pictures/albino_rabbit.jpg

[Andrew Gibson]

I know something looked funny Bill, Usually the wood doesn't stare back at me... unless I am using birds eye maple :)

[Jonathan McCullough]

If you're going to get a plough plane, I'd suggest that you save up and get a later-model No. 46. Works great cross grain, with the grain, difficult wood, no problem.

[Andrew Gibson]

Thanks John I will keep an eye out.

Jim, how would you suggest attaching the wooden face to the fence. I made up a fence out of a scrap of purple heart I have that should stick out about an inch in front of the toe and about even with the back of the plane. my first thought was to drill and tap the fence and countersink a flat head bolt through the wooden fence, but I dont know if I want to drill holes in the fence.

[Mark Wyatt]

When I first got a #78 I wondered how much it would be used. I don't ask anymore. It is an extremely useful tool. It's funny: when I find them either they look like they never have been used or they are absolutely abused. There is no in-between state. I also like the little side rabbet plane.

Does anyone here prefer the older woody plough planes?

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, how would you suggest attaching the wooden face to the fence. I made up a fence out of a scrap of purple heart I have that should stick out about an inch in front of the toe and about even with the back of the plane. my first thought was to drill and tap the fence and countersink a flat head bolt through the wooden fence, but I dont know if I want to drill holes in the fence.

My fence came with three holes already in it from the maker. Used a piece of rose wood from a broken #45 fence and three short screws.

167794




Does anyone here prefer the older woody plough planes?

I have one that I have used, but setting the blade on a #45 is much easier and the blade selection much wider than what I have for the wooden plow that it mostly stays on the shelf.

jtk

[Mark Wyatt]

I have one that I have used, but setting the blade on a #45 is much easier and the blade selection much wider than what I have for the wooden plow that it mostly stays on the shelf.

jtk[/QUOTE]

I agree about the #45 (or #50). Still, I love the look of the wooden planes and every once in a while I'll try to incorporate one.

[Steve Branam]

I have a couple of 78's, a 45, and several wooden plows and rabbet planes. Just for the sheer fun of it, I prefer the wooden plows. They are a bit more fiddly setting the fence and iron, but not that bad.

I really love the wooden rabbets, I think because they are such simple tools, yet capable of getting the job done. In general I like the feel of a wooden plow or molding plane in my hands as I use it. But of course, they all get the job done, each style just has its own details of technique.