Getting in the Groove

[Matthew Springer]

Any advice on good rabbetting/dadoing/grooving planes?

The Stanley 78 appears to be the tool of choice, what about a 50?

I'm looking at options for cutting rabbets and grooves inlieu of a fork tailed apprentice.

[Roy Wall]

I'v seen a #39 in action.......very easy to set up and go!! they come 1/4" up to 1" in widths ---but that just gets you a dado..

ECE makes a dovetail plane......

[Steve Wargo]

I have a great old boxwood handled screwarm plow plane. I use it all the time to do grooves for doors, frame and panel construction, etc. They can be had fairly cheaply. I used to have a wedged arm plane, but found it to be a pain to use. Mostly had problems with it slipping. But the screw armed types seem to hold the distance between the iron and fence well. As far as dados go, dado planes work most excellent. The only problem is they fetch a higher price when complete (with nickers). I think the reason for this is because the work so well. They're really about as fool proof as can be and they work very, very quickly. A shoulder plane or rabbet plane will work as well, you just have to remember to score your edges of the cut with a cutting gauge or marking knife. The same goes for the plow planes. I can't speak for the mealt bodied dado planes. Hope this helps.

[Davy Barr]

I've recently been on this same search as you and here are some of my findings:
I have a 78 and seldom use it - especially in cross grain rabbets. I find that a wide, skewed, wooden shoulder plane works much better in this situation. The skewed wooden plane is also pretty cheap and easy to find on on-line auctions. They also work for doing simple raised panels. Of course you have to use a batten or put a temporary fence on them.
As for dadoes, I've tried several alternatives and there just seems to be no perfect solution. The saw two grooves then plane/chisel out the waste approach seems to take too long for my tastes, though it's much easier since I got a 71 1/2 to level the bottoms of the dadoes. That 71 1/2 has quickly become one of my favorite tools. I just bought a 1/2" size wooden dado plane with a nicker blade to use in the future. In my practice runs it has worked very well and saved quite a bit of time. Am looking forward to using it in the future. Maybe now I won't have to try and saw two perfectly parallel kerfs!
I also have a Stanley 50. I love that little sucker. It came much cheaper than the 45's and does all I need it to do - plane small grooves with the grain for drawer bottoms. I haven't tried it for beads, but think my wooden beaders will work better for that purpose.
So I advise getting a wooden rabbet plane with a skewed blade, wooden dado planes in one or two sizes, and either a screw-arm plow or a Stanley 50. That should serve most of your grooving/rabbet needs. Might want to also add a 71 or 71 1/2.
Just my thoughts.