Plow Plane Help

[Mark Wyatt]

Is there a particular name or function for the plow plane pictured below? I love the form of this plane and simply wonder if it had a particular use or name. Not a maker, but "sash plow plane" or something like that.

Note: In the picture the tote is loose and popping out of it's mortise.

Thanks.

[Jim Koepke]

Mark,

I am not an expert on woodies, but that looks a bit different than most plow plane with which I am familiar.

Can you post a shot of it straight on from the front?

It looks like the wood next to the blade is on the same level as the blade. This might work for rabbeting, but then the fence is on the wrong side.

It could be half of a match plane set.

Not sure. Maybe Harry will see this post or David might be able to give a good answer.

jtk

[Andrae Covington]

Is there a particular name or function for the plow plane pictured below? I love the form of this plane and simply wonder if it had a particular use or name. Not a maker, but "sash plow plane" or something like that.

Note: In the picture the tote is loose and popping out of it's mortise.

Thanks.

My guess would be a moving plank match plane, in this case the grooving plane of the tongue and groove pair. Board match planes are the more typical ones we see, same length as other molding planes and usually without a handle. Plank match planes were longer, with a handle similar to a jack plane. Not all of them had fences, but the moving fence would allow centering the groove on a wider range of plank thicknesses.

[Mark Wyatt]

Thanks Jim. I'll be away from the shop for a few days so I won't be able to get another picture for a while. I'll post one when I do. I suppose it's possible someone took the plane apart and put the fence on backwards.

Andrae, that's an interesting question. When I acquired this plane I also acquired another of similar type and vintage. It is missing some parts, and I'm ashamed to say I cannot remember the profile. It's possible it is the pair of this plane.

[Bob Glenn]

Could it be considered a moving fillister plane?

[Orlando Gonzalez]

Jim and Andrae are right. It is the grooving plane of a slide-arm plank match planes.

See it here: http://www.thebestthings.com/woodplan.htm

Item/Description

WP110159 P. Chapin, Maker, Balto "These were often used for tongue and grooving of flooring, but they can be used to join any large boards."

Picture
http://www.thebestthings.com/oldtools/graphics/wp110159.jpg

HTH

[Andrae Covington]

Could it be considered a moving fillister plane?

Hm, as far as I know fillisters always have skewed blades, and this one appears straight. The skewed blade helps for cross-grain rabbets, aka fillisters. In that use (rabbets or fillisters), a movable fence wouldn't do much good with such a narrow blade.


...When I acquired this plane I also acquired another of similar type and vintage. It is missing some parts, and I'm ashamed to say I cannot remember the profile. It's possible it is the pair of this plane.

Although match plane sets do get orphaned, it would seem likely that the similar plane you have is the tonguing plane of the set. The blade would have two "tines".

[Johnny Kleso]

My guess is its a window sash plane or a specialty plane make to make one part for a custom job like a groove in box or cabinet or something else..