Rabbet v shoulder plane?

[David Dalzell]

Can anyone tell me if there is a fundamental difference between a rabbet and a shoulder plane? I have the Veritas medium shoulder plane which I use often to clean up shoulders and for rabetted edges, and various other things. But what can a specific rabbet plane do that cannot be done with a shoulder plane?

[Jerome Hanby]

I think the most obvious difference is that a rabbet plane has a fence.

[Sam Fan]

My understanding is that rabbet/rebate planes are traditionally used for rougher work than shoulder planes, removing quite a bit of stock at a time, whereas shoulder planes are typically used for finer work.

[Jim Koepke]

The difference between the bedding angles of the blades makes a lot of difference in how it will handle end grain that the shoulder plane is made to do and regular long grain like a rabbet plane is made to handle.

jtk

[Tom Stenzel]

A shoulder plane has an adjustable mouth and has the iron at lower angle for cleaner cross cuts.

The large mouth on the rabbet planes (Stanley 180's, 190's, the 78 and the like) are meant for stock removal, not fine tuning.

Using my grandfather's 191 rabbet plane as a shoulder plane I will say it can work somewhat if you get it real sharp. I wasn't all that satisfied with the result. My 78, pretty much the same thing, resulted with more of the same. I personally had better luck with sandpaper on a wood block.

-Tom

[Adam Cormier]

I'm interested to see the responses because I am still trying to decide whether I am getting a medium Veritas shoulder plane or the LN block rabbet plane. They appear to do the same thing more or less and I am not interested in using a plane to clean any of my dadoe's so I've been struggling with which one to get.

[Frank Drew]

A shoulder plane has an adjustable mouth ...

Perhaps some, but not all, and certainly not many (any?) infill shoulder planes, which are arguably the class of the field. What I think they usually do have is a very fine mouth in comparison to rabbet planes.

[Andrew Gibson]

I have a LV medium shoulder plane, and a Stanley 78. The 78 is great for running rabbets and such where the fence is quite handy, and it can take a fairly heavy cut.
the shoulder plane takes a very fine cut and works very well on end grain where the 78 simply does not.

I would say to pick up a nice 78 and give it a try, they can easily be had for $30 with all the parts and a decent iron. I have also used the 78 to do cross grain work, however something with a skewed iron would be much nicer.

[Trey Palmer]

I have a Stanley 78 and the Zen Toolworks shoulder plane. They have very different uses.

The latter is a small tool, 3/4" wide and maybe 6" long, and lower than the metal shoulder planes. It's uncomfortably low really for normal shoulder plane use.

It's a bevel-down plane bedded at an incredibly low angle of about 30 degrees with a very tight mouth. Obviously the primary bevel is almost flat on the surface you're It is awesome for end grain and across the grain work. At under $50 it's a very good deal and has me wanting to try more wood planes, perhaps Zen's smoother with a Hock iron. I find it surprisingly easy to adjust.

I have been meaning to try it bevel-up for work with the grain. I don't see why this couldn't work. This would also give it a more open mouth and make it more of a rabbet plane.

[Tom Stenzel]

Perhaps some, but not all, and certainly not many (any?) infill shoulder planes, which are arguably the class of the field. What I think they usually do have is a very fine mouth in comparison to rabbet planes.

You're absolutely correct, I was only thinking of the metal planes I looked at for purchase.

My bad.

-Tom