Saw and chisel grooves

[Tony Wilkins]

Working on my shaker table and so far so good working the top. About to start on the drawer; can't afford a plough plane yet. As I contemplate the groove for the drawer bottom right now I'm thinking about using my back saw and a chisel.

Any tips for this or alternate procedure?

Btw I'll be using poplar for the sides, back, and bottom. My stock is 2/4.

[Derek Cohen]

Hi Tony

That is very doable. The floor of the groove does not need to be smooth. Nevertheless, if you can run a router plane over it to ensure it is level, then so much the better. Paul Sellers has demonstrated how one can stick a chisel through a block of wood as a temporary OWT. However an old Stanley #71 is cheap, or you could build your own - it is worth the investment either way.

Link to a shopmade router plane: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/BuildingaWoodenRouterPlane.html

Regards from Perth

Derek

[David Barnett]

A backsaw and chisel should work just fine. You can clean up and fit the groove walls with a plane blade held on its side, with or without a guide strip.

[Steve Voigt]

Alternatively, you could make a grooving plane; these are simple and very cheap. Mathew kenney has a FWW article on these, and rob cosman also has an article (havent checked that one out). Lie Nielsen sells blades for the Kenney design, and if you check their site, i think they have a link to instructions for building the plane.
The LN blades are expensive, but you could use anything: a HSS lathe toolbit would be my first choice, or maybe an old chisel with the handle cut off.
Sorry, posting from my phone, or i'd provide some links. But they should be easy to find.