18th century rabbet plane

[Kees Heiden]

As promissed, here are a few pictures of my "new" rabbet plane. I saw it as an older advertisement on a local craigslist like list. Typically something that interests me, but I allready have too much stuff, so I offered a very low 5 euro. Within 15 minutes I got an email back that my offer was accepted!

So, today it arrived. It is in remarkably good shape for a plane from late 18th century. It has the mark from Pieter van Duijl, planemaker in Rotterdam, either the father or the son. Dates are from 1755 to 1805 acording to the book from Gerrit van der Sterre.

The plane is very long, I guess it is a typical carpenters plane. There is a mark on the iron, but I can't really read it. It is really nothing special overhere in The Netherlands, but I like it. Nice carving on the front. An iron strike button. The wedge is a little short as I may say so, that would make for easy chattering. If I have a bit of time this weekend I 'll try to get it up and running.

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/plane/99159606-09cd-486d-849e-a3c0fff5c535_zps46602f85.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/plane/99159606-09cd-486d-849e-a3c0fff5c535_zps46602f85.jpg.html)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/plane/IMG_1239_zpsc2148c5f.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/plane/IMG_1239_zpsc2148c5f.jpg.html)

http://i290.photobucket.com/albums/ll266/Kees2351/plane/IMG_1241_zps51c09517.jpg (http://s290.photobucket.com/user/Kees2351/media/plane/IMG_1241_zps51c09517.jpg.html)

[David Weaver]

Wow...14 or 15 inches long. The design of the continental planes (in terms of proportions and the carving that seems to be on every old continental plane) is interesting compared to the english tool. Iron strike button is unusual compared to English inspired tools, too.

It looks in great shape to use, and 5 euro is as cheap or cheaper than you could find suitable wood and steel to make one.

[Kees Heiden]

Yes, all these cheap planes have sussed all my previous ideas to build my own planes. I have some nice beech, some good old English single irons and I had visions to create my own stable of high angle wooden planes. Then I learned to use the capiron, and all my nice visions are gone. Who knows, maybe I'll get around to make some nice double iron planes some day.

[Kees Heiden]

These carvings are very typical for Dutch side escapement planes and was used until WW2. But the early ones are just a little different from the later Nooitgedagt versions and usually better quality too.

[Steve Voigt]

Pretty cool! The wedge might be a replacement. Might be worth making another.
Somewhere I read about these long rabbet planes, but I can't remember where I saw it. I'm thinking maybe it's a ship builders plane? Maybe Warren will know.
Peter Follansbee has had some similar looking rabbets on his blog, I think.

[Wolfgang Jordan]

Nice find, Kees. The mark on the iron is "F. WILHELM DÜRHOLZ", a maker of chisels and plane irons in Remscheid/Germany.

Wolfgang

[Jim Matthews]

Should the wedge come down further into the mouth,
or does it not matter?

Love the jimping at the front end, I must wonder why that was done?

[Kees Heiden]

Thanks for the name on the iron, Wolfgang! According to your website Duerholz was still in business in 1960. It is very likely that this is a replacement iron. It is about 4mm thick. In the 18th century most irons were about 3mm. That explains also why the wedge doesn't go much further down.

The wedge has some worm damage, while the rest of the plane doesn't. I see this more often. Wedges seem to taste better then the stock of the plane!