Rabbet Plane advice

[Jon Snider]

I frequently need various types of rabbets in my dory boat building. Most recently I needed to recess a full length very thick brass piano hinge. Often these parts are already attached, and b/c of the adjacent boat parts I’m limited in getting into some areas or having a flat registration surface. Up until now, if I couldn’t make a router jig and template work (unfortunately too frequent), I’ve used chisels and a combo of router planes, block planes, chisel planes etc. None have been ideal.

I’m confused on the choices of rabbet planes, or where these would be chosen over shoulder planes. From what I can tell there are several options:

LN 140 Skew block w fence.
LN 60 1/2 Rabbet block
LV Skew block w fence - all bevel up

LV Jack Rabbet - bevel up, no skew, with fence
LN 10 1/4 Bench Rabbet - bevel down, no skew, no fence
LV Skew Rabbet - bevel down, skew, fence

Then there’s a host of specialty planes, and shoulder planes. The LN 40B mortise plane would be sweet, if it had an open side.

I’m leaning for a combo of the LV Skew Rabbet and either the LV Skew block or the 140.

I would appreciate advice from others who have used these planes for +/-‘s. Thanks.

Jon

[steven c newman]

Stanley No. 78
Sargent No. 79

Have both in my shop. And USE them. Spurs are not needed when going with the grain.

A Stanley #45 can be set up as a rabbet plane, as well....

Have felt no need for the new versions....YMMV...

[Thomas Wilson]

A depth stop as on a combination plane would help me to keep the depth uniform.

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Jon, my camera will be taken out to the shop today. Hopefully by this evening some images can be posted to show some other options to suit your needs.

Some tools come to mind:

A rabbet spoke shave (Stanley #68) may help in some situations.

A wood bodied rabbet plane could have a fence and depth stop attached (sacrilege & blasphemy say some).

Some wood bodied planes, moving fillister, were made with these but can be expensive.

My main fenced rabbet plane is a Record #778. Before getting the hang of it a Stanley #45 was often used for rabbet work. (these, or their equivalents, were mentioned previously by Mr. Newman)

476215

In this image the #778 was set up for left hand use. Something that can be very handy.

Over on the right laying on its side is a Stanley #90 Rabbet plane, not to be confused with the Stanley #90 Cabinet Makers Rabbet plane (aka Bull Nose Shoulder plane). These are a nice plane but sought out by collectors. This one was very inexpensive since it has been modified, the bane of collectors everywhere.


I’m confused on the choices of rabbet planes, or where these would be chosen over shoulder planes.

The shoulder plane is a specialized rabbet plane. There are many specialty planes among the rabbet planes. What is commonly called a Shoulder plane is really a Cabinet Makers Rabbet plane.

Here is some good reading on the subject > http://www.supertool.com/StanleyBG/stan11.htm

You may also like the #95 on the linked page. LN & LV both make left and right hand versions of this plane. They would both work best with the edge of the rabbet first being knifed.

More later…

jtk

[Scott Winners]

I used a size medium L-N shoulder plane for that fussy joint where the strakes meet the stem on the one lapstrake Dory I helped out on. The stem was smooth up and down, not the kind where the front view looks like a Christmas tree.

I have a couple moving fillister planes now, I find them a bit fussy to adjust and high maintenance, where the shoulder plane was a little bulldozer than need to be pushed accurately. Gains, we were cutting gains in the upper edge of the previously installed strake so the incoming strake could meet the stem smoothly. Pain in the neck joint, but inherently beautiful when well executed.

Got any pictures?

[Jim Koepke]

A little later than was anticipated but here are some images of a few different types of rabbet planes (aka rebate planes).

First a couple sole views of a #68 Spokeshave and a Coach Makers' rabbet plane:

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The shave has a bit of a curve to the sides to navigate curves. The Coach Maker's plane has a radius to the sole, also for working on curved work.

Side views:

476260

The handles on the shave do not provide a lot of room for big fingers.

Finally a few different types of Rabbet planes:

476261

Upper left is a #10-1/2 Rabbet plane. This is the size of a #4 it is known as a Carriage Makers' Rabbet plane and sometimes called a smooth rabbet. This one came to me inexpensively due to a previous owner drilling and tapping some holes in the sole. A piece of wood can be held and used as a fence on the base of this plane. These can be a pain getting the blade in and out with a new after market iron.

Below it is a Stanley #90 Steel Cased Rabbet plane. The big opening in the side and the removal of wood by the opening was done by a previous owner. This made this plane less desirable to collectors but it makes it much more useful to a user.

In the middle are a #98 & #99 Side Rabbet planes. These are usually used with the blades working on a vertical edge. They come in very handy to make a dado or a groove a little wider. They are also likely to be the lowest bedding angle of any plane at 8º.

To the top right are three wood body rabbet planes. These come in many sizes.

On the bottom right is a Stanley #93 Cabinet Makers' Rabbet plane (aka Shoulder plane).

With a well defined corner between the sides and the sole of these planes it is not terribly difficult to cut a good rabbet without a fence. First scribe a clean edge line for the rabbet. Set the edge of the plane into the scribe line with the plane tilted enough to hold the plane in the scribed line. Take a few full length shavings. Once a clean cut is made from end to end, start lowering the angle of the plane with each following stroke into the full width of the rabbet.

People often disagree with me on setting the blade but this works for me. The side of the plane to be against the wall of the rabbet is pressed against a clean space on the bench, no shavings or other particles. The blade is then pressed down against the bench. It is just that easy. If the blade is properly sharpened this will cut a clean rabbet.

jtk

[Jon Snider]

Thank you Jim and others. Appreciate the info and your time and effort in sending it. I need to develop better old tool knowledge.

I’m mainly looking at the newer options from LV and LN do would like to hear any thoughts about those listed. Thx.

[Jim Koepke]

Thank you Jim and others. Appreciate the info and your time and effort in sending it. I need to develop better old tool knowledge.

I’m mainly looking at the newer options from LV and LN do would like to hear any thoughts about those listed. Thx.

It appears most of these are out of stock. If you can use a plane left handed it appears the Veritas (LV) is available. It does have a fence and a depth stop. Eventually you may want both left & right handed versions.

In my experience with some work being able to use a plane from either side is helpful. Sometimes the grain doesn't want to cooperate.

jtk

[Jon Snider]

Yeah, ongoing problem with the supply chain I guess. My left hand is attached to my left shoulder, which just had rotator cuff repair. Which is no picnic if any of you have had that done. Even when I’m released to left hand use after maybe 6 months, I am so right hand dominant I will use almost any contortion, even risking bad grain direction, if I can to avoid using my left hand. I once tried to chisel a hatch lid recess with my left hand when I found no possible other way to get there. Pretty much botched it, and after looking at it for a few weeks hoping I might come to ignore it, took out the entire frame and rebuilt it off the boat. ��

[Jim Koepke]

Yeah, ongoing problem with the supply chain I guess. My left hand is attached to my left shoulder, which just had rotator cuff repair. Which is no picnic if any of you have had that done. Even when I’m released to left hand use after maybe 6 months, I am so right hand dominant I will use almost any contortion, even risking bad grain direction, if I can to avoid using my left hand. I once tried to chisel a hatch lid recess with my left hand when I found no possible other way to get there. Pretty much botched it, and after looking at it for a few weeks hoping I might come to ignore it, took out the entire frame and rebuilt it off the boat. ��

I know of what you speak Jon. My right shoulder was messed up in a bicycling accident. This was 50 years ago and still bothers me to this day. That was my reason for purchasing an LA Jack followed by a Left Hand Shooting plane.

Fortunately I am somewhat ambidextrous even though the right hand is dominant. The two sides of our bodies are separate. For me working left handed has a different feel than working right handed. Typically our eyes are also side dominant. I can switch back and forth between right eyed and left eyed very easily. One thing that is next to impossible for me is to look at those images where one is supposed to focus far off and a 3D image is supposed to appear. Only once did something appear and it wasn't very impressive or clear. Makes me wonder if those might depend on a single dominant eye.

jtk

[Mike Allen1010]

Hey Jon,

Lots of good options for cutting rabbits already mention by JTK and others.

Part of your question I heard that is most relevant to working on boats is the lack of a accessible, straight reference surface because much of your work needs to be done on installed piece already in place.

Given that, One of the smaller, fenced rabbit planes would be easier to use in confined space. I have the LN skewed, fenced rabbit plane (160?)and it’s a fantastic tool. I use mine for cutting bevels on raised panels and it works great.

Sometimes in the tickly inaccessible or curved sections your only real choice is a chisel. Big sharp chisel after hand saw cross cuts through the waste is your best option.

[andy bessette]

I like the handiness of the small shoulder planes such as those made by Stanley. But they are not as easy on the hands as the LN small block rabbet plane since they have many sharp, unfinished edges. Also they load up with chips without any convenient way to shed the waste, requiring frequent and tedious cleaning with something like an engineers scribe.

The type is shown near the bottom left of this photo depicting the contents of my portable boat building kit.

https://i.postimg.cc/GtgDCtb2/tool-kit-1.jpg (https://postimages.org/)