planing drawers

[Les Spencer]

When planing dovetailed drawers to fit a case, which type of plane do you use to eliminate tearing of the end grain on the dovetails?:confused:

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Les, you need a low angle block plane and should plane so the side of the drawer supports the dovetail end.

[Derek Cohen]

In addition to the usual LA block planes (from a #60 1/2-type through to a #62-type), I also have success using a 2" wide chisel. It pays to plan ahead so that you are planing/paring from the front and towards the rear of the drawer.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Peter Mc Mahon]

Hi Les. You will not tear out the end grain no matter what type of plane that you use. You will splinter off the very end of the end grain if you plane off the edge with any plane that you use. You can either use a backer board or slightly chamfer the edge so it will not tear off, or plane in from the end for the first inch or so and then plane from the other end until you smooth out your first inch or so. Peter

[Les Spencer]

Thanks for the advise fellas.:) I'll give it a try on my next drawer.

[Hunter Wallace]

I was going to suggest using a SHARP one:p