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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Big Bend/Panhandle, FL
    Posts
    122

    On router planes...

    Hi all,

    I am very much a hobbyist and only in the last year or so did I take the plunge into the hand tool world. I recently completed a large built-in book case project using a mix of powered and hand tools. The bookcase housing features thru dadoes for the shelving that I cut using a back saw and removed the waste with a chisel. They are not museum quality, but they look okay. The doors are fairly straight forward poplar frame and plywood panels. (Don't judge me too harshly over the choice of plywood, I had to finish the project because we thought we had guests staying with us and my wife wanted the project completed and room put back together.) My M&T joinery still needs work and it took a good deal of trimming, but they eventually came together and passed my bar for acceptable. In addition to the 24 dadoes and 16 tenons for doors, I also opted for stopped grooves for the panels. While trimming the tenons to fit, laboriously cutting the 8 stopped grooves (I used a plow plane to hog out most of the waste), and never being thrilled about the thru dadoes, it occurred to me that a router plane would probably make the work easier and maybe even more enjoyable. My question to myself and now to anyone is: For those that have and use a router plane, how often do you reach for it? I know a lot has been said on this forum about the venerable router plane, but is it a go to tool you? I know only I can decide for myself if the tool is worth the expense and time learning to use it properly, but I would like your input.

    If I decide to buy a router plane, based on hundreds of posts here, I think the Veritas plane is the probably the best option. I enjoy working with vintage tools (the historian in me takes great pleasure is using a tool that is 100+ years old), but the given the current price of Stanley 71's and 71 1/2's or Record 071's, the Veritas large router plane makes sense to me. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
    Last edited by Tim Best; 06-03-2020 at 10:15 PM. Reason: Edited to include plow plane use

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