Stanley 39 dado planes – thoughts

[Tyler Bancroft]

I have a lot of dadoes to cut, and I'm thinking about buying a Stanley No. 39. I've never used one, but pickings are pretty slim for dado planes – does anyone have opinions on them?

[Derek Cohen]

Tyler, I have not used a #39, but have used several planes for dados and sliding dovetails. My overall preference is a Azebiki saw, knife, chisel and router plane as this offers more control over the size and shape (tapered or not, and stopped).

The best dedicated dado plane is made by HNT Gordon. The combination planes do a very good job: Veritas, Stanley #45 and #46. I wrote a comparison of them here:

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ToolRev...ane-dados.html

In regard to dado planes, the #39 and woodies, it all comes down to a straight body and the way you set up the blade and nickers.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Rainey]

Tyler, glad to see you interested in hand cut dadoes. I love dado planes and bought an HNT Gordon 3/4inch plane a couple years ago. I had tried a Stanley 46 but never quite got it tuned up to my exacting standards. I was able to use a my dado plane just using the nicker for the crosscut. It was a sweet experience. ( Relying on just the nicker to score the crosscut line is a bit risky, as guru Charles Guest pointed out ). I do not have any experience with the Stanley 39, but am interested in them also. I just have never seen any Neanerthal post pics of quality furniture using that tool - a lot of pine cuts, with occasional tear out. Warren Mickley is also an authority on the dado plane. Here is a link to my work

[steven c newman]

The No. 39 came in a variety of widths...to match the width of the dado you want to mill.

I have the #39 3/8" version. you set a batten across the board, for this plane to follow along...It has 2 spurs, and a depth stop....set the batten, set the depth stop, and proceed to cut the dado, simple as that...as long as the cutter is sharp, should not ever be a problem.

It will not do stopped dados, though.

I keep looking for a 3/4" wide version...maybe someday one will show up...until then, I can always set up the Stanley 45, type 4.....

[Warren Mickley]

I use a Stanley 45 plane for most dadoes. This plane can be adjusted to make dadoes up to 1/16 wider than the cutter width, so you have some freedom to make the dado just the width you want. Compared to a dedicated dado plane it has more set up time.

Peter Nicholson, writing in 1812, said that dado planes were typically 3/8 inch wide. I think what they did for wider dadoes was to make two overlapping cuts or two dadoes with a small strip between which could be removed to make a 7/8 dado for example. I have used this technique for wide work. Dadoes in period work are rather shallow.

I looked at the HTN Gordon plane. It has a 60 degree bed, which is nuts for crossgrain work.

[Derek Cohen]

I looked at the HTN Gordon plane. It has a 60 degree bed, which is nuts for crossgrain work.

The HNT Gordon shoulder planes are also 60 degrees. All commonsense says that these planes will struggle to work. Yet they perform amazingly well.

I have the 1/4" HNT Gordon dado plane ...





The bed is 60 degrees and the blade is skewed at 20 degrees. The blade is 3/16” thick HCS.







Close up of the nicker …


Work it against a fence ...





The wood is Tasmanian Hardwood, which resembles White Oak somewhat.

High angle bed and all ... it just does a magnificent job.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Mark Rainey]

I agree with Derek about the magnificant job the HNT Gordon dado plane does. Right now, it is the king of the hill. Check out Terry Gordon running wild with his dado planes in this. Warren I value your wisdom concerning bedding angles. I would be interesting to have a comparison of different bedding angles on plane performance.

[Tyler Bancroft]

Thanks all.
Derek: I have read (and drooled over) that review before now. Alas, factoring in transport, customs charges, and exchange rates, the HNT Gordon plane is (at minimum) triple what a good condition 39 costs. In a perfect world, that wouldn't matter, but...
Mark: Your pictures aren't helping my efforts to not buy one! Given the (relatively) low price of a vintage 39, I'm still leaning toward giving one a shot. I am in the process of building a set of bookcases to store ~4000 books, and a good part of those will be in pine, so I'm hoping it could get the job done. I don't mind doing some cleanup by hand when necessary, but when I have that many long dadoes to cut, I'm definitely open to timesavers relative to saw and chisel.

[Jason Buresh]

I know this is the hand tools sections, I I normally advocate for hand tools, but....

If you truly have to cut that many dados that you are considering buying a dedicated plane, then may I suggest using a router or a table saw with a dado stack.

I have quite a few specialty planes, and I love them, but they do take time and practice to set up and use. Don't be under the illusion that you can just buy a vintage 39 and start cutting perfect dados.

IF this were me, I would probably take the 30min to an hour and build another crosscut sled for my table saw to use with a dado stack. Or build a jig for a router and straight but.

If you want to go full neanderthal, I get it. I always try to grab hand tools first too.

But in this case, it sounds like power tools may be the more efficient route

[Warren Mickley]

For shelving for books it is really helpful to avoid 3/4 material. A shelf that is 7/8 or 1" will sag noticeably less than one that is 3/4. Even if you end up with a 3/4 dado, I would make a small rabbet on the end of a 7/8 board to fit in the dado.

[Scott Clausen]

I know this is the hand tools sections, I I normally advocate for hand tools, but....

If you truly have to cut that many dados that you are considering buying a dedicated plane, then may I suggest using a router or a table saw with a dado stack.

I have quite a few specialty planes, and I love them, but they do take time and practice to set up and use. Don't be under the illusion that you can just buy a vintage 39 and start cutting perfect dados.

IF this were me, I would probably take the 30min to an hour and build another crosscut sled for my table saw to use with a dado stack. Or build a jig for a router and straight but.

If you want to go full neanderthal, I get it. I always try to grab hand tools first too.

But in this case, it sounds like power tools may be the more efficient route

I agree, I was watching a Paul Sellers chair making video this morning. He said hand ripping all the slats and other chair parts would take forever so he broke out the band saw.

[Jason Buresh]

Completely agree. Also, be mindful of how wide each shelf is. The wider you stretch the shelf, the more likely it is to sag. I think I remember reading or hearing somewhere that 30" is starting to push it. Of course, you can reinforce the shelf if you want to go wider, but for using just one board in dados I would be mindful of the width.

[Scott Clausen]

It also can be dependent on what the shelf will hold, Large books end to end can be a lot different than trinkets & bowls.

[Derek Cohen]

I have made dados every possible way. I would rather set them out and mark their positions by hand, and then use hand tools to form them. I am not racing the clock. It is also not a journey thing, although this is a part of it. I just feel more in control and sure of the outcome working by hand than with power tools (and I am as experienced with power as hand), where things can go wrong very quickly.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Stopped dados can be done, likely with almost any dado plane.

Here is my first try at it > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?278928

Full through dados are easier. In my opinion, stopped dados look better.

Take care to avoid blow out on the exit end of the dado.

jtk