Which planes for joinery and cabinet making.

[Dan Kraakenes]

Which Joinery planes would I need to make something like this Clock my Grandfather made for me 22 years ago.

If one breaks it down very simply, its 3 cabinets stacked on each other.
But, lets say its a great start to learn to build furniture using joinery planes.


English is not my first language, and I prefer buying new tools, made in US/Can/Eu/Japan, Aus, Taiwan etc etc. Possibly other Brands in other countries IF they have something special or better made, and not a copy. Used only if there is no new quality products made.

I have some tools, but lack joinery tools to make cabinetry by hand.
Possibly in most impractical and time consuming way (within reason of course, since its a hobby and not making any money of this)


Which Planes do I need, to make these joints or other operations to make cabinetry with handtools.
Anything else?


Tounge and Groove
Rabbet
Plow /plough
Router
Dado

Photo of Clock
366792D1-2965-4F87-AE60-CC0DF1D6CCD2.jpg

[mike stenson]

I'd say that's a good starting list for joinery planes, tongue and groove size will be based on stock thickness. Anything from there is pretty much a 'discover the need as you go' type deal. I do use my large shoulder plane quite a bit (I wouldn't have bought the medium again now though, it's mostly unused).

[Jim Koepke]

Hi Dan, what would be the best suggestion for you might also depend on where you are.

Some of the work on the clock case looks like it may have been done with an electric router. Unless your grandfather was an accomplished carver my guess is some of the decorative elements on the doors and around the clock face may have been purchased pre made.

Much of the moldings can be made with a few hollow and round planes aided by a rabbet/rebate plane. The hollows and rounds are easier to find used in the U.S. and EU. I do not know how common they are in other parts of the world.

A Round for the Hollow.jpg

This is a rather large pair of hollow & round planes.

A tongue and groove plane might not be of much use if you do not have to make wide panels. Gluing a few pieces together is easy even without cutting tongue and groove joints.

A plow plane is handy for frame and panel work.

A router plane can be helpful for cutting tenons and dados. A dado plane isn't as important. Many times a dado is fairly easy to cut with saws and chisels.

For bench planes, it is possible to do most flattening and smoothing work on stock with just a #4, #5 and #7. The variations on this would be for larger work a #8 (jointer) or for smaller work a #3 (smoother). There are other variations within the possibilities. There are some who claim it can all be done with just one plane. For me it is easier to have different planes sized for the different aspects of working wood.

jtk

[Dan Kraakenes]

Hi Dan, what would be the best suggestion for you might also depend on where you are.

Some of the work on the clock case looks like it may have been done with an electric router. Unless your grandfather was an accomplished carver my guess is some of the decorative elements on the doors and around the clock face may have been purchased pre made.
.

I belive some edges might be machine routed and moldings might be purchased.

The rest is handmade/hand carved. This and the large chest I have is carved when he was older, so its not the best he did. Some of the stuff he did when he was in his 50-60s is much more detailed.

[steven c newman]

Thinking a well equipped Stanley No. 55 would do almost all of the tasks you would be looking to do.....I happen to have 2 Stanley No. 45s....doing just fine. The #55 merely gives you more options for making moldings. I Do have a Stanley No. 78, mainly for rebates....and a Stanley No. 39...3/8" Dado plane. Also, in it's own case, a Stanley No. 71-1/2 Router plane...