Grooves

[adamcherubini]

Most of the wooden 'plow' planes I've seen pics of were somewhat elaborate... like earlier versions of the metal body planes, with threaded rods and wooden nuts/wheels... but maybe 100-500 yr earlier, not what I'd typically think of as 'Roman' era.


I'll have to do some digging on YT for that.  Probably not something I would want to do on anything resembling a regular basis, but I wouldn't mind trying it once for experience.

I think the threaded woodie plows are newer. 18th c plows probably had wedged arms as the more common style. I have 2 like that. In some ways easier to use. That style probably dates back 1000 yrs at least.

This may get me in trouble: I don’t love plow planes like many of my ilk do. When I started woodworking, people collected plows and plated braces. In general, I find any tool with “universal” in its name is a bad tool.

I use a tool I call a drawer bottom fillister or grooving plane for all my plowing needs.

Looks like this:

https://www.jimbodetools.com/products/ma...fine-86641

I think Warren told me it’s called a fillester only because it’s adjustable fence looks like that of a moving fillester plane.

It’s a handy devil by any name exactly as Warren says. When you are cutting grooves 99% of the time you want a 1/4” or 5/16” groove within 3/4 of the edge of the board.

Mike Dunbar wrote a fun story in his awesome book “Restoring Tuning and Using classic hand tools” which I found accurate:

When shopping for a set of plow plane irons, you almost never find a set with the 1/4” iron. When shopping for old plows, they almost always come with the 1/4” iron still fitted.

(It was funnier the way he told it.)

[wmickley]

A fillister is a rabbet plane with a fence. A common fillister has a fixed fence; a moving fillister has an adjustable fence.

[bandit571]

Craftsman(Sargent) #79s...

   
And, what they are very good at...

   
Can also be used like a shoulder plane...at least that is what I used the plain one for....

   
Next time in the shop...I get to plough some 1/4" grooves...

   
Have it all set up, and ready to go..

[Derek Cohen]

This may get me in trouble: I don’t love plow planes like many of my ilk do. When I started woodworking, people collected plows and plated braces. In general, I find any tool with “universal” in its name is a bad tool.

I use a tool I call a drawer bottom fillister or grooving plane for all my plowing needs.

Adam, I prefer to use a plough plane because it has an adjustable fence. The position of the groove is not universal in the drawers I build - it depends on the height of the sides and the design. Some drawers have grooves, some (more) have slips. The slips may have as narrow as 1/8” grooves. 

I have built a bridle plough plane, with the traditional 8 blades from 1/4” up …



However, I much prefer using a Veritas Small Plow or, with very small work, a Record #043. These are quick to set up, and nimble to use.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[bandit571]

That Stanley No. 45 SW was put to work, this morning..

   
From Roxton Pond, QUE. CAN. 

Set up with a #12 cutter...

   
Be sure to use a candle to make things go a bit easier IN the groove..

   
Dry fitting, waiting on the 4th side to be done...

Happen to like these sort of planes, that I also have a second, older one (Type 4-5?) that I keep set up for cross grain work.  

They are NOT that hard to learn to use...if I can do...just about anyone can.   Stanley called this a 7 planes in one...