Breadboard Ends

[Elijah A.]

Hey, I am building a table and I want to do breadboard ends by hand. I am planning to use a cross cut back saw to establish the edge and chisel out the waste cleaning up with a router plane. I do not own a shoulder plane or any type of rabbeting plane. Is it possible to clean up the 90 degree angle without a shoulder plane? I don't mind buying a tool but I'm open to ideas on how to clean up the 90 without owning a shoulder plane. Thx!
Eli

[rwe2156]

Hey, I am building table and I want to do breadboard ends by hand. I am planning to use a cross cut back saw to establish the edge and chisel out the waste cleaning up with a router plane. I do not own a shoulder plane or any type of rabbeting plane. Is it possible to clean up the 45 angle without a shoulder plane? I don't mind buying a tool but I'm open to ideas on how to clean up the 45 without owning a shoulder plane. Thx!

What 45° angle?

[Elijah A.]

Sorry, the 90 degree shoulder for the long tenon across the end of the table. The large tenon that the breadboard will fit over. I want a clean joint. I see people using shoulder planes for a perfect 90 degree angle. Are there other ways with hand tools?

[Bill_Houghton]

That looks more like a 90 degree angle - the shoulder of the tenon.  In theory, it's possible with very careful chisel work; but practice a lot first.

You might consider something like this to help you:

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.as...1182,41192

Sharp chisel. Sharp. Really sharp.

[Jim Waldron]

Found this example of what I'm describing online.

No 45 degree angle in sight. The shoulder angle is 90 degrees. With a properly sharp chisel and careful work, the shoulder can be done well. Faster with a shoulder plane, but not automatically better.

A little geometry homework may be in order, it seems to me.

[Elijah A.]

So sorry, I can understand the confusion. I did not mean to say 45, I meant 90... My wife had a baby a few days ago, not getting much sleep

[Bibliophile 13]

Do you have a router plane? If so, you can use it to clean up the tenon by setting a spacer board at the end of the tenon so the router plane can ride over both sides of the tenon--just as if it were a really wide dado joint. It won't leave a very smooth surface, but it will be a lot more regular than you can probably do freehand with a chisel.

[Bill_Houghton]

So sorry, I can understand the confusion. I did not mean to say 45, I meant 90... My wife had a baby a few days ago, not getting much sleep

Ah, well, she did the heavy work, but you were both involved - and sure will be from here on out.  I'm amazed that you even have enough spare brain cells to think about shop work done right now.

[Elijah A.]

Yeah, Its been a great but crazy week!

[hbmcc]

Yeah, Its been a great but crazy week!

Sometimes we focus on something because it was in the plans before the related event happens. Unless your breadboard is part of a changing table, the distraction could be an intrusion into domestic harmony. Guys are notorious for coming to the party too late. 

Just my experience..... 

Yes you can build the tenon shoulders, and mortise walls, with nothing more than a very sharp chisel (widest you can get), a backing board (guide) and careful paring. Level lands, base, for the router plan can work for the final mortise excavation--optional. But, rely on a chisel to do initial mortise excavation. 

What is the wood? You don't always need breadboards. For example Doug fir.