Replies

1. 
   Samson | Sep 24, 2007 10:19pm | #1

   There are many vintage plow/groove planes that work fine and can be had in user shape for $100 or less.  For example, I love my Stanley 248A  for things like cutting grooves like drawer bottoms.  Check the old tool dealers and/or eBay.  Perhaps you can find a decent user plow plane from Record or Stanley - there are plenty of models other than the 248.   

2. 
   Samson | Sep 24, 2007 10:26pm | #2

   Here's a nice one.  It may be too clean, and therefore collector bait ($$$$), but maybe not:

   http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-STANLEY-NO-248-WOOD-PLANE-TOOL-5-BLADES-EX-C-NR_W0QQitemZ140160267112QQihZ004QQcategoryZ13874QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

3. 
   Lataxe | Sep 24, 2007 10:37pm | #3

   W,

   I found a nice new Mujinfang plough plane at Tilgear, a British tool seller.  But Mujinfang are Chinese and sell internationally.

   The plane is wooden (hardwood) with a steel skate and can be got with 5 blades from 1/8" to 3/8";or with just a single 1/4" blade.  The blades are surprisingly sharp and stay that way.

   I won't pretend that the plane is super-duper but it is not rubbish and can be made to work well.  I paid a mere £25 ($50) for mine, with the 5 blades.  It was £15 with a single blade......

   Lataxe

4. 
   Tony Z | Sep 25, 2007 06:56pm | #4

   Record 43 or 44.  Decent quality can be had for less than half of the new LV.

5. 
   derekcohen | Sep 25, 2007 07:48pm | #5

   Technically, you do not plough a dado for a drawer since a dado runs across the grain. What you require for a drawer is a groove that runs with the grain.

   There are two types of grooves that may be used. The more common one, typically used when the groove is hidden by a half blind dovetailed front, is a through groove. This is easily cut with a plough plane.

   At the rear is a Stanley #45. Front left to right is a Rapier #043, Record #044, and a Stanley #46.

   View Image 

   (The Stanley #46 is the plane of choice for a cross grained dado).

   An alternative is a dedicated drawer plough. This one cuts a 1/4" groove at a fixed distance from the edge:

   View Image

   The second groove for a drawer is a stopped groove, which must be hidden inside a drawer with through dovetails.

   This may be cut with a groove that is first chiselled out then flattened with a router plane:

   View Image

   Regards from Perth

   Derek