Replies

1. 
   gdblake | Feb 08, 2010 02:24pm | #1

   Kyle:

   The easy cheat when making a box is to use thicker material for the sides with the tails and cut the grooves the full length of the board. Then rabbit the inside ends the length of the tails down to the same depth as the groove. Now cut your through tails and pins as you normally would. The rabbit helps you hold the tails tight against the ends of the board that will receive the pins while you mark them out. The drawback is that the sides with the tails will obviously be thicker when looking at the inside of the box. Or, you just let your tails be thinner. If your box is small we're only talking an eight inch or so.

   Another way to go after this is to cut a mortise to form each end of the stopped groove and then plow the material in between. This will require being able to put the fence on either side of the plow so you can work into each mortice. It's not as fast as a plow plane, but this is one of those applications a router plane comes in handy for.

   gdblake

2. 
   flairwoodworks | Feb 08, 2010 08:47pm | #2

   Kyle,

   There is no easy way to make stopped grooves, especially short ones - the easiest way is to design it so that they can be run through. One method I use is to use a marking gauge to scribe the sides of the groove, then waste it away with a chisel narrower than the groove is wide. Then I will finish up with a router plane to ensure even depth. Sometimes, I will drop the board onto the table saw blade or router bit set to the proper height (depth).

3. 
   flairwoodworks | Feb 10, 2010 07:39pm | #3

   Kyle,

   On page 108 of Toshio Odate's book "Japanese Woodworking Tools", he talks about a "dabo-shakuri-kanna" or "pin plow plane". The plane in the drawing looks to be about 10" long with the blade projecting 1/4" or more from what appears to be the sole. Just ahead of the blade is a wooden wedge through the body, presumably the same width of the blade and set a touch shallower than the blade. This wedge forms the actual sole of the plane. This design allows the plane to cut very closely to the ends of the work piece.

4. 
   derekcohen | Feb 12, 2010 11:32am | #4

   Hi Kyle

   Face it - you need a router plane. So, make your own!

   View Image

   View Image

   http://www.inthewoodshop.com/ShopMadeTools/OldWoman%27sTooth.html

   Essentially, mark out the groove using a cutting gauge, chisel out most of the waste, then use the router plane to level the bottom.

   I have a pictorial on this here: http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/AStoppedGrooveinaDovetailedBox.html

   Regards from Perth

   Derek

1. 
   davcefai | Apr 03, 2010 05:15pm | #8

   +1 for this suggestion. I would hate to try what you are doing with a plough plane but the router plane is perfect for the job.

5. 
   joinerswork | Feb 12, 2010 06:24pm | #5

   kmaus,

   You know, half-blind dovetails allow you to plow THROUGH grooves on all four sides of a box, if you put the groove between the pins...

   Ray

6. 
   DonStephan | Feb 12, 2010 08:20pm | #6

   Kyle:
   It's not very elegant,
   Kyle:

   It's not very elegant, but you could plow the grooves full length, then glue tight plugs in the ends. To blend in well, you'd have to spend some time making plugs with matching or very similar grain lines. Some time would be saved if you have an offcut from each end.

7. 
   JIM_UTAH | Apr 02, 2010 06:07pm | #7

   I have used the following method which works for me.  Use a mortise gauge to mark where you want the groove/dado.  Mark the desired beginning and end with a shallow chisel cut.  Then use a straight edge and knife to make a deeper score on the light scoring marks made by the mortise gauge.  Let's assume that you're using a right-handed plow plane.  We'll call the start of the groove the right side and the end the left side.  With your chisel, make a cut at the end (left) of the groove. Make the cut like you were starting a mortise made by hand.  Go maybe 1/4" deep (not to exceed your desired depth of cut).  Then start your plow plane cut about 1/2" from the this chisel cut.  Make a shallow cut with the plow plane to the "mortise cut", which is the left end of your desired groove.  Make successive cuts with the plow plane each one a little further to the right of the last one.  So, the idea here is to work backwards across the board, slowly cutting deeper on each successive cut.  You will only be able to cut "so close" to the right end of your groove.  When you get the groove cut as deep as desired and reasonably close to the right side limit, simply finish the groove with a chisel or a router plane.  (nice pictures of home build router plane already posted.)

   Hope this makes sense and helps.

   --Best wishes, Jim