I recently purchased a Stanley #90 rabbet plane. After not getting good results trimming a tenon, I read more online and discovered one (I’m sure there’s more) difference between a rabbet plane and a shoulder plane – the fact that the blade is near the front of the rabbet plane and just forward of center in the shoulder plane.
Am I using the rabbet plane wrong or did I just buy the wrong tool for tenon shoulders?
Also, any recommendations for a good, reasonably priced, shoulder plane? An article on this site recommended the new Veritas model, ranking them both best overall and best value, but I would like to spend less than the $180 plus shipping that Lee Valley sells their medium sized model for.
Replies
six of one . . .
I think you'll find some people prefer one while others prefer the other. I think it's one of those "just depends" things with respect to trimming tenons. Personally, I feel like I have more control with a small rabbet block plane on tenons. For evening out the bottom of a dado, however, the choice is obvious.
What's what
I have a Stanley #90 (what) I thought shoulder. I've googled sholder and rabbet planes and find that at one place it is a shoulder plane and the other it's a rabbet plane. Then my Stanley 78 rabbet? has the fence for making variable width rabbits.
Is this another "crescent wrench" "channel lock pliers" type thing?
variations
I'm not a plane expert, but I've always thought of shoulder planes to be similar to the Lie Nielsen:
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=042
with a width of 1/2" to 1" or so.
Rabbet (rebate) planes I've seen are either similar to a #4 smoother, except the iron extends to the full width of the sole through openings on either side. Then, there are the rabbet block planes that are like conventional block planes in size, but with the full width iron. Some have openings on only one side, and may have a skewed iron.
The #90 has the additional variation of being a bullnose - with the iron near the front end.
For some time I didn't know there was a difference, and I struggled with limited success to dress tenons with a shoulder plane, especially tenons longer than the shoulder place was wide. When I purchased a LN block rabbet plane tenons became much easier to trim quickly and accurately. I haven't tried to trim the shoulder of tenons, but if it were necessary I would first try the shoulder plane. With a backer block of some sort to limit chipping.
jfsksa
I had a shoulder plane first so I favor that. I have the medium sized Veritas, and I can see why it would be too skinny to do a good sized tenon, but I still prefer it for that purpose over the rabbet. the rabbet is too easy to round over.
My apologies for not thinking of this until I used both today. One reason I primarily use the rabbeting block plane is that I can more easily see the shaving being made, which helps me follow how uniformly wood is being removed. Using the shoulder plane upright, it's very difficult to see the shaving being made. Just a small point.
I have the same plane and it works very well. Make sure you have the blade good and sharp. It makes a big difference for performance.
They work well if you are truly sharp and if you shim the blade to close the mouth. Cut a shim that goes behind the blade. It can be made of different kinds of old gift card material or cereal box cardboards. Different thicknesses make a big difference in closing the mouth. Punch a hole in the shim to go through the lever cap screw.
https://www.popularwoodworking.com/woodworking-blogs/close-throat-plane-shimming-blade/
Try this for how to shim a plane iron.
Old thread, but it obviously has interest.
Shoulder planes are intended to clean up tenon shoulders. End grain. So shoulder planes should be low angle, bevel up, taking very fine shavings.
Rebate planes cut long grain, and usually don't leave show surfaces. They can cut far quicker than a shoulder plane. Rebate planes should be bedded 45 to 55 degrees, bevel down, and have a generous mouth opening. Wooden rebates are far superior to metal, in my opinion.
Those Stanley 92s, 93s, etc are really shoulder planes, regardless of what they are called. And to me, not very good ones, though I've never tried a truly vintage plane, only the later production. Take a 92 and compare it to a Lie Nielsen or Lee Valley, and its night and day.
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