Narrow blades for a Rebate/Plough Plane

[MichaelLegge]

Hi,

I am new to carpentry, and I have started building boxes as a way to teach myself how to use various tools and learn different joints.

So far I have been cutting grooves in the box walls to insert a base using chisels. I saw a video the other day though where someone used a plough plane, and it looked much more straightforward. I bought a cheap one on amazon - a Toolzone Duplex Rebate Plane

But, it only comes with a blade about an inch and a half wide (37mm), and really I need something narrower, half an inch at most.

Does anyone know where I can find a blade for it? I have seen some on a few sites but they all seem to be for specific planes and I don't want to waste money buying one that wont fit.

Thanks!
Michael

P.S. Sorry if this has been posted before, I couldn't find anything in the forum already. And Happy New Year

 

[marcros]

invest in a record 043 plane- absolutely perfect for growing bases into box sides. make sure you get at least the blade suited to bottom thickness, preferably all 3 blades.

 

[MichaelLegge]

Thanks for your reply

Unfortunately I don't have the money to buy another plane at the moment, but I will remember that for when I do.

Do you know of any blades that would fit the one I have for now?

 

[Jacob]

It's a rebate plane for cutting rebates - not grooves. But I don't see why you shouldn't be able to grind the blade down to the width you want. Better to buy the right plane though!

 

[marcros]

i don't think that you will be able to get one, sadly. if you look at the front of the 043 there is a skate to keep it straight in the grove- that is the difference between a rebate and a plough plane.

could you look at redesigning the box, so that the base sits in a rebate rather than a grove? most users will look at the item as a nice box, so it is highly likely that only you will know the difference!

 

[ED65]

So far I have been cutting grooves in the box walls to insert a base using chisels.

Can I just check, were you sawing first Michael or doing the entire job with chisels?

 

[MichaelLegge]

Jacob - Sorry, like I said, I am new to carpentry, what is the difference between a rebate and a groove? I am cutting a straight, square channel in the wall, a little way up from the bottom, slightly wider than the base.
Marcros - Thank you again for your advice, I thought a rebate and plough plane were just different names for the same tool? You are most likely right about finding a narrow blade, I will just have to save up for the Record plane.
EDG5 - I did try using a saw first to cut the edges of the channel, before chiseling out the inside, but it did not work as I am creating dovetailed boxes, so I cannot saw all the way to either edge without the channel being visible in the dovetails.(Sorry, not sure I explained that well).

 

[ED65]

EDG5 - I did try using a saw first to cut the edges of the channel, before chiseling out the inside, but it did not work as I am creating dovetailed boxes, so I cannot saw all the way to either edge without the channel being visible in the dovetails.(Sorry, not sure I explained that well).

Not to worry, makes perfect sense. Unfortunately you'll have much the same problem if you had a plough plane. Really what you want for doing stopped rebates is a router.

Plough planes and rebate planes can look very similar. The main thing is a plough plane is designed to plough grooves or housings (dados in American parlance) while rebates are right at the edges of a board.

I will just have to save up for the Record plane.

I'd recommend looking out for a secondhand one as they're fairly widely available and a good old one will usually cost less than a not-so-good modern one.

 

[Jacob]

Jacob - Sorry, like I said, I am new to carpentry, what is the difference between a rebate and a groove? I am cutting a straight, square channel in the wall, a little way up from the bottom, slightly wider than the base.
Marcros - Thank you again for your advice, I thought a rebate and plough plane were just different names for the same tool? You are most likely right about finding a narrow blade, I will just have to save up for the Record plane.
EDG5 - I did try using a saw first to cut the edges of the channel, before chiseling out the inside, but it did not work as I am creating dovetailed boxes, so I cannot saw all the way to either edge without the channel being visible in the dovetails.(Sorry, not sure I explained that well).

A rebate is 2 sided - open; unlike a groove with 3 sides. The most typical use of a rebate plane would be for window glazing rebates. A plough is for grooves and is relatively specialised as these are much less common than rebates (depending on what you make of course).
The most common dovetail box would be a drawer. These don't have slots or rebates but instead have a slotted "slip". Google for details - there are lots of variations.
Stopped rebates or slots are bad news and are usually there because of failure in the design process!

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

Hi Michael

Look out for the "groove" half of a wooden Tongue and Groove plane set. This can be used as for planing the grooves in drawers and boxes. It will also have an automatic depth stop. They are common and cheap.

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[MichaelLegge]

Thank you all for your help and advice, it is much appreciated!

 

[dzj]

An inexpensive grooving plane can be made by using a chisel as the plane blade and laminating the body.

 

[heimlaga]

Or from a worn out file with it's teeth ground away and cut to shape with an angle grinder and then hardened and tempered.