Plane for t&g flooring.

[whiskymac]

It seems I am fitting an increasing number of soild oak floors these days and now and again I get problem boards that are 1mm+ wider/narrower than the abjoining board. Obviously this then throws the next run out.
It would be handy to have a little plane that I could just shave the tongue/shoulders now and again and help lose the discrepancies in the boards.
Any suggestions would be great.
Would something like a small bullnose plane do the job?

 

[jasonB]

A small shoulder plane or any rebate plane will allow you to skim a bit off.

Jason

 

[whiskymac]

Any experience with the small and medium Veritas or L/N shoulder planes anyone?

 

[jasonB]

Stanley 92 works for me, wouldn't really want to be taking a LN on site myself.

Jason

 

[jorgoz]

Stanley no° 48 if you can find it, also called a swinging fence tongue and groove plane. You can do both tongues and grooves with this one.

Here's the lie nielsen equivalent, http://www.lie-nielsen.com/catalog.php?sku=1-48


Edit : got all enthousiastic again and spotted you only want to correct your tongues.

 

[GazPal]

Stanley 92 works for me, wouldn't really want to be taking a LN on site myself.

Jason

Another vote for the 92 or a Record 042. I'd definitely not take pricey planes on site.

 

[whiskymac]

Thanks for the reply folks, are the modern Stanley 92 a decent plane or would you suggest scouring ebay and maybe trying to find an older one?

Also, what about a rebating block plane, would this be okay for trimming boards and still be able to be used as a conventional block plane?

 

[jasonB]

My 92 is probably about 8-10 years old and I don't have any issues with it. Yes a rebating block would also work but if you already have a block plane then the 92 gives you a chisel plane that the rebate BP won't.

Jason

 

[whiskymac]

My 92 is probably about 8-10 years old and I don't have any issues with it. Yes a rebating block would also work but if you already have a block plane then the 92 gives you a chisel plane that the rebate BP won't.

Jason

Cheers Jason.
Out of interest, what uses have you found for the chisel plane?
I used to work with an old lad who would use his smoother to adjust sticking doors (whilst they were still hanging) and then planed the bottom couple of inches that he couldn't get to with his smoother with something like a chisel plane or bull nose plane (don't remember which) .:lol:

 

[Jacob]

If only a mm or so I'd take the extra off the grooved side (as long as a you still have groove left) and if necessary trim the corresponding tongue. Any jack plane but perhaps a no5 would be best.
Undercut slightly so that the top joint is tighter.

 

[merlin]

Hello, one of my "glovebox" tools is an old Stanley 140 block plane it is great for this type of thing, it can be used for a skew block plane or with the side removed it becomes a skew rebate plane, it is great for things like cleaning up the tongue on your flooring or door lining rebates, cleaning up the bottom rebate on front doors etc.
It is also useful as a shoulder plane sometimes.
Cheers Merlin.

 

[GazPal]

If only a mm or so I'd take the extra off the grooved side (as long as a you still have groove left) and if necessary trim the corresponding tongue. Any jack plane but perhaps a no5 would be best.
Undercut slightly so that the top joint is tighter.

This. :wink:

Depending on whether or not you spring the flooring from the room centre or boundaries you could also simply keep the slightly wider boards for cutting/trimming-in.

Either way, the job will get done, but invest in a cutting gauge if planing and jointing mid-floor and you'll achieve a crisper board edge.