Rabbet Planes

One of the most common wood joints is the rabbet. Consisting of a rectangular slot at the edge of one piece into which the edge or end of another fits, rabbet joints are strong, yet are also simple to make, especially when you consider the array of planes and other tools that will cut the rabbet itself.

Technically speaking, not all the planes I'm describing in this subgroup are rabbet planes; but because they all cut rabbets, I've simplified things a bit and lumped the plow plane, bullnose plane, filletster plane, and shoulder plane into one category.

Rabbet Planes. A rabbet plane is, by definition, a plane designed to cut rabbets (also known as "rebates," particularly in Great Britain) in the edges or ends of workpieces. To enable them to do so, the plane iron is milled to a size slightly greater than the width of the plane body. This means that the cutting surface extends beyond the sides. Typically, they are about ten inches long, with cutting irons of an inch and a half in width.

Some rabbet planes have a second frog for bullnose work at the toe of the plane. This works well for stopped rabbets, grooves that end abruptly before the end of the workpiece, requiring planing close to the end point.

Some rabbet planes also have a spur that is lowered when the rabbet is cut across the grain. This eliminates tearout, as the spur slices the wood fibers to be planed before the plane iron reaches them. You must keep the spur sharp, however, by honing it occasionally.

A variation of a standard rabbet plane, one that comes with a guide fence and depth gauge, is called a filletster plane. The depth gauge is fastened with a set screw or thumbscrew on one side and can be adjusted to various depth settings. A guide fence is attached to the base with screws.

Plow Planes. Plow planes cut grooves and rabbets, plowing out stock along the grain of the wood; not surprisingly, they are also known as grooving planes. The tool features an adjustable fence that sets the distance from the edge of the wood, and a depth gauge to alert you when you have planed the stock to the preset depth. The fence is adjusted by moving a key or releasing a wedge.