why do this to a plane?

[t8hants]

In a previous post I mentioned that I had started playing with an old Marples jack plane, what I didn't mention was that somebody in the past put a 5/16th rabbet down one edge. Any suggestions as to why this may have been done. An I.D. mark perhaps?

Gareth

 

[GazPal]

It was probably partnered with a shooting board and the rebate ran on part of the chute/track.

 

[matthewwh]

Beat me to it!

I'm toying with the idea of attaching a perspex plate to the side of a badger plane to produce a big, flat sided, skewed shooting plane.

You can't use it as is as it will gradually eat the edge of the board - as you would when trimming up the edge with a shoulder plane from time to time to reset the depth of cut.

The dilemma is whether this amounts to a conversion to a use that I more frequently have a call for than panel raising (it could easily be removed for this purpose), or vandalism of a very good example of a badger plane.

Maybe I should get a slightly rougher badger to begin with.

 

[GazPal]

Try using double sided tape to attach two parallel strips of delrin/nylon strip to the side of the badger and it'll work like a charm :wink:

 

[matthewwh]

Sounds like I'm not the first one to try this...!

 

[GazPal]

Sounds like I'm not the first one to try this...!

I opted for the delrin option, but you often see badger planes with brass, box, rosewood or ebony wear strips inlaid into their sides