Thread: Rabbets, Rebates and Shoulder Planes

Chris,

I asked the same question some time ago to Terry Gordon the Australian plane maker. His response is below:


As a general comment there is not much difference between a a shoulder plane and a rebate plane. A rebate plane will have will normally have a larger throat to allow the longer rebate shaving to escape. But the design is very similar in most respects because the task is very similare just one cuts across the grain and the other with the grain.

With my rebate plane and shoulder plane the only difference is the rebate plane has no brass sole. So for cutting rebates in the long grain the wood on wood is much more slick. The brass in the shoulder planes adds a bit more heft for triming shoulders and protects the shape of the sole which is important to remain square.

So the answer is, there is not much difference.

Is your friend intending to form rebates with a rebate plane or is he going to for the rebate with a machine and then clean up the rebate with a plane?

For me to recomend what plane is best I would need to know how he plans on doing it.


- Wood Borer

Originally posted by Chris Parker

I have an understanding of the difference between a rabbet and a rebate.

Care to explain it to me, I read them as interchangable

Originally posted by DaveInOz
Care to explain it to me, I read them as interchangable

I guess what I understand is similar ie the terms are much the same as clamp and cramp - it just depends on who you talk to or which book you read.

It would be interesting to know the history though.

Chris