The Plough Plane Guide
The plough (plow USA) plane creates channel grooves by removing material from the middle of a piece of wood, leaving two outside edges. The plane has a guide or fence, which runs along the underside or outer edge of the plane body. The fence keeps the groove parallel and the plane fully aligned to the material. It can be adjusted to change the distance of the groove in relation to the edge of the board.
Uses
The plough plane is used to create grooves parallel to an edge. This is useful in creating projects such as window sashes, frames for door construction, tongue and groove floorboards etc. Grooves are used in drawer construction as well as a wide variety of other frame and panel construction projects. The plough plane can be used to reliably create uniform grooves in different widths of cut.
Terminology
- Cutting Irons - High grade carbon steel cutting blades. They come in different width sizes, often in both metric and imperial measurements
- Fence - This is a metal or wooden guide that runs along the long axis of the main body of the plough plane and ensures that the groove is a consistent distance from the edge
- Depth Stop - This is a guide stop that prevents the plough plane from cutting beyond a predetermined level, ensuring a consistent depth to the groove
- Stems - Can come in multiple sizes. The bars which join the two parts of the plane
- Lever Cap - Holds the blade in place by pushing the knurled lever cap screw on the top of the blade
Types of Plough Plane
- Wooden
- Metal
Parts of a Plough Plane
● Stems
● Body
● Blade Retainer
● Fence
● Blade