32. The Plough - Prince of Handtools

[@enochpage1333]

Sir, you are the prince of teachers. Thanks so much for this most useful, historical, and interesting presentation.

[@gjbmunc]

You are very welcome

[@michaelrickert7999]

I have owned a wooden plough plane for 30 years, but I didn't know how to use it. Therefore, I have not used it. This video teaches me. My plane was given to me by a friend from Latvia. And you mention 'Matheson'. My wife gave me a router from England and the blade is 'Matheson'. So, thank you.

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome!

[@larryatha3221]

This was terrific! Thanks for giving us a great introduction. I am looking forward to getting a plough plane (and a moving fillister plane) so I can make drawers and cabinets easier.

[@gjbmunc]

You’re going to love those!

[@darrenwheatley4677]

Every time I watch one of your videos I learn something new! Thanks for making these, they are excellent!

[@gjbmunc]

Glad you like them!

[@ZygmuntKiliszewski]

Hello, Esteemed Mr. Carpenter from Poland, I have great respect for craftsmen using older carpentry techniques. I wish you health and God's Protection. Congratulations and best regards 💖👋😀.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@mikeevans3766]

Another great video. Thanks so much for sharing your talent and knowledge on traditional hand tool woodworking. It is important to preserve the technology and the tools that not only created the objects of our history, but helps to reflect the development of our society. For those that haven't experienced hand tool craftsmanship, it brings a satisfaction, a mental and tactile experience that seems to sooth the soul in a way that is hard to find in a modern world. I look forward to many more high quality videos. and have enjoyed your books and presentations for many years. Again, thank you.

[@gjbmunc]

Thank you so much!

[@haroldschultz5864]

Oh Graham I'm terribly excited as just today I acquired two beautiful plough planes made by G.W. Denison . I had to watch your video again to more familiarize myself with their function . Thank you for these wonderful videos . Blessings

[@gjbmunc]

Fantastic!

[@MCsCreations]

Thanks, Graham! 😃 It's not that easy to find old planes here in Brazil... But I keep searching! Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@gjbmunc]

Check eBay - they ship everywhere.

[@danielgeng2306]

Hi Graham, so excited to find your channel ! I’m actually only a half hour from Woodstock over in Pike County Pa. I grew up a disciple of Norm and he in fact help shape my life as a hobbyist woodworker in the last 10 years I’ve found several amazing hand tool woodworkers and have started my journey down that path. Looking forward to exploring your channel, that thumb nail of about 15’ or so of hollows and rounds drew me like a moth to a flame ! Lol I’ll be looking for your book as well…

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome!

[@Jim-Wade]

I acquired a complete Stanley 55 from an Uncle years ago. Amazing as it is, it is way too much trouble to set it up. Same for the 45 I have. Enjoyed the video.

[@gjbmunc]

Right on

[@rpower1401]

Great video. I had a chance to buy a wooden plough plane a few months ago but the price was a bit too high for me to justify. I like the 45s as I have had a chance to get a couple in semi-broken condition and then repaired them, so I can usually keep from changing them as often :)

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds good and makes sense.

[@jsmxwll]

Awesome. I just ordered the book. I love books that cover the history of tools, toolmaking and techniques. Your channel has become one of my favorites recently. Thanks for all the information and work you put into your content.

[@gjbmunc]

Awesome, thank you!

[@lincolndickerson1293]

Spectacular coverage as always. I picked up a Safford Plough plane last weekend at a flea market. The most interesting difference between the ones you have shown and mine is mine uses wedges to lock smooth bars instead of threaded bars for the fence. Oh and there is no locking screw on the depth adjuster. Thanks for all the great info

[@gjbmunc]

This was also a common variety in Britain, not quite as sophisticated as the threaded arm variety, but works just as well.

[@frankagee3157]

Great video on the Plough. I kept my eye open for a plough for a long time. Finally found one that needed a little work, nothing difficult, so I bought it. Problem is it had no blades and it takes a slightly narrower blade than most. So I still have no plough. In the mean time I found a Stanlye 45 frame. I think I paid $5 for it. I gave it to a collecter friend of mine who completed it from old parts he had laying around and gave it back to me. That is a great friend indeed. I loved this video. Thanks for the great content. I look forward to your videos and am never disapointed. Thanks and keep up the good work.

[@gjbmunc]

Thank you!

[@transmundanium]

I try to keep pieces of wood around to set the fence on my plough to common settings for grooving tasks. Alas, no matter how well I label those bits of wood they disappear.

[@gjbmunc]

I understand. I try to keep samples of what all my moulding planes do - it's the same thing!

[@1deerndingo]

Great intro to wooden plough plane. Thank you. I always look forward to your informative videos. I have a few comments about wooden plough planes. I fully agree that any wooden moulding/plough/moving filister/rebate plane is easier and simpler to use than a 50/45/55. Easy to set, less tear-out and easy to use. But for the vast majority of wood workers who would use a plane like that the cost of acquiring a decent range of those planes is out of reach. As an example, if I wanted to only match the blades of a 55 with wooden hand planes, at $30 each x 52 for decent second hand ones in Australia I'd be up for $1,560. If I went to ebay I can buy a good set of 6 rounds and hollows for $650. Wooden moulding planes are great but too expensive for my budget. My 55 + blades cost me $550. And for many wood workers, that's was too much. And the 55 allows each blade to be used in different ways by fitting different attachments and setting at different angles. Hence, the number of single wooden planes required to replace a single 55 is a lot greater than the 52 it comes with. If I want a special shape for moulding or such I can grab on old bench plane blade and make it. I don't need to make a whole new wooden plane. I'm no genius and I find the 55 simple enough to set up once you understand what's going on. Admittedly, I used to be a mechanic so maybe that helps, but most wood workers are "handy" so I don't think I'm special. Some hobbyist wood workers have nice big shops and plenty of storage that could accommodate 50 or more wooden planes. In these modern times it is becoming much less. My 55 and it's bit sits in a small case.

[@gjbmunc]

Given your prices I totally agree!

[@Aimsmallmiss]

Great demonstration

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@athmostafa2462]

I absolutely love hand planes but wooden hand planes are hard to find where I am from , I just purchased a new 45 from Lee valley and it's lovely to play with ☺️ , thanks for sharing your videos.

[@gjbmunc]

I have a lot of respect for Lee Valley!

[@rameshbharakhada5497]

I appreciate your work

[@gjbmunc]

It's my pleasure

[@johnschillo4452]

This is wonderful, thank you.

[@gjbmunc]

Thank you!

[@Alejandro1957]

I've got a couple of plough planes in my restoration queue. This video has been an excellent reference for that project. Thank you. Additiinally it answered another question I had that is about what were the skewed blade planes used for.

[@gjbmunc]

Glad it was helpful!

[@philaandrew100]

Agree with you that the King of Planes (#55) can be a tad temperamental to set up, but it is so worth the effort. But then again I have three that I set up with the irons needed for the job before I start... I also have a few #45's set up for basic rebates and grooves. Would love to have at least one Matheison Plough but they are rare as and stupidly expensive to find in good condition in my part of the world..

[@gjbmunc]

Keep looking, you may get lucky.

[@DraganIlich-r1s]

😢Thank you very much Sir.🎉

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome!

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

I have got Luban 43 which is replica ( and sone improvement to the handle) of old Irwin 43 plough plane. It is small but when you learn how to work with it is very versatile and fun to work with and you can make grooves very fast with minimum set-up. With the cutters i also received a kerfing saw blade holder i can attach kerfing blade to make deep path for the saw to ride on

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds good.

[@markhowlett1705]

Hi James, I recently bought a wooden plough plane which just ploughs through wooden knots with ease that my 44 record finds it hard to get through, definitely a plane to look out for plus as you say they also look good

[@markhowlett1705]

OOPS! Graham

[@gjbmunc]

Great!

[@Christopher_Giustolisi]

The Stanley 55 is a nice plane. It does what it´s supposed to do and it is a piece of art. Just look at it. It´s beautiful. But usually, when a tool can do a lot of things, it´s not very good at any of them. I´ve just built myself a grooving plane to make a groove for the bottom for small drawers. It can only do one single thing and that´s making a 4mm deep and 4mm wide groove 6mm away from an edge and it does it perfectly. I just have to grab it off the shelf, (no adjustment needed), use it and put it back. I´ve built it wit a HSS iron, so it makes many meters of grooves before I have to do anything. This is perfection. The iron cost me about 3€ and I made the body of some beech fire wood in an afternoon. That´s how I like to do it. I find that quite efficient. I still have an adjustable grooving plane but I rarely use it because if there´s any repeating task, I rather build a plane to do exactly that and add it to my collection.

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds great!

[@HWCism]

Thank you.

[@gjbmunc]

Very welcome!

[@roberthahn8555]

Hey Graham thanks so much for the video! May I suggest you do a sound check soon? It’s clear that the camera mic is picking you up instead of the chest mic and you’re a bit harder to hear when the operator is further away. Perhaps try tapping on the chest mic to test if it works? Thanks again!

[@gjbmunc]

We keep trying to improve.

[@johnford7847]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@gjbmunc]

Very welcome

[@tuffymartinez]

Thank You Graham.... I still need to acquire your publication sooo I can "Plough" through it... TM

[@gjbmunc]

Please do!

[@liveoak4124]

Thank you

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome

[@davidcampbell2845]

Marvelous info.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!

[@deansimpson3231]

Good information

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks

[@jamiehanson4955]

Well Graham, I now keep wondering, which tool will be the King or Queen? Marvellous content, I wait with great anticipation for each new episode. I learn a little bit more than I thought I knew each time. Cheers from Down Under :-)

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks so much!

[@stevem268]

i recently started using these, however mine are a stanley 50, record 50 and a stanley 45. they are pretty cheap here in canada and i can leave them setup for different purposes. saves on the fiddly setup!

[@gjbmunc]

That's what I do, too.

[@dpmeyer4867]

Thanks

[@gjbmunc]

Welcome

[@sirskulliamiii990]

I just realized i have something similar to this sitting on my shelf in an old wooden box. It says Stanley No 45. unfortunately its missing the cross bolts but i think i know someone who has some. the irons are strange too, It has a full set of irons that don't have the groove but, they have a small notch in the end that hooks on a peg at the end of an adjustment bolt. it also has a small wood handle screw driver.

[@gjbmunc]

The Stanley 45 is an interesting combination plane. Complete instructions are available on line,

[@GizmoDuck_1860]

Great video. I wonder can you use a Plough to make a stopped-grove? I want to make a box with proud dovetails, so the grove needs to be stopped at both ends for the base. My Stanley is a tiny, fragile thing (forget the pattern), I've only got a 6 and 4mil iron. It's a rattley lil' tool.

[@gjbmunc]

You don't have to work all the way along a piece of wood with the plough plane, but then you will need a bullnose plane (or even a chisel) to finish the end of the stopped groove.

[@thomashverring9484]

I have a couple of plough planes, one in excellent condition, and they came with different size irons, which was lucky. I have then been lucky enough to acquire several other irons so I have most of a complete set and definitely enough to do most of anything. The plough plane is called a "nothøvl" in danish, as in "fer og not"/"tongue and groove". "Not" is an old word and is only used for groove in this connection.

[@gjbmunc]

Very cool!

[@thomashverring9484]

@@gjbmunc Thank you! I should have added that not only is "not" not how we say groove ordinarily, but "fer" is also a word solely used in connection with this type of joinery (tongue is "tunge" in Danish). I'm actually not entirely sure what "fer" means, but sometimes it's spelled "fjer", which is a feather. However, I think that's a mistake.

[@ucenicul]

It was interesting to present how it is set, it's a bit different, but anyway, thanks for the information

[@gjbmunc]

You're welcome!

[@ArchEdge]

Thanks Graham. Do you know if anyone does re-productions of wooden hand tools anymore?

[@gjbmunc]

Yes indeed. But they tend to be very expensive. Check the web.

[@andypickard9603]

Can you explain fillister planes please graham ?

[@gjbmunc]

The word is an old English word for 'edge' but in woodworking just implies a rabbit plane with a fence (and a depth stop).

[@Richard-pg1we]

I recently got a Ohio Tool #101 plough plane. When I tighten the wedge it pulls the iron forward out of the groove on the iron. It only came with one iron but could this be throat wear? Or a wedge problem?

[@gjbmunc]

Sounds to me like it's probably wedge, or less likely throat wear. It's also possible that the one iron you have is slightly malformed. One way to test this would be to try to obtain some extra irons and see if the same things happens, then it will be the wedge, or less likely thr throat. that need a little adusting.

[@R_M_Quevedo]

Uma duvida, o esqui da ferramenta deve ficar no meio da lamina ou do lado?

[@gjbmunc]

In the middle!

[@R_M_Quevedo]

@@gjbmunc obrigado!!!👍🏽👏🏽 Amo seu canal, quero trazer esse conhecimento para o Brazil, mas as pessoas aqui não aceitam a marcenaria tradicional, não como eu!!!

[@A-Funk]

Great video Graham! Although it is little difficult to hear you clearly. I don't think your wireless microphone is turned on. I can only hear you clearly when the camera gets in close. Otherwise very informative.

[@gjbmunc]

Sorry about that. We keep trying.

[@dannywilsher4165]

I found a toolbox full of tools in a trash pile beside the road just last week. There was a handplane in the box but I don't know what it is. I will clean it up soon and try to figure out something about it. I may need some professional advice...

[@gjbmunc]

Good luck. Hope I can help.

[@dannywilsher4165]

@@gjbmunc Thanks!

[@1deerndingo]

Looking forward to it. Do you use it for linen fold.

[@gjbmunc]

Possible but not as convenient as narrow round planes.

[@arbyars.chicksawdust]

Suggestion: Why don't you put a link to your website where you tell about your video. I think you might get more people to look at it this way. Anyway that is what I think.

[@gjbmunc]

I'm working on the website as fast as I can.

[@raywilloughby5282]

Hi Graham. I love your videos and actually have subscribed to your channel. However, I find the audio to be a little weak. Especially when you are not next to the camera/microphone.

[@gjbmunc]

We keep trying to improve.

[@MrZOMBIE170]

in all the Mathieson tool catalogue its spelled Plow

[@gjbmunc]

Mathieson was a Scottish firm. 'Oxford' English is not responsible for their spelling (any more than it is for American English). It's your choice!

[@TomBuskey]

I was just using my Veritas sm. plough plane today. If I'm going w/ the grain, I'll usually grab it instead of my combination plane.

[@gjbmunc]

Makes sense!

[@BMN7]

I'm just asking, sir, what is the correct angle of the cut wood for his blade. from the philippines

[@gjbmunc]

I generally use 26degrees for the blade.

[@athmostafa2462]

​@@gjbmunc 26 why ???! If it's 30 it wouldn't work ?!

[@michaeldoto4673]

@@athmostafa2462 30 degrees will work fine.

[@Traderjoe]

I just realized that I could have spelled plough with a W and nobody would have said I was a lazy dumb ass like I always thought people would have. I was born 80 years too late.

[@gjbmunc]

Ha-ha!

[@clashfive]

Come on Graham, was that a slip of the tongue? surely you meant to say Rebate not Rabbet. Where's that accent from? 😁

[@gjbmunc]

Mid-Atlantic!

[@andyhudgins9443]

DON'T spell it plow! Great information.

[@gjbmunc]

Thanks!!