Twin rabbet planes

I made these two rabbet planes by replicating a larger 17th-century example. Their main characteristic is that each has only one open side. For the blades, I used files, properly shaped and sharpened. The bodies are made of mahogany, with wenge soles. The metal bar on the side prevents the body from flexing when the wedge is tightened and adds weight to the plane. You could avoid using the bar by either increasing the thickness of the plane body or reducing the blade width, but both would be uncomfortable compromises."

"The hole for chip ejection can easily be made with a Forstner bit. The body design is very close to the original, and I must say, the finger support is perfect."

"Since each plane only works in one direction, you need to make two twin planes—one for each direction. One use I’ve found particularly convenient is finishing rabbets. In one instance, after cutting a rabbet with a circular saw, the blade setting was off and left a visible step. That was an easy job for one of the little twins!

Tool Chest Bench

There are two important benefits to accommodate a good number of tools in the carpenter's bench: they are always on hand and, adding a consistent weight to the entire structure, greatly enhance stability. On my bench I obtained the most space possible: in addition to the classic dresser, I used the open compartment under the top to accommodate the wooden planes I use more frequently. In the shorter side where the vice is not present there is another space, built in the thickness of the legs and when I fixed some instruments for measuring and tracking.

Of course, the planes are king, occupying most of the available space. The two large drawers on the left side are occupied by combination planes. One of the drawers on the right side is devoted to tools for drilling, brace, hand drill, gimlet, tips etc..

Sargent 507

After keeping it in a drawer for several months, I finally decided to restore an old Sargent 507, a truly exclusive model that Stanley never produced. It’s the block plane version of the more famous Stanley 10. The 507 is designed for cutting rabbets, very handy and suitable for one-handed use. It’s well-finished, with a blade mounted bevel-up, which is thicker compared to that of classic Stanley block planes. Needless to say, it’s not limited to finishing rabbets and tenons; it also proves to be reliable and capable of producing fine shavings when finishing with the grain.

Bench Stop

Oftentimes, a simple stop is all that’s needed for straight-ahead planing. It’s quick and helps avoid distortions in the workpiece clamped between the vise and dogs, especially when working with thinner stock. It’s not difficult to build: cut a through-mortise (about 1" x 1 1/2") where a plunger can slide. The plunger’s section should closely match the mortise, and it should be long enough to be easily adjusted with a wing nut screw system located beneath the bench. The one shown in the photo is the legendary Record 169, which is easy to install on any workbench.