Classic_Boat_2016-04

CLASSIC BOAT APRIL 2016 93

DADO PLANE

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS
ROBIN GATES

Reach back a hundred years into the
depths of a yacht joiner’s tool chest
and you will find among the
smoothers, ploughs and fillisters a
dado plane or two. Technically a dado
is the name given to a channel that
runs across the grain of a board – in
the housed joints where the steps
meet the rails of a companionway
ladder, for example. This plane cuts
a^3 / 4 in dado; a different plane is
needed for each width.
Although its narrow stock
supporting a skewed blade resembles
a rebate plane, which is used parallel
to the grain to cut a step in the edge
of a board, if a rebate plane were
used across the grain the corners of
its blade would tear up the fibres
leaving splintered edges. What equips
the dado plane for its special job is
the double-spurred iron or nicker
which severs the fibres at the edges
of the dado in advance of the blade.
It also has a screw-mounted stop
operated by a turn button facilitating
repeat cuts to a set depth – up to
½in, in this case. The blade and nicker

secured by well-fitting wooden

wedges require only a light tap of the

hammer for correct adjustment which

is gauged by eye and finger tip.

Although the dado plane lacks the

fence which keeps a plough or fillister

running straight, it is usual to clamp

or lightly nail a batten across the

work for the stock to bear against.

Then the first pass with the plane

should be in reverse, using the nicker

only to make its twin incisions

through the surface fibres. The

forward planing begins at the end of

the dado, working back a little with

each pass until full-length shavings

are being taken. Both hands are used,

one above the toe applying

downforce at the start of the cut and

the other at the heel to propel the

plane and ensure the blade remains

cutting to the very end of the dado.

Remarkably, the plane pictured

here has had at least five owners

since new, and it has survived the

generations in fine fettle. Today it zips

through the timber as quietly as a

pencil sharpener, with shavings falling

from its shapely escapement as

gently as autumn leaves.

NEXT MONTH: The combination set

Clockwise from

above: cutting a

dado across the

grain; nicker,

depth stop

and blade;

showing how the

nicker precedes

the blade

Traditional Tool