Setting Up Your Jack Rabbet Plane

A sharp and properly shaped blade is the first step in getting your plane to cut beautifully. The second step is setting up the plane for accurate work. Here are some helpful tips.

What are some of the initial adjustments I should make?

The lever cap screw should be snug but not overtightened. A quarter turn after full engagement is plenty. Never torque it down; this may damage the plane.

The four side alignment screws enable you to accurately position the blade as well as prevent it from shifting in use. The blade is slightly wider than the body, and this protrusion permits the plane to cut a rabbet with a sharp intersection between horizontal and vertical surfaces.

Install the blade and adjust the alignment screws so they just touch it, then back them off ever so slightly (1/8 of a turn or less). They should not require subsequent adjustment.

The mouth opening is adjusted by loosening the toe locking screw and turning the mouth adjustment screw clockwise to open the mouth, and counterclockwise the make it narrower. The smallest opening that will enable a shaving to escape is best. Retighten the toe locking screw but be careful not to overtighten it.

For knuckle clearance when working a deeply recessed surface, the tote can be tilted by loosening the locking screw at its base.

To cut a rabbet of a specific width, position the fence so the distance from its face to the outside edge of the blade is the same as the rabbet width. You may wish to add a wooden subfence for more reliable registration on the work. This fence can be as plain or elaborate as you wish; secure it with wood screws through the holes in the fence casting.

Scoring Blades (Nickers). These score the work ahead of cross-grain cuts to prevent tearout. Only one is typically used, on the opposite side from the fence, and it should be aligned precisely with the corner of the blade. The scoring blades are retracted for work with the grain.

To adjust the scoring blade relative to the side of the plane, loosen the locking screw. Press on the the scoring blade and turn the adjustment set screw to move the blade, When you’re happy with its position, retighten the locking set screw.

How do I set the cutting depth?

There are a couple of methods for setting the blade; try them both and see which works for you. Each begins with the cutting edge retracted just below the sole.

Method #1: Sight down the sole, either from the front or the rear. Slowly advance the blade until the cutting edge just begins to emerge. Ensure that it’s parallel to the sole by pivoting the blade adjuster. Take a test cut and assess the results. Advance or retract the blade and make fine lateral adjustments as needed. Continue the process until you achieve an even shaving of the desired thickness. Very slight adjustments in shaving thickness can be achieved by changing the blade clamping force.

Method #2: Instead of sighting the blade, this approach uses a small scrap of wood (approximately 1/8" × 3/4" × 1 1/2") to test the cutting edge as it emerges. Run the scrap wood past the cutting edge at both corners of the blade. If the blade doesn’t take a shaving, advance it slightly and try again. The initial goal is to ensure the cutting edge is parallel to the sole; make fine lateral adjustments until both shavings are the same thickness. You can then focus on setting the blade projection for the desired depth of cut.