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>From: Don McConnell Don.McConnell@a...
>To: oldtools@w...
>Subject: Of Rabbet & Fillister Planes
>Date: Wed, Nov 22, 2000, 8:08 PM
>

    Way back then Don wrote:
>
>       "... Then there are the various little details in connexion
> with cabinet-making which are different from the methods practised
> in joinery. For instance, our friend the joiner, working, as has
> been said, principally in pine, would find that the fillister is
> not so suitable as the rabbet-plane for making a rabbet in hard-
> wood furniture, a fact which the trained cabinet-maker is aware
> of, and so very probably does not even possess a fillister, the
> use of which would be somewhat inconvenient to him, on that
> account ... . ... "
>
> If we *assume* this to be a valid distinction in the 1890's London
> cabinet trade, the question arises as to its basis. Needless to
> say, one begins to think about the differences between the two
> classes of planes.
>
> Taking a cue from Denning, I decided to check the pitch (bedding-
> angle) of my moving filletster. It is of common (45 degree) pitch;
> while rabbet planes are, more typically, of York (50 degree +-)
> pitch. So this is consistent with the thinking that higher pitch
> moulding planes were developed for use with harder/difficult
> woods.
>
> However, I suspect there is more involved. After all, one could
> simply raise the pitch of the filletster plane to to make it more
> suitable for more difficult woods.. And, I imagine this may well
> have been done in some cases.
>
    It has taken me this long to remember to measure mine.  I have a
Marples-Hibernia moving fillister.  It has a York pitch (50 degrees).

  I very thought provoking post, Don.  Unfortunately I don't have enough of
a background to comment.  I sure was hoping some of the woodies would have
started a dialog.

Regards,
Steve

    P.S.  I just re-read this post and Scott's reply.  I think Denning
poorly worded the first paragraph.  I think he intended to say that the
joiner would not find a fillister as useful as the cabinetmaker finds a
fillister useful.  Maybe his point is that a joiner could get by with a
cheaper rabbet plane.