Plow Plane: Groove Cutting Tool
Last reviewed on 2026-04-24
A plow plane (sometimes spelled "plough") cuts a groove running parallel to an edge. A fence rides along the edge of the workpiece and an interchangeable narrow iron cuts a groove of matching width in a single series of passes. The tool predates the machine router by centuries and still earns its place in the shop — it is quiet, produces no dust, and gives the woodworker direct control over depth and position.
Common Uses
- Drawer bottoms: a shallow groove along the inside faces of drawer sides and front holds a plywood or solid-wood bottom.
- Frame-and-panel doors: a groove in the inner edge of the frame houses the floating panel.
- Back panels: grooves in cabinet backs and bookcase uprights take a fielded back panel or a plywood back.
- Sliding tambours and dust panels: any application where a consistent, fence-referenced groove is required.
Parts of a Plow Plane
Every plow plane has the same key components, regardless of era:
- Body: holds the iron at a fixed angle and provides the bearing surface that rides in the groove being cut.
- Fence: a separate block that slides on rods from the body. It registers against the edge of the workpiece and controls where the groove sits.
- Depth stop: limits how deep the plane will cut and establishes a consistent finished depth.
- Interchangeable irons: commonly 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 5/16, and 3/8 inch. The iron selected determines the groove width. The body's skate and nickers must match the chosen iron.
Setup and Technique
- Select and install an iron of the correct width. Make sure the skate (the thin runner beneath the iron) is the same width.
- Set the fence distance from the iron so the groove falls where you want it. Measure on both the front and the back of the fence posts — it is easy to clamp the fence out of parallel.
- Set the depth stop to the desired groove depth.
- Mark the groove lightly with a knife across the grain and at each end to prevent blowout.
- Start the cut at the far end of the workpiece with short strokes, then gradually back up and take longer strokes as the groove establishes itself. The depth stop will end the cut automatically when you reach full depth.
Work with a firm grip on the fence so it rides consistently against the edge — any wandering produces a wavy groove. Keep the plane tilted very slightly toward the fence so the skate rides in the cut it has already made.
Buying Notes
Vintage plow planes from Stanley (the No. 45 and No. 55 combination planes, or the simpler No. 50), Record (the No. 043, 044, 050), and many 18th- and 19th-century wooden plow planes are all workable. The key checks: all irons present (missing irons are expensive to replace), fence rods straight and not seized, depth stop intact. Modern plow planes from Veritas and Lie-Nielsen are excellent and come with the complete iron set.