Video: How to Make Grooves, Rabbets and Dados with Hand Planes

Case pieces have lots of joinery, so even once the case dovetails are done, that doesn’t mean the cases are ready for assembly. While dovetails typically take center stage in the Miss Joinery Pageant, there are plenty of other types of case joinery that must be completed in order to build a solid case piece. Many (most?) cases will also require grooves, rabbets, and dados for things like case dividers, drawer runners, and case backs. To make these joints quickly and precisely, I call on specialized planes designed just for the purpose. They may be one trick ponies, but they are masters of their respective tasks. For a small number of joints in a one off piece, not even a router or table saw can compete with their efficiency.