Bamboo Tips - Tips Area
Tool Building - Planing Forms
Groove Location

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I've put the tip groove in my steel planing form. Now flipping over and ready to do the butt groove. Do I put the butt-end of the butt groove on the same end of the form as the large end of the tip groove, or vice-versa?  Why?  (Ed Riddle)

I made mine with the grooves tapered in opposite directions so you have to flip the form end-for-end to switch sides.  The reason I did this is that I wanted to keep the heads of the screws on the side facing me so I could guide the plane with my fingers along the back edge of the form.  This also keeps the adjusting screws on the front edge of the form so it's easier to adjust them.  (Robert Kope)

I made the large ends on the same end so that I wouldn't have to flip them, only roll them over.  (Martin-Darrell)

Mine have the grooves "same-ended" because when you set the tip taper dimensions, you can use the butt side to initial plane the tips, which can be convenient if you are starting with tip strips which are a bit oversized.  (Peter McKean)

I made two sets of forms. One set has tip and butt on same end. The other has mid section on one side and adjustable starter groove on opposite side flanked by two non tapered grooves of different depths. I have push and pull bolts on opposite sides so I can adjust both at the same time. This setup allows me to butt the tip & mid sides or the mid & butt sides.  (Don Schneider)

I realized on reading Don Schneider's post that I only have the pull screws (cap screws) on the front, with the push screws (set screws) on the back.  This was, as I said, to keep the protruding heads on the front of the form.  I like to set it near the edge of the bench to allow me to turn the Allen wrench more than 180 degrees.  By having the set screws on the back both wrenches turn in the same direction as you adjust the forms and you can keep them snug as you do it. This is the layout from Thomas Penrose's instructions.  (Robert Kope)

I don't think it matters which way the shallow ends are on or vice versa.  The reason I say this is I can’t remember which way my forms are set up.  (Brad Love)