The Tongue & Groove Planes are specialty tools in the Lie-Nielsen range and like most in this category can be seen as single-use. In general, if you have constant use for the task it performs, it is a must-have addition to your shop. I rarely use solid material for the back of my cabinets, preferring tongue and groove boards.
What adds to the usefulness these tools offer, however, is there are other things they can do, i.e. if you are doing small boxes the small version can easily cut a 4 mm groove in the sides of a box 4 mm from the bottom and or top for thin panel inserts. The larger tool will cut a 6.35 mm groove 6mm from the bottom of the drawer side for its insert, both tools can cut rebates in the sides of panels i.e. 4 x 4 mm or 6 x 6 mm.
Because these planes are quick and easy for these tasks, with no calculations for powered routers or table saws, no dust, and no noise, something I am sure I have said about hand tools in the past, they have become a much-used tool in my shop.
This implies the disadvantage of fixed measurements, true. The workarounds are simple, however, the convenience of not having any concerns about setting a plow plane makes these jobs a snap.
Go Here to view the product.
