Router plane or shoulder plane?

[woodbutcher]

Hey everybody, 

Ive been wanting a hand plane to help fine tune joinery such as tenons. I think this is typically done with a shoulder plane, but ive seen it done with a router plane too. Ideally, id like to have both, and im sure someday i will, but for now one or the other will have to do. So my question is, which plane is going to be the most useful plane to have first, a router plane or a shoulder plane? 

Thanks alot. 

[RichardA]

Personally, a shoulder plane is more suited for tuning tenons and the shoulders of tenons.  Tuning a tenon with a router plane can be done, but if your tenon is kinda long, one side of the router plane has no place to register on, so you have to align another piece next to it to keep it level.   With a shoulder plane you don't need a second piece.  I have used a Stanley #78 as a shoulder plane, and that works just fine.

[woodbutcher]

Thanks Richard. I have been leaning towards a router plane first since they have the functionality of a shoulder plane with tenons, but can do dados and grooves as well. 

[RichardA]

Ti's better suited for  Rabbets and dados, it has support.

[Eric.]

Shoulder plane for shoulders, rabbet block for cheeks, router plane for dadoes and grooves.

I'd buy a large shoulder plane or rabbet block before the router plane if tenons are what you need to work on.  You can do smaller tenons with the router plane but it's not the ideal tool.

[SawDustB]

To Richard's point, you can often get a Stanley 78 for pretty cheap. I've been using one my dad bought in the 70s for rabbets and tuning tenons. It's ugly, but it works. I got lucky and found a router plane for cheap too, but they're less common.

 

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[derekcohen]

The shoulders are best tuned with a chisel. The router plane is the only plane that will ensure that the cheeks are parallel. A shouler plane excels in tuning rebates and, to a lesser degree, shoulders.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[gee-dub]

My Veritas medium shoulder plane was my favorite hand plane till I got the Veritas large shoulder plane.  Seriously, they are the best tool for their intended purpose and when you need one and have one, you'll smile every time you use it.

[TerryMcK]

I use a rabbeting block plane to tune the cheeks of a tenon. The shoulders I tune with ... a shoulder plane. A chisel can also be used for the shoulders as Derek mentions. But you can do both operations easily with a shoulder plane. Get a 3/4" one from any manufacturer - Stanley, Veritas, Woodriver (AKA Quangsheng), Lee Nielsen, Clifton etc. and keep it sharp.

[woodbutcher]

Thanks for the responses guys. Sounds like a shoulder plane is going to be the way to go for me. 

[Tom King]

I have several sizes of each, that I've had for over 30 years.  My shoulder planes have lost a fair amount of their nickel plating over the years from use, while my router planes look almost new.  I wouldn't want to be without either, but the difference in wear from use is obvious.