Greenfield Tool Co., Drawer Bottom Plane, Catalog #269
Ever see one of these beasts in the wild? This is a Greenfield Tool Co. Drawer Bottom Plane, catalog no. 269. Essentially a purpose made groove plane for one purpose: to form the drawer side groove for the fielded bottom. That's all it does. Cutting a 1/4" groove, having a movable sole to allow for drawer bottom placement, this rare plane form is as specialized as it gets.
A thick boxwood skate, a matching 1/4" blade (not shown in these photos but it's there) and the moving fence are all there is to this plane. Could you use a plow plane? Of course you could. This plane was found with a box of small profile moulding planes of the sort likely used by a cabinet maker along with one beat up panel raising plane. At the time I didn't have enough cash on hand, so this was the only plane purchased.
I've never seen another. On occasion I see British made small tongue and groove sets having one groove plane that resembles the Drawer Bottom Plane. Often the groove plane is sold as an orphan labeled as a Drawer Bottom Plane. While fully usable as such, it is not.
Now you know what a real Drawer Bottom Plane looks like. Go forth and fine one.