Stanley No 40 scrub plane cap iron slips and blade moves up throat

[Micheal Double]

I just got eBay Stanley 40 scrub plane. It's in great shape but no matter how hard I crank down the thumb screw, the cap iron slips from the little bar and pulls the blade with it when I push it against lumber.

What am I missing?

[David Weaver]

If I understand this correctly, you want to file a very slight notch on each side of the lever cap where the pin rests when it's tightened so that it can't move up and down.

If the iron then moves, then there is a bedding or lever cap fitting problem. But if the iron and the lever cap are moving together, it does seem somewhat bizarre even if the lever cap is worn. Is there a chance that wax got onto the works?

Even if it did, filing a slight notch will take care of the situation. Less is more when doing something like that.

You should never have to apply enormous amounts of pressure via the screw on any lever cap. Firm pressure should do it.

[Jim Koepke]

Micheal,

Welcome to the Creek. Your profile doesn't list your location. You may live close to another member who would be willing to help getting your scrub plane to work.

Without pictures or a bit more information it is difficult to troubleshoot your plane. The best I can do is make guesses based on what little knowledge I have with this model.

There are a few details that could make a difference.

One is the blade. The scrub plane should have a thicker blade than a regular Stanley plane.

There could be a problem if the lever cap screw has become shortened by a previous owner. This would be something you would notice by the screw running out of threads as you tighten it. You could try placing a penny between the blade and the cap screw to see if this is the corrects the problem.

You may also have an incorrect lever cap. The proper lever cap has some notches to hook onto the cross pin to keep it from slipping.

On the early types the plane body is made so the lever cap screw is unsupported. This can cause a bow in the blade which can also contribute to the blade slipping.

If you can post some pictures of the plane set up and with it disassembled that might help to spot some other problems.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

After reading David's post another thought came to mind.

Is there any evidence of alteration to the blade support?

jtk

[Micheal Double]

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[Micheal Double]

http://youtu.be/5Yxke9Pe3V8

this vid is an example of how easy the iron assembly pops out. It does same thing when cutting.

[David Weaver]

file grooves in it where the pin sits on the lever cap. Just very subtle ones.

There is fresh paint all over the thing, on the lever cap and on the retaining pin. Paint on paint is a recipe for slipping, and it looks like it was restored to have that paint there. Sand it off of the pin to go with the light filing (the groove you file literally should not be more than something like a half mm or less.

[Tony Shea]

It might be a mistake on my part but it looks like your putting the blade in the plane with the bevel pointing up. That would potentially create a bedding issue. I have no experience with this plane but am sure that is not how the blade is supposed to be installed.

[Zander Kale]

It is a truly annoying problem! You probably have an older(?) 40 - look at others and you'll notice the caps have nibs above and below where the rod fits, preventing slippage. Yours, like mine, is likely missing the lower nibs. To fix mine, I did as David suggests and took a chainsaw file and put a shallow (maybe 1/32" deep) groove in the cap. Problem solved.

[David Weaver]

I neglected to mention one thing, as I had said above, it's a bit odd for a lever cap and the iron to move together when under tension. I see why they are moving. The bedding area is painted, and the paint where the iron contacts the bed needs to go. It would be good to leave it as a sanded or filed surface (it doesn't need to be too fine).

Where metal beds on metal, it's best to have no paint between them.

[Mark Dorman]

It might be a mistake on my part but it looks like your putting the blade in the plane with the bevel pointing up. That would potentially create a bedding issue. I have no experience with this plane but am sure that is not how the blade is supposed to be installed.

Tony is right about bevel down is the correct orientation. I went and tried mine bevel up and it held okay. So I'm thinking the paint is the main issue also.

[Micheal Double]

Scrub plane issue is nonissue :) remove paint on frog and cap iron keeper rod. Filed little. Seems to work great.
I do think its amazing that some of you knew there was paint on it. How in the heck would you guys know that? I just figured it was japanning.

Thank you very much
Micheal

[Jim Koepke]

That is an early type scrub plane. A later type has a bit of casting behind the blade support to oppose the lever cap screw.

jtk

[David Weaver]

I do think its amazing that some of you knew there was paint on it. How in the heck would you guys know that? I just figured it was japanning.

Thank you very much
Micheal

We have good imaginations! Plus, sometimes when people refresh the japanning on a plane with paint, they get a little overzealous and cover up all of the mating surfaces. The paint burinshes and becomes smooth and slick under the pressure of the surfaces and the results are predictable. Shellac/lacquer, wax and oil are other common things that people put on an entire plane (including mating surfaces and beds, etc).

[Micheal Double]

Yes sir, after you pointed out the paint I compared the bed that mates up with iron to other planes. Removing the paint did alot but still moved so I took chainsaw file to iron cap. Worked like a charm.

Zander, it's always somehow comforting when you hear someone else had the same problem lol. It's kind of sadistic if you ask me

[Sam Stephens]

I do think its amazing that some of you knew there was paint on it. How in the heck would you guys know that? I just figured it was japanning.

Thank you very much
Micheal

well who do you think sold it to you?......Hmmmmm