5 1/4 Stanley to Scrub Plane

[Jeffrey Kalakay]

Sorry if this has be posted elsewhere (I looked but couldn't find any threads) but I was looking to convert my 5 1/4 Stanley into a scrub plane and have a question about the lateral adjuster. Would it be a bad idea to remove the adjuster since I see scrub planes don't require them? The adjuster is rather loose and ive tried to peen the rivet to make the adjuster tighter without damaging the frog but would it just be a better idea to carefully drill the rivet, and remove the lever? Or will i just end up compromising the frog plane itself?

Thanks in advance!

Jeff

[John Lanciani]

Sell the 5-1/4 and buy a 40, don't ruin a 5-1/4 trying to make it what it isn't.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Sell the 5-1/4 and buy a 40, don't ruin a 5-1/4 trying to make it what it isn't.

100% agree. A 40 or 40 1/2 isn't that expensive, you'll likely make a few $ in the trade.

[Richard Coers]

You're going to need a much bigger mouth opening in the sole too. Just buy a scrub plane.

[Tim Best]

Hi Jeffrey,

How often do you need a scrub plane? Just curious. I converted a no name, newish (this century) #4 into a scrub. It works and is aggressive, but I rarely use it. The narrower, shorter body on a 40 (or similar) is probably more ideal. I think Derek Cohen recently had an post about this topic.

Tim

[David Bassett]

OK, mods moved this here, so we have two threads with the same name & topic in the same sub-forum now. (Here's the OTHER THREAD.)

Instead of "converting" your plane, just set it up for scrubbing. Add a camber to the iron, (or get a second iron and camber it,) move the frog all the way back, set the chip breaker back a little more and go to work. Instead of a 3" (or whatever) radius on the #40, maybe camber the blade with a 5" radius since it's slightly wider. Many people will rough with a full sized Jack plane and your small Jack isn't much bigger than the Stanley scrub planes, so it should work fine for you without destroying it's original function/capability.

[Jim Koepke]

Here is my response, with some added, to the other thread:

Howdy Jeff and Welcome to the Creek.

There is no reason to remove it.

If its flopping around bothers you, try some tape to hold it.

That way if you do not like it, you can always turn it back into what it was.

BTW, my first scrub plane was made from an abused #5-1/4 and is still in use.

Currently there are three full time scrubs in my shop:

Three Scrubs.jpg

My #5-1/2 came set up with a blade cambered for use as a scrub. That was recently used on a rough cut piece.

jtk

- Now a moderator can delete the other and there shall be only one…

[Mike Henderson]

I have a #40 scrub plane and a 5 1/4. I don't use the #40 very much since I got a powered jointer. But I do use the 5 1/4. It's a good size for a lot of the things I do. It's between a block plane and a full sized bench plane.

If I were you, I'd buy a #40 and keep the 5 1/4 for use as a regular plane.

Mike

[Jeffrey Kalakay]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I'll end up just doing a full refurbish on the 5 1/4 and just buy a scrub. I've never seen a 40 in person so I was wondering size wise whats it comparable to? I have bear paws for hands and wondering if comfort would be an issue.

[Jeffrey Kalakay]

OK, mods moved this here, so we have two threads with the same name & topic in the same sub-forum now. (Here's the OTHER THREAD.)

Instead of "converting" your plane, just set it up for scrubbing. Add a camber to the iron, (or get a second iron and camber it,) move the frog all the way back, set the chip breaker back a little more and go to work. Instead of a 3" (or whatever) radius on the #40, maybe camber the blade with a 5" radius since it's slightly wider. Many people will rough with a full sized Jack plane and your small Jack isn't much bigger than the Stanley scrub planes, so it should work fine for you without destroying it's original function/capability.

It wasn't the mods, I posted it in the general woodworking subforum before I saw there was a hand tool specific one. My apologizes for the double post, I have used a message board since the early 00s.

[steven c newman]

I took an old Great Neck Corsair C-5 jack plane....reground the edge of the iron to an 8" radius...mouth was HUGE anyway....made a nice $8 Scrub Jack out of it.

I have the Millers Falls No. 11....same size as the Stanley 5-1/4.....I left the iron straight across....just a long bodied #3 sized plane, I can either use as a small Jack, or a long #3 smoother....tis a nice change from a long day of pushing the "full sized" planes around...

[Warren Mickley]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I think I'll end up just doing a full refurbish on the 5 1/4 and just buy a scrub. I've never seen a 40 in person so I was wondering size wise whats it comparable to? I have bear paws for hands and wondering if comfort would be an issue.

The 40 scrub plane was invented around 1890, long after most timber was prepared by industrial machines. It was named after the German shrupphobel, which is a short wooden roughing plane with a big horn in the front. The 40 was used by carpenters for rough fitting, but was never very common.

If it is comfort you want, I recommend a wooden jack plane, which is about 16 inches long. It is less tiring to use because it is light and your hands are farther apart which gives leverage control. This is the tool that was used in America in the hand tool era. I recommend a double iron jack.

[Michael J Evans]

The 40 scrub plane was invented around 1890, long after most timber was prepared by industrial machines. It was named after the German shrupphobel, which is a short wooden roughing plane with a big horn in the front. The 40 was used by carpenters for rough fitting, but was never very common.

If it is comfort you want, I recommend a wooden jack plane, which is about 16 inches long. It is less tiring to use because it is light and your hands are farther apart which gives leverage control. This is the tool that was used in America in the hand tool era. I recommend a double iron jack.

I agree, I have both a wooden jack with a decent camber and a German shupphobel. While the German plane can take a much deeper/aggressive cut, I prefer the jack for comfort / handling. Although if you need to remove a lot from a edge the German plane with it's narrower blade can really hog off material.

[Jerry Olexa]

Agree. get a #40 scrub specifically made for that function///

[Jim Koepke]

Jeff, you make no mention of why you are thinking of a scrub plane.

It might also help to know more about what you intend to build and the lumber you use.

It could also be helpful to include your location in your information. You might be close to another member who is willing to let you test drive their scrub plane(s).

Another consideration might be the cost of a scrub plane. A spare blade for your #5-1/4 will cost less than a #40.

jtk