Scrub Plane

[Richard Gillespie]

I've bought several planes on ebay but so far the bid price for a Stanley #40 has been much higher than I've wanted to pay with shipping. Has anyone ever ground a #3 blade into the scrub profile and used a #3 as a scrub plane? I don't know if the 45 degree angle on the frog would make that a bad idea.

If there is another size plane that is better please let me know.

I'm sure that LN or L-V have good ones but that's even more scratch than I want to part with.

Thanks
Rick

[maurice biddles]

I've bought several planes on ebay but so far the bid price for a Stanley #40 has been much higher than I've wanted to pay with shipping.

I'm sure that LN or L-V have good ones but that's even more scratch than I want to part with.

Rick - I'm in the same boat. I've been watching ebay over the last couple of weeks and # 40's in poor condition are going for $60+. Nice ones go close to $80 not including shipping.

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3241196317&category=13 874&rd=1">Recent auction</a>

Besides adapting a #3 does anyone have any thoughts on the ECE scrub? I've found it online for $58 new. I don't have any wooden bodied planes so this would be the first one.

Thoughts
maurice

[Jim DeLaney]

Has anyone ever ground a #3 blade into the scrub profile and used a #3 as a scrub plane? I don't know if the 45 degree angle on the frog would make that a bad idea

I've got a 40. Just had Mike in Katy make a new cherry knob & tote for it.

Really like it...but before I got the 40 (paid $22 for it - good body & blade, but broken tote and no knob) I took an old Great Neck brand #4 and put a radius on the blade and set the frog as far back as possible. Makes a very acceptable scrub, and 'no name' #4's are dirt cheap. Mine was under $5, if I recall.

[Robert Tarr]

Besides adapting a #3 does anyone have any thoughts on the ECE scrub? I've found it online for $58 new. I don't have any wooden bodied planes so this would be the first one.

Thoughts
maurice[/QUOTE]

I just picked up a very old ECE (I think, only says Germany on the blade) scrub. Paid $13....a little Murphey's oil soap and 15 minutes of cleaning and sharpening and it is by far the best scrub I have used (including #40's and modified metal bodied planes). I eats through maple like a beaver. Naturally, I do not have an adjuster on this plane, and with a scrub, don't think you need one.

I don't think you can go wrong with the ECE, but also keep your eye open for a cheap coffin smoother at flea markets etc. If it is like most of the ones available around here, the mouth is opened a huge amount and would take more work than I would like to make it mostly usuable as a smoother, but radius the blade and smoothly open the mouth, and you have a good scrub (smaller blade is better here...)

Hope this helps.

Robert

P.S. My plane has the horn on it, but I don't use it much as a handle, just as a place to rest the web of my hand...

[Robert Johnson]

Rick - I'm in the same boat. I've been watching ebay over the last couple of weeks and # 40's in poor condition are going for $60+. Nice ones go close to $80 not including shipping.

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3241196317&category=13 874&rd=1">Recent auction</a>

Besides adapting a #3 does anyone have any thoughts on the ECE scrub? I've found it online for $58 new. I don't have any wooden bodied planes so this would be the first one.

Thoughts
maurice

Maurice,

I have the ECE scrub plane and it works well even in the hands of a novice (me). My only complaint is the radius of curvature of the iron is too small for flattening boards without removing a lot of wood. The ECE's radius is about 1-5/8 inches. With such a small radius, if I make a shallow cut, then the cuts are not very wide.

So, I bought a Stanley No. 40 on eBay <a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3238805650&category=13 874&rd=1">3238805650</a> for $41 (I think it's in good condition). I plan to re-grind the blade so the radius is about 3 inches. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Robert