A Pair of Scrubbers

[rxh]

Some readers may remember my earlier thread about scrub planes, which produced an interesting discussion of the merits of wooden versus metal versions:
scrub-plane-project-t85530.html

It has taken me a while but I have made one of each type with about the same dimensions so that a good comparison of their performance can be made.
Length of sole: 8”
Overall length: 9 ½” (wooden one), 10” (metal one)
Blade width: 1 ½”
Blade thickness: 3/16”
Blade bedding angle: 50 degrees

The wooden one weighs 1 lb. 8 ¾ oz (~ 0.7 kg).
The metal one weighs 3 lb 13 ½ oz (~ 1. 74 kg).

The wooden one is made of oak with a handle of apple. Its lever cap is also of apple (with certain brass ingredients) – early days but it seems to work and be strong enough.

The metal one has sole and sides of bright mild steel, dovetailed together. The infill wood is padauk. It amused me to add an adjuster as I wanted to try out a new mechanism idea (adapted from a common household item – can you guess what it is?).

So there you are – a pair of scrubbers: a plain English lightweight one and a fancy exotic heavyweight one
Test results to follow when some suitable wood has been found.

 

[n0legs]

They look great =D>
I really really really like the Padauk and steel. The materials look so right together, well done

 

[MIGNAL]

Yes, whilst the wooden scrub is fairly traditional in design the steel one makes a Veritas look like it's straight out of the 19 th century. It's very fancy for a scrub plane. It has the look of a high performance smoother! I'd like to see the mechanics of the adjuster.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

"It has taken me a while but I have made one of each type"
Ye Gods, it could only be you!
=D> =D>

 

[AndyT]

Now that's a thorough approach to research, though they look almost too smart to use!
Can we please see some pictures of the soles, showing the mouth width and camber on the irons?

And just a wild guess for the domestic adjuster - is it a little toothed wheel from a can opener, meshing with holes in the back of the blade?

 

[rxh]

Thanks to all for the kind comments. Below is a photo of the soles, as requested by Andy.

The adjuster is made from a door rack bolt with mounting plate cut short. A drive peg for the blade is bolted to holes drilled and tapped in the end of the bolt.

 

[AndyT]

Now that's clever!

 

[MIGNAL]

Clever indeed!

 

[n0legs]

You clever bugger :lol:
Very impressed =D>

 

[condeesteso]

Excellent work Richard - don't know many who would take the scrub plane to such engineering highs :wink:
The use of the window bolt as a rack and pinion source is typically resourcful!
As you know I had been modifying an old jack to create a scrub, but for the third time couldn't bring myself. It started derailing when I put a box insert in to tighten the mouth :lol: :lol: I guess my heart wasn't in it, anyway I now have another jack that works great - so I'll have to get just one more and start again on the scrub. At about a fiver a time this is beginning to get expensive. I may do a little thread on my 'scrubber for a fiver'... inspired by a postcard in a phone box down Poplar (I made that up, honest).
I'm interested to find out how they feel and work - we had a chat about the merits of lighter (woodie) and heavier. I think these things need a thorough test by an independent

 

[DTR]

Ingenious =D>

 

[Bedrock]

rxh
Brilliant. You may recall that we had a brief natter at the timber yard meet last November about adjusters. I must admit to not liking the variable slack encountered with a number of Bailey type adjusters, and, notwithstanding the current enthuisiasm for no adjusters, I have been rattling my brain as to how to circumvent this problem. Norris adjusters can do this, provided the tolerances are close, but there are other issues.

Many years ago, Scalextrix used (still do ?) have their cars driven with a brass worm and gear system, which would, I think, do away with the slack, and prevent the plane blade being driven back up, under planing pressure, whilst leaving the adjustment wheel, as you have, easily accessible without taking your hand off the tote.

How does your clever window bolt function under planing pressure? I think that your mechanism is the equivalent of a rack and pinion.

'Course, it would not be the first time I have been guilty of overthinking a problem.

Regards Mike

 

[rafezetter]

Using that lock as an adjuster is genius - and has given me a few ideas

 

[tobytools]

beautiful work rxh

TT

 

[rxh]

Thanks for all the comments The idea for the adjuster came to me when I found the rack bolt whilst looking through a box of junk for something else.

Douglas, I'll look forward to reading more about your adventures with cheap scrubbers :wink: and , yes, an independent test would be very welcome

Mike, Yes, the adjuster is effectively a rack and pinion. It has very little backlash but does not resist blade motion much, so to make an adjustment it is necessary to slacken the lever cap screw slightly, adjust and then tighten the lever cap screw again. Use of a worm is an interesting idea - there's food for thought .....