Scrub plane and jointer plane recommendations

[AndyT]

That's a good point about the usage Derek. A scrub could be useful if you were converting tapering cleft billets into square boards but for me it's only really been useful at getting below the paint on reclaimed stuff.

I bought a wooden one from Rutlands in one of their many sales for about £15 IIRC and it's quite handy - but they don't sell them any more which is a pity. I expect it came from somewhere in eastern Europe - probably the same place that supplied the similar cheap planes from Aldi.

Old English wooden jack planes often go unsold or for the opening bid on eBay, so finding one local and avoiding hefty postage is a good plan.

 

[morfa]

Well at least part of the reason for wanting a scrub plane was so I have one for any large scale flattening operations. But yes, I probably don't want to take more than 3/4mm off. If it's 3/4mm on an edge, I'll saw it off. If it's not to wide across the width, I'll saw that as well.

But at the moment, I've got a 70cm wide board which isn't that well jointed and having something around to speed that up would have been nice. However it's largely done.

It does seem that a no 5 with a cambered blade should be on the list as well. I currently have a 5 1/2, but that's got a straight blade at the moment.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

I agree with Morfa that scrub planes are not at their best in dealing with edges. I use either a coarse-set jack to take off the waste in thick shavings, or as Morfa says, saw it off - and 3 to 4 mm is borderline between the two approaches. In pine, I'd plane. In oak, I'd probably saw.

I hear what others say above on the scrubbing of wider surfaces, but one of the problems in using the scrub-for-deep and jack-for-shallow approach is that you need two planes. I accept that in time, most people's kit will expand, and that a woody jack need not cost very much at all, but it's still possible to do a shallow clean-off with a metal (or ECE-type) scrub, just by setting the blade less aggressively. Sure, that means a narrower cut and therefore more of them, but as you end up taking nice easy strokes of the plane, the work isn't at all tiring. The resulting surface gouges are shallower, so don't take as much work to clean up with a try-plane used along the grain.

It's great to have a tool adapted for every eventuality, but for the relative newcomer on a budget (perhaps also with limited storage space) it's good to have a few well-chosen but adaptable tools that can cope with all eventualities if adjusted a little. For flattening and later thicknessing sawn boards, the scrub can do it all, and with a little finesse in adjusting, do it quite well. It's probably fair to say that the use of the scrub for preparation of sawn boards is more a European tradition, and the jack/fore more a UK/North American tradition, but as both traditions existed for many years (several centuries, indeed!) it's fair to say that both approaches work perfectly satisfactorily.

One last thought - whether scrubbing or jack/fore planing off bulk waste, it's important to keep checking progress frequently with straightedge and winding sticks, or reference to gauge lines. It's very easy to take too much off very quickly. Don't ask how I know....

 

[Jacob]

Scrub good for edges IMHO. Really rips stuff off fast, but only if held in a vice. Single handed site work an axe is better.
I've also used a scrub for pallet wood.
NB You don't have to do it diagonally - it's just that a twisted board usually has high points diagonally opposed

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Scrub good for edges IMHO

Which just proves that different approaches suit different people. I HATE using a scrub plane on long-grain - it's far too aggressive and uncontrollable for me - but it clearly works for Jacob!

 

[MMUK]

I know I've had limited experience but I've always managed long grain with my #5

Although I now have a #6 and tempted to buy a #7 to complete my collection......

Then there's block planes and some woodies

 

[bugbear]

Well at least part of the reason for wanting a scrub plane was so I have one for any large scale flattening operations. But yes, I probably don't want to take more than 3/4mm off. If it's 3/4mm on an edge, I'll saw it off. If it's not to wide across the width, I'll saw that as well.

But at the moment, I've got a 70cm wide board which isn't that well jointed and having something around to speed that up would have been nice. However it's largely done.

It does seem that a no 5 with a cambered blade should be on the list as well. I currently have a 5 1/2, but that's got a straight blade at the moment.

3-4mm off a surface is not full-on scrub plane territory; you need an aggressive jack.

BugBear

 

[morfa]

3-4mm off a surface is not full-on scrub plane territory; you need an aggressive jack.

But BB, I don't want Jack to thump me in the face? If he's an aggressive Jack. Sounds scary.

I guess by aggressive you just mean 'cambered blade' right?

One last thought - whether scrubbing or jack/fore planing off bulk waste, it's important to keep checking progress frequently with straightedge and winding sticks, or reference to gauge lines. It's very easy to take too much off very quickly. Don't ask how I know....

I'm sure you've never done that. I know I certainly haven't. I certainly haven't taken so much off that I made more work for myself to get it all back to square. And then never actually got it back to square and just went 'it's close enough'.

 

[Richard T]

Instead of a number 6, I use a number 5 as a fore. :-s

Nice and narrow, not too heavy and with a mere 10 inch camber on it I find it shifts lots quickly without any breakout and leaves less pronounced ridges to smooth.

I find that I only need to scrub roughly cleft stuff.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

One last thought - whether scrubbing or jack/fore planing off bulk waste, it's important to keep checking progress frequently with straightedge and winding sticks, or reference to gauge lines. It's very easy to take too much off very quickly. Don't ask how I know....

I'm sure you've never done that. I know I certainly haven't. I certainly haven't taken so much off that I made more work for myself to get it all back to square. And then never actually got it back to square and just went 'it's close enough'.

I'll have you know I'm responsible for some of the best-planed firewood in Cheshire!

As for square - well, wouldn't you rather be 'cool' than 'square'? :lol:

 

[bugbear]

I'll have you know I'm responsible for some of the best-planed firewood in Cheshire!

As for square - well, wouldn't you rather be 'cool' than 'square'? :lol:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB5YkmjalDg&feature=kp

BugBear