Trouble with Beams

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Really? I thought a lot of Scrubs were just converted No4s.

What is a 78? Sorry, I don't know that term 👍
The use of the plane is in the name "scrub" i.e. to clean up rough stuff. More refined than axe or adze. Has to be a narrow blade with a tight camber so that it's cutting into the clean wood below. Hence a 2" blade is on the wide side as most of the blade would be unused and wasted, or not enough camber; not a deep enough cut and hard work.
Stanley 78 designed as a rebate plane has a nice narrow blade and you could put a tight radius on it. In fact they are very handy and get used/misused for all sorts of jobs and often turn up nackered with parts missing. Should be good as a scrubber but I've not tried it myself.
But the woodies are best - small, light-weight, deep cutting. Also known as the "Bismark" design much like the ECE modern version.
 
The German style planes make good scrub planes by just putting a decent camber on the blade. Almost as good as the Stanly 40 itself.
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I got along fine with the old horned plane for years as my scrub but I could not resist the No 40 that was going for a song. Then round out the collection with the quickest scrub of the lot.

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The good thing about the electric plane is it's great at cleaning up old recycled wood. The replacement blades are cheap and it saves you blunting you'r good plane blades and machine blades too.
Regards
John





I
 
borrow some bodies bench planer and or see if you can hire one from a plant hire firm . where are you in england may be i can help
 
The German style planes make good scrub planes by just putting a decent camber on the blade. Almost as good as the Stanly 40 itself.
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I got along fine with the old horned plane for years as my scrub but I could not resist the No 40 that was going for a song. Then round out the collection with the quickest scrub of the lot.

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The good thing about the electric plane is it's great at cleaning up old recycled wood. The replacement blades are cheap and it saves you blunting you'r good plane blades and machine blades too.
Regards
John





I
You were lucky to get a 40!
Stanley 40s barely exist in the UK, rare in USA and collectible at high prices.
Obviously never caught on in a big way.
I don't suppose they are any better than the old woodies and probably the weight would make more work of it?
They've been reintroduced by LV, LN, as a venture - trying to persuade buyers they are part of the normal planing arsenal, but they aren't really. I think they are specialised with limited use i.e. for reclaiming old wood.
Patrick warns about them:
"These planes are hard to ruin physically since they're quite ruggedly built to handle the job for which they are designed. If you're at all into preparing rough stock, this is one plane to own. Even the most die-hard power tool junkie can successfully use this plane, but be careful if you fall into that gene pool - it might just be your baptism into the spiritual world of handtool fundamentalism." o_O
but he doesn't account for why they are relatively rare.
 
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I agree - Stanley 40 aren't regulars on the market here and when they do appear seem to be expensive. My experience is that a new ECE is cheaper than any secondhand Stanley 40 that I've seen. And the ECE works fine for me.
 
Steal (with glee) some ideas from this chap? A scrub, No 4, whatever gets to the high spots.
A decent 2' steel rule will suffice for a straight edge and leave you with a useful tool after.
I tried using a 78 as a scrub plane before I got my ECE. It's may well be me, but I couldn't get the 78's to grip the blade firmly enough. I've got a couple of 78s and I don't use them - there are other planes that I find easier to use to cut rebates etc. (and yes - I have too many planes)
 
I tried using a 78 as a scrub plane before I got my ECE. It's may well be me, but I couldn't get the 78's to grip the blade firmly enough. I've got a couple of 78s and I don't use them - there are other planes that I find easier to use to cut rebates etc. (and yes - I have too many planes)
An old No 4 converted as per Sellers, works fine as a scrub.
 
I did luck out on the No 40 and got it at about £50 on the bay 7 or 8 years ago. Was not really looking for one but when you get the chance you pounce. They are also a bit rare here in Australia. It really takes a deep but narrow bite. Scoops out really thick chunks. That said sometimes a wider less aggressive camber can be a quicker way to cover a wide board surface. As I mentioned those horned woodies do a good job at scrubbing and weight wise would be about the same as the No 40 as its a narrow plane so a weighs a bit less than a No 3.
Regards
John
 
The problem is a soft weathered layer of timber on the surface. This will deflect under the plane so you can't cut it with a standard plane . You need to remove the weathered layer first. A scrub plane, electric plane ,heavy duty sander or a flap disc in angle grinder will all work, just ue whatever you have or can justify buying.
 
I did a thing.

Now I have a scrub plane.

Thanks, guys. Now to try this on the beam... and then... everything else. Wahahahahaha

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Not going to go down well, haha,
I'm a late 30-something chap who started learning cabinetry at 33,

but I have no sympathy for one who sounds able.
Get a smooth heavy rigid door, like a fire door for example, and plonk it on that "bench"
Then you will be able to see where those surfaces are hinging from,
Charlesworth's videos
which makes things easier and more resourceful regarding not ending up with matchsticks
using scrub planes.

I find it quite odd that the suggestion is such for a fence post or newel post,
as that would mean taking cuts for a mere inch....
unless you think wiping out the perimeter with random deep cuts a good thing..
and therefore eliminating a chance to keep a flat plane, as is Charlesworth's and everyone else's description of such, is as follows...

*The shortest distance between two points*
Those two points, or indeed four points on a bit of timber, are the four corners,
Charlesworth's lessons had much emphasis on the perimeter.
"and they roll up their sleeves, spit on their hands, and...
..Oh dear, that board was flat a moment ago"


The only person I've seen using one of those planes sensibly is Peter Follansbee,
and he cuts, splits and hews his own green stock, and can use the scrub on long grain effectively,
so he has the choice to spelch the timbers edge if he's got plenty of waste to remove, before leaving the oak to partially season, and lets not forget he's also doing accurate reproductions
regarding the worked show faces.
 
I did a thing.

Now I have a scrub plane.

Thanks, guys. Now to try this on the beam... and then... everything else. Wahahahahaha
Oh my, that is looking for a fight, two big knots on presumably kiln dried stock,
That's the part when the scrubbers break out their belt sanders.
 
I did a thing.

Now I have a scrub plane.

Thanks, guys. Now to try this on the beam... and then... everything else. Wahahahahaha

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You don't need a scrub plane on a nice flattish piece like that. You need slightly cambered and very sharp smoother but you may still have problems around the knots.
If that's before and after you still have some way to go. More planing and sharpening practice required!
 
You don't need a scrub plane on a nice flattish piece like that. You need slightly cambered and very sharp smoother but you may still have problems around the knots.
If that's before and after you still have some way to go. More planing and sharpening practice required!

Thanks, but it was mainly to just test the scrub plane. Took off the surface and ate the knots in seconds
 
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