Stanley #80 has changed my life

[Tony Z]

In the days since this thread appeared, I have made a 1/8" thick blade for my #80, out of a piece of O1. Have heat treated it and when I get my butt moving, will draw it back & put it to work.

[Smoothjazz077]

I agree with Admiral on the Scraping Plane.  I purchased a LV Scraping Plane some years ago, and at first I was little disappointed.  I realized there is a little than longer learning curve on sharpening and burnishing the blade.  Once you get past that, it is a monster to use on that "impossible to plane wood".  I don't work often with wood that requires this plane, but I can tell you that when I do need it, it's a pleasure.  I am very impressed with the LV model I purchased, and would highly recommend it if the wallet allows.

Scott

[bandit571]

Wasted effort, maybe?
  The reason for the thin Stanley blade?   So it can be flexed by that thumbscrew that is in the middle of the plane.  

Ok, the iron itself is ground at  a 45 degree bevel.    Then the burr will continue the bevel on over to form the "hook" that does the scraper work.   A thick iron is not really needed, unless one is just showing off......


Thicker iron, then flex it?   
You'll run out of clearance  for shavings to exit the plane. 


Why the flex?   For all the same reasons you flex card scrapers in use.   All the #80 is just a holder for the scraper, and saves your fingers from being burnt .

[hbmcc]

After reading this thread earlier, I remembered I had an 80 packed somewhere. Will keep fooling with it, but it can cause some unnatural tearout (straight) where normal tearout seems more acceptable. 
  A card scraper leaves fingers and shoulders screaming. The 80, just shoulders. Probably, not best for pine (soft wood) since my bread box planer does well enough; and I end up going through five grits of paper regardless.

[Rob Young]

After reading this thread earlier, I remembered I had an 80 packed somewhere. Will keep fooling with it, but it can cause some unnatural tearout (straight) where normal tearout seems more acceptable. 
  A card scraper leaves fingers and shoulders screaming. The 80, just shoulders. Probably, not best for pine (soft wood) since my bread box planer does well enough; and I end up going through five grits of paper regardless.

If it is hurting your shoulders, it sounds to me like too heavy of a cut.  Same for causing damage with a #80, and perhaps a corner digging in.

Dock the corners of the blade ever so slightly before creating the burr.  Take a lighter cut (but that also means more of them) so if you have a medical issue with your shoulders, it's probably a toss-up.  

And a scraper can work just fine on pine.  I've gotten them to work on all kinds of random SPF from the home center.

[hbmcc]

I'll do that Rob, thanks. The bow deflection should resolve a lot of "flat blade" problems. It was a new blade, and I wasn't aware it needed a hook like scrapers. I have some quilted maple it should shine at. Arthritis is not fun, especially when the 'fix' can be worse than the moment chosen to do surgery. Right now, the good stories are about equal to the complaints; so, I can expect a miserable failure.

[Rob Young]

I'll do that Rob, thanks. The bow deflection should resolve a lot of "flat blade" problems. It was a new blade, and I wasn't aware it needed a hook like scrapers. I have some quilted maple it should shine at. Arthritis is not fun, especially when the 'fix' can be worse than the moment chosen to do surgery. Right now, the good stories are about equal to the complaints; so, I can expect a miserable failure.

Try to have as little bow in the blade as possible as it tends (for me at least) to do two things with the #80:

1) Makes the cut so narrow it isn't getting much done.
2) The scallop of the cut kind of defeats the purpose of having the sole of the #80 and you end up the with possibility of dished areas, just like with a "raw" card scraper.



"so, I can expect a miserable failure" -- that's the can-do spirit!

[eebs]

And a scraper can work just fine on pine.  I've gotten them to work on all kinds of random SPF from the home center.

Rob,

Could you clarify what steps you take to make the scraper effective in pine? I can get my scraper to work well on hardwood but it tears out in soft stuff.

Thanks in advance!
eric

[Rob Young]

Rob,

Could you clarify what steps you take to make the scraper effective in pine? I can get my scraper to work well on hardwood but it tears out in soft stuff.

Thanks in advance!
eric

Beyond careful sharpening, try taking a little lighter cut in pine.  The hard/soft rings can tear.  Is that the source of your tearout?

Card scraper and #80 on some white pine:


Card scraper and #80 on Douglas Fir:

[eebs]

Rob,

I do have more trouble around the areas of grain change but sometimes also on straight grain. I'll try a lighter touch once I get back in the shop. I appreciate the photos which let me know what's possible!

thanks.