scrub planes

[AHill]

Both LN and LV sell a scrub plane. They both use 1.5" wide blades and are cambered with a 3" radius. For a 2" width plane, you should increase the radius to around 4.5 to 5". The radius really determines your max depth of cut for the full width of the blade. There are some formulas to figure out the radius elsewhere online.

[Admiral]

What makes a scrub, a scrub, is its 'narrowness.'  Scrubs in the Germanic and Swedish traditions, as well as Stanley's models -- narrow.  They're really made for doing "touch and go's" -- like an airplane hitting the runway and taking right back off.  You're hitting obvious high spots and moving on, not planing from end to end.  Something narrow and very light is what's needed.

A smoother conversion is sump'n like, but not quite.

Ah, so many ways to skin the cat here, and if you measure the width of the iron in a Stanley #40 1/2 scrub, then the iron in the #78, well they are both 1 1/2".  You can find a lot of 78s missing fences and depth gauge, and they are perfect candidates for scrub conversion.  Thin, light and effective.  Credit Paul Sellers for this idea, as for some reason in the UK #40-#40 1/2s are very hard to come by; I sometimes find his ideas a bit silly, but this one in particular has merit.

https://paulsellers.com/2018/05/the-stan...lane-what/

[Timberwolf]

Ah, so many ways to skin the cat here, and if you measure the width of the iron in a Stanley #40 1/2 scrub, then the iron in the #78, well they are both 1 1/2".  You can find a lot of 78s missing fences and depth gauge, and they are perfect candidates for scrub conversion.  Thin, light and effective.  Credit Paul Sellers for this idea, as for some reason in the UK #40-#40 1/2s are very hard to come by; I sometimes find his ideas a bit silly, but this one in particular has merit.

https://paulsellers.com/2018/05/the-stan...lane-what/

...........................
Another way is just grind the sides of the original blade to the width you want. Then grind the radius.

[CStan]

Ah, so many ways to skin the cat here, and if you measure the width of the iron in a Stanley #40 1/2 scrub, then the iron in the #78, well they are both 1 1/2".  You can find a lot of 78s missing fences and depth gauge, and they are perfect candidates for scrub conversion.  Thin, light and effective.  Credit Paul Sellers for this idea, as for some reason in the UK #40-#40 1/2s are very hard to come by; I sometimes find his ideas a bit silly, but this one in particular has merit.

https://paulsellers.com/2018/05/the-stan...lane-what/

New ECE scrubs are in the $100 range.  I bought a second-hand Stanley years ago for much less, but I'd gladly pay $100 for a new one rather than spend the time altering some other plane.  The ersatz "economy" of that sort of project, in the midst of a shop with thousands of dollars of tools and lumber inventory, is completely lost on me.  I'd rather have a spinal tap with no anaesthetic than spend a bunch of time in front a grinder making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  "Look honey, I just made a scrub plane" as her eye scans down the row of a complete suite of Lie-Nielsen bronze bench planes, or vintage Stanley Bedrocks, Japanese chisels from a maker who only does five sets a year, or [insert your favorite tool and brand here].

[clovishound]

Well, some don't really have the money to spare on their hobby and need to get things done on a budget.

Others just enjoy the process of making something that fills the need from something they have on hand, or that no one else really wants.

[Admiral]

New ECE scrubs are in the $100 range.  I bought a second-hand Stanley years ago for much less, but I'd gladly pay $100 for a new one rather than spend the time altering some other plane.  The ersatz "economy" of that sort of project, in the midst of a shop with thousands of dollars of tools and lumber inventory, is completely lost on me.  I'd rather have a spinal tap with no anaesthetic than spend a bunch of time in front a grinder making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.  "Look honey, I just made a scrub plane" as her eye scans down the row of a complete suite of Lie-Nielsen bronze bench planes, or vintage Stanley Bedrocks, Japanese chisels from a maker who only does five sets a year, or [insert your favorite tool and brand here].

All it really requires is putting a new grind on the iron, not much more than that unless you want to file open the mouth a bit...  But having said that, my user is a LN. . . .

[tablesawtom]

Interestingly enough I have a couple of old 78ths that do not have the lever for advancing the blade forward or backward. The would make for a good scrub. I wonder about not having a front knob  My planes are over at the shop so I am just thinking out loud

I guess I wouldn't spend money for a scrub. I have only had a reason to use one once in 45 years where I wished I had one to use. The LN scrub I just sold was a buy for resale item. Usually it is a buy, precision grind and resale

I will stop over the shop and get a 78 blade and put a radius on it.

I do understand what Ahill is trying to say and the formulas involved. but I can grind a 3 inch radius on a 2 inch wide blade and if the blade sticks out the bottom of the plane say 1/16 of an inch the difference in cord length exposed is a moot point. I have a friend that can't use his plane or chisels because he will have the wrong angle on the iron for whatever wood is to be used.

I will try a 878 and see how it works Thanks for the tip.

Tom

[Dave S®]

resurrecting this thread.

I am looking for a scrub in the true sense.....1 1/2" blade, etc.
The goal is it create a texture type pattern in some pieces I am working on.

I saw the YouTube videos about putting a radius on a #4 smoothing plane, but I don't think that will get me the look I want

Purchasing new planes seems to be a waiting game......LN and LV are back ordered or non-commital on availability

Thanks for any additional suggestions

[Admiral]

resurrecting this thread.

I am looking for a scrub in the true sense.....1 1/2" blade, etc.
The goal is it create a texture type pattern in some pieces I am working on.

I saw the YouTube videos about putting a radius on a #4 smoothing plane, but I don't think that will get me the look I want

Purchasing new planes seems to be a waiting game......LN and LV are back ordered or non-commital on availability

Thanks for any additional suggestions

Try the Sellers' #78 conversion; 78 bodies with an iron, but missing the fence and depth gauge can be had at flea markets for not all that much.

[Dave S®]

Try the Sellers' #78 conversion; 78 bodies with an iron, but missing the fence and depth gauge can be had at flea markets for not all that much.

 I saw that in the thread and was looking around at the Stanley 78's.    This is all going to be experimental for some textures, and also for working on warped boards.   

One thing is for sure, Ebay is an amazing place to see what people can get for the LN planes. wow!

I have a #4 Bailey that I could also grind the camber on a sacrificial blade to mix different widths of the scrub markings

Thanks for the sharing of the knowledge and experience!