Scrub Plane - a Historical Perspective - | Paul Sellers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- In times past, before Stanley Rule and Level cast their first all-metal scrub plane, well used and worn-down wooden smoothing planes were kept as roughing planes for scrubbing off rough surfaces in preparation for more refined work. Longer planes such as jack planes and jointer planes followed to further level and straighten the work before the smoothing plane smoothed out the final surfaces.
The roughing plane had many names including Hunter plane, Scud or Scudding plane; Scurf or Scurfing plane; Cow plane and I am sure others I haven’t heard of and was the forerunner to the original Stanley scrub plane we know today. The wooden roughing plane worked well for centuries but with Stanley’s new fangled all-metal planes came the necessity of metal scrub planes too. In this video I explain a little of the important history behind the development of the scrub plane and the transition from wooden planes to the all metal versions.
To find out more about Paul Sellers and the projects he is involved with visit paulsellers.com
I think I speak for everyone when I say thank you for recording your brains for the ages. we're all terribly lucky that you're alive at the same time as the video recorder :-)
I echo those sentiments completely.
Well said. My thoughts exactly.
Here...here!
in germany we have a name for it since... a loooooonnng loooong time ago :D it`s called "schrupphobel". as a first year woodworking apprentice I learned that the main difference between a jack plane and a scrubplane is that the scrubplane doesn`t have an additional iron to break the shavings but a wider hole and a somewhat round bevelshape (like a carving chisel). Its used primarily to get off the sawmill traces and after the use of the schrupphobel you use the schlichthobel which is more accurately what you described in this video. the blade of the schlichthobel still lacks the additional iron of a jackplane. I loved to use it in school :)
watched a lot of videos from many woodworkers.....you have taught me so much.. many were good, but you are the best.. THANK YOU
This reminds me a lot of Chinese cooking cleavers. The cleavers are first used for taking nice fine cuts for cutting vegetables, but as you sharpen it over the years you wear away the metal and get towards the thicker spine of the blade, you would then use it for butchery and bone cutting. Its the same as using the fine smoothing plane and then as it wears converting it to a scrub plane for the rough (e.i. butchery) bits of woodworking! In the past nothing was wasted, brilliant!
I recently purchased a Stanley Rule and Level No. 29 (20 inches long) to use as a scrub plane. I was concerned when I saw that the throat the bottom of the wooden base of the plane was 3/8ths of an inch wide. (The top part of the plane is metal.) Thank you for showing that the widened throat was perfect for my use.
Hi, I´m going through comments cause I was waiting for an explanation of the longer ones we see on the table. I think a longer fore-scrub plane would make sense. To bring big high low spots to flat/true surface. Did it work out? Thanks.
Paul, your history lessons that lead to how our hand tools developed is wonderful! I love your programs, thank you from a recovering blacksmith.
Sir Paul Sellers,you are doing a great jop for everyone working with wood ... THANK YOU so much 👌👍👌👍👌
Just picked up a new ece scrub plane. It took 30 seconds out of the box to adjust and was putting out nice thick shavings. The light tool felt great in my hands. This is why I got into hand tool woodworking. It seams like a critical tool to turn firewood grade into furniture grade.
Of all the planes available for prepping our rough stock by hand, the under discussed scrub plane is the most important in my kit by far! I love those old wooden planes and thank you for discussing them and showing us all what you know about them. This was a very information filled short video!!
I've had this same sort of lesson imposed on me by many a trainer over my current 51 years but wondered internally...why do I need to to know the history. It's irrelevant. The tool that is relevant is the one we're using today...just tell me how to use it.
Now you sir, have made it completely clear why we need to know the history of a tool and why it now exists. It means I have a much better understanding of how and why it's in my tool chest.
A gifted teacher you are.
Paul, not this video but thanks for your other video on making a scrub plane. Following your instructions I turned an little used Stanley 5 1/2 into my scrub plane. It was first used to thin out the breadboard top to a night table. The control and speed of wood removal on planing the glued-up boards was wonderful and the plane is so much easier to use with the adjustments than when it operated as a smoothing plane. With the experience gained in that project, when it came time to thin out some redwood for a guitar top, taking the wood down from 4.5 mm to 2.5-3 mm, it was the perfect tool This delicate task could not have been done without the control that the tool affords. It`s a lot faster and quieter to pull out the scrub plane than to get out the giant drum sander and the ear muffs. And very satisfying. Thanks again.
Paul your videos never get old, I learn so much from you. Thank you from a very grateful follower.
I agree and this plane can create more arguments than any other. Thank you Paul!
"This is no wimpy wood..." Love it. Love the history and insight too. Watched this a couple years ago and it's still a great vid. THANKS
You're that teacher that every school kid needs.
I use those coffin planes and they are great, I like the feel and the lightness of them, I also use metal planes of course but the wooden planes have charm I would say, I love rescuing them, I find the blades are usually of the highest quality steel.
Thank you Paul for a great show!
This has become essential veiwing in my half hour lunch break (well....perhaps a bit more?) thank you Paul Sellers...again!
Lovely video Paul, thank you!
My scrubber is an old coopers woodie with a curved sole, it eats wood for breakfast lunch and dinner and I regularly deter people from buying a new iron scrub or, heaven forbid, a thicknesser. The old woodies work beautifully in this role and they are at present cheap and plentiful. Bag yourself a beautiful handcrafted tool that still has lots left to give and it will save you a heap of time and money.
As I read up more on these tools, there is a notion in the U.S. that the term "scrub" plane was based on a German term. Where as the term "fore" plane was attributed to an English term for the same planes. It's all generally a bit confusing, but whatever they were called historically there is still a modern need for these tools. Thanks for a great video as usual, please stay safe and keep up the good work!
I have my grandpa's wooden plane, he must have done it himself. It's really nice to know I can use it instead of having it just as a decoration. Thank you!
I so admire your skill set.
Thank you.
Great to watch these history lessons, helps to put things in perspective.
My favorite video of yours sofar. Ilove the history. You are an excellent teacher. Would love more videos like this.
Thank you very much for a fascinating insight into a bygone era and now. Excellent.
Thanks for all your videos. Every one is a gem but this one is extra special.
I came into an extremely old Danish plane left behind in the house we live in now. I think I now know what kind of plane it is, guess it deserves further examination and some tuning up, looking forward to using it, thanks so much for this video.
Good way to make a replacement for packing peanuts for delivered work! Saw someone on Instagram use wood shavings instead and I thought that idea was just brilliant.
So much to learn, so little time.
Very good explanation Thank you
I must confess that I use my electrical planer very effectively as a scrub plane, and then finish with the smoothing plane.
You have to set the electrical plane up. I have one but only use it if there is a lot of planing to do.
Now, that's a GREAT video. Thanks, dear Sir!
Thank you Mr Sellers for the video. I learn a new thing today. Saludos!!!
That was really interesting, thanks for the great explanation.
Love your sense of humor, quoting Bob Marley like that!
This was great to watch Paul as I’ve recently been 3 of these planes from a house clearance. Thank you for sharing the history. I’m going to give them some TLC and put them to work again.
I have that exact same scrub plane... Thank you very much Mr Sellers eh... Ü
Thanks Paul
this is a great video to watch
Love your videos! Thanks Paul
Now Paul needs to show us how to make one :)
Thank you. I never had the apprenticeship, so I would never had known this. Coincidentally, I discovered yesterday I had a spare plane, wooden, think you can guess where that's going.
Same here bro eh... Ü
Apprenticeships in traditional or fine furniture do not exist any more. Learning by your self is the only way.
Thanks. Very helpful.
hi Paul, great video!
Would you please teach us how to fix an old wooden plane? how to sharpen the iron and how tomake the wooden wedge, and so on as to have a really cutting plane...
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Now I must restore my wooden planes that came with the house.
Well, this answers the question "what do i do with the extra wooden smoother planes i have?" im off to the shed gents, this looks like a fun and useful project to get done :)
Very interesting video!
:D today i converted my Peugeot Jackson rounded molding plane to a scrubber.. reshaped the blade and flattened out the bottom with a plane :D good use of a tool from 1840. i paid 10 euro in an antique fair..
Excellent. Thankypu
That's really neat, but I have to ask: didn't people ever save worn planes by gluing new wood on their soles?
Glues during the heyday of wooden hand plans (animal hide glue, fish glue) were not nearly as resistant to shear as modern PVA Glues are. They may have their place but they would never be able to hold on to the bottom of a plane while in use.
That said, there are many times workers have screwed iron plates to the bottom of their planes to prevent further wear
Paul what's your thoughts on the transition planes. I have all three type total wood planes then transition planes and all steel planes.
Transition planes work great, I love them. The greatest benefit is the lightweightness wood on wood gives
Great videos, you're awesome
I just pick up a few of these
my scrub planes, both wooden and metal have a broadly curved edges and produce a wavey surface often seen on the back boards of case pieces etc.
Hi Paul, I found this interesting particularly as I am restoring two such planes at the moment having inherited them from my father a few years ago. I'm almost minded to attempt to build some replica ones as i do enjoy non power tool woodworking. The blades are unfortunately badly pittedd any ideas where to get replacements?
Hi trapper23ful. If your plane irons are badly pitted, it shouldn't matter unless the pitting is near the cutting edge, when it will interfere with getting a good bevel next to a flat polished surface. Can the irons be ground back to a cleaner part of the steel to overcome this? I've had to do this with one of mine (a No6) and it'll give me a good edge for the foreseeable future.
Yes i think so well certainly worth a try..... one of the planes is too far gone woodworm and splits across the shavings box so effectively have two blades i can try a grind on although i intend to replicate the damaged body in beech
work in progress might just use the project for my first video assuming i can work out how to switch the camera on!!!!
..so the first planes weren't named? What did the carpenter say when he asked the apprentice to pass him the......?
Could you not go back and add a 5-6mm brass plate to the bottom of an old wooden plane to close the throat and increase durability?
Yes, you can but it was also common to add a recessed wooden piece to the fore part of the plane and that worked equally as well as to increase durability, this also increases the amount of friction the metal has on the wood which destroys the intrinsic value and property of wood on wood.
Hi Paul, my wooden smoother is still fairly closed in the throat, and could be a good tool. The problem I have is that the iron comes unseated rather too easily and needs constant adjustment, and I can't seem to work out why. I've tried cleaning the wedge, and oiled the wood with boiled linseed oil, but it still happens. Could you share any advice you might have on setting these up properly?
Hello Ian. Try lightly rubbing dried resin/pitch from pine or spruce along the friction sides (1-2mm) of the wedge. That should increase the holding capacity. If you live in a city, you may be able to find a shop selling instruments where they might have blocks of rosin that violinists use for applying friction on their bows. If the wedge is too saturated with oil, you may be able to remove enough of it with turpentine or you may need to make a new one, and be a little more conservative with the oil...
DijonInjection Thanks! That sounds like it could work, I know someone who plays violin, so I'll ask her if she can help me. I also think that making a new wedge, or re-shaping the old one, might be a good idea. When assembling the plane, it feels like the wedge locks solid too soon, with no further depth of movement possible as if it is not 'gradually' wedging.
Ian Stewart Hello again Ian. Yeah the shape & fit of the wedge is definitely important in how usable the plane will be. A few weeks ago I came across a TH-cam channel by "Sumokun" where a guy is documenting the making of wooden planes, and goes into great detail of wood grain direction, clearances and angles. Seems very well researched, although some of the methods, skills and techniques demonstrated made me raise an eyebrow at times, he still arrived at what seems a great result. It inspired me to try to make my own planes too. It might be useful to you too.
Rather than making a scrub plane out of a worn smoother, people often inset a new piece of wood in front of the iron to close the throat.
Hmm, I shop class we caught h$ll if we placed a plane with the blade down except when it was actually in use.
Plane? That's an adze in a box.
In response to your suggesting a plane is "an adze in a box". The Practical Woodworker Vol. 1 by Bernard E. Jones (circa 1915) page 72 says the adze "is used chiefly by wheelwrights and shipbuilders, but is seldom used in ordinary woodworking. Just as the axe is used for vertical cutting, so the adze is employed for horizontal cutting and splitting."
i use it to give a board an adzed look
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