Repurposing a #4 into a scrub plane - good idea?

[Greg Portland]

I have an old #4 clone (Craftsman) that I've been considering repurposing as a scrub.

1) Are #4's too short and/or light to make a good scrub plane?
2) After cambering the blade, would I just back the chipbreaker off 1/4" or so from the edge? Does blade chatter become a concern with this back-off? Should I buy a thicker blade?
3) Should I just be looking for an old #40 instead?

Thanks for your feedback!

[Mike Cherry]

Paul Sellers has a video on just this topic. I have also been considering this because scrub planes go for ridiculous prices on eBay right now. Almost to the point where a brand new Lie Nielsen makes just as much sense. Even my local antique store has a scrub for sale at $110 !!

Looking forward to the comments by more experienced neanders here.

[Mike Cherry]

Here a link for you to Mr. Sellers video on this topic.

http://youtu.be/XN5QSTaVzRQ

[Greg Portland]

Thanks for the link Mike. I'm also interested in hearing about any limitations / issues with repurposing a #3 or #4 in this manner.

[Jim Matthews]

I've seen it done with a 1" wide shoulder plane.

Worked great.

The narrower the blade, the more pronounced you can
grind the profile.

[Derek Cohen]

The question is whether you need a scrub plane, or whether a jack plane would not be a better choice?

If you are removing large areas of waste, then go for the scrub. Otherwise a jack is the better choice. I rarely need a scrub plane - a jack with an 8" radius removes waste pretty fast, and with less surface damage to clean up next.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Greg Portland]

The question is whether you need a scrub plane, or whether a jack plane would not be a better choice?

Well, I've got a jack plane but I haven't ground any radius into the blade (corners are rounded though). I guess this thread should be "what should I do with a rusty #4 that's laying around". I was thinking of the scrub plane since I've just started dimensioning lumber by hand but maybe a higher angled frog smoother would be a more used option (maybe not since I own a scraping plane)? Here's my current list of planes:

- #4 with a good blade (used as a smoother)
- rusty #4
- Jack plane
- #7
- large scraper plane
- small and large shoulder planes
- 2 block planes

Thanks for everyone's feedback so far...

[Moses Yoder]

I have a vintage #40 with good iron, I have never used it. I have a 40-1/2 that I made two new irons for with differing radius, neither iron has ever been used except as toys. A scrub plane has a masculine iron, the biggest difference in a #4. A #5 with camber is adequate for all but the roughest stock, and for rough stock I take my wood to an electric planer.

[bridger berdel]

It sounds like you have nothing to lose by setting up the sears #4 as a scrub except perhaps a little length on the iron if you decide to convert it back. Go for it. It will probably work out just fine.

[Sam Stephens]

I'd say go for it. I repurposed an extra jack plane w/ a wide mouth to be my scrub -I think the camber is about a 3-4" radius. I used a small side dish plate as the template. Yes, a jack plane w/ a slight camber works for surfacing and thicknessing stock, but for me, a scrub (i.e. repurposed jack) is much more efficient i.e. faster and less effort. The drawback as Derek mentioned is there is some clean up from the gouges, but a jack plane makes quick work of that. A scrub like the #40 is more the size of a #3 plane so a #4 would be fine as well. Smaller is better I would imagine, b/c the size/weight of a jack plane can get tiresome. Chatter is not much of an issue b/c of the camber.

[Daniel Rode]

Based on 15 minutes of experience I concur with Derek

I just turned a cheap Dunlap #5 into a "scrub" plane. In reality, it's more like a jack plane with a more aggressive camber to the iron. After the first few test cuts, I actually flattened the radius a bit. That said, I'll most likely get a nicer Stanley #5. With 2 irons, I can swap between and 8" camber for stock removal and, more commonly, a flat edge for shooting. At that point, I'll convert the Dunlap to a true scrub.

The question is whether you need a scrub plane, or whether a jack plane would not be a better choice?

If you are removing large areas of waste, then go for the scrub. Otherwise a jack is the better choice. I rarely need a scrub plane - a jack with an 8" radius removes waste pretty fast, and with less surface damage to clean up next.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Winton Applegate]

I made my 1970's Stanley #5 into a scrub.
I used it once or twice (I am a slow learner).
Then I bought this and have used it and used it and used it . . .
and . . . I love it ! ! ! !
I would never ever even consider a wimpy blade plane for a scrub.
This LN has a way more robust blade, the plane is quite light because it is narrow. The handles can take horsing on and cause no trouble.

Worth every penny and it is a beautiful plane to look at.
One of the top three planes I absolutely could not do without.
I would sell my big 'O five hundred dollar jointers with out missing them (other than to look at) but if I didn't have my little LN scrub I think I would go looking for another sport.

PS: As I always say take a look at these photos and you will see by the saw dust (plane dust) which ones get used and which ones get looked at and tucked away.

[Winton Applegate]

LN scrub good.
Other stuff . ..
Nah dude, nah
(based on days and days and days of scrubbing my brains out).
I rather enjoy hogging off hard wood cross or diagonal grain.
Makes me feel like a wood worker as compared to a machine tool operator.
I would MUCH, MUCH, MUCH rather scrub plane a table than to ride a stationary exercise bike indoors or take an aerobics class.
Works the legs and abs as well as the arms and the back to some degree.

[Matthew Hills]

I put a very aggressive camber on a trashy #5 with a Hock blade.
Works well, and made a huge difference in my ability to actually flatten a board (previously, seemed like I was planing and planing and things never really seemed to flatten out)

In fact, works well enough that I haven't been motivated to check into a dedicated scrub.
(although I've also read some of the anti-scrub blogs, that opine the tool was largely for removing edge material, rather than flattening)

Seems like a few people are also fans of wooden scrubs (something about being a bit lighter; although the weight of my #5 hasn't bothered me to-date… although I was getting pretty drippy when flattening my workbench on a warm day)

Matt

[Jim Koepke]

My main scrub is made from a #5-1/4. It was beaten and abused badly, most likely while employed in a high school shop class. I also have a Dunlap (Millers Falls) 9 which is the same as a Stanley/Bailey #3 that is used occasionally for light scrub work.

I like the narrow blade which requires less effort than a heavier plane with a wider blade.

jtk