ECE Primus Plane Lateral Adjustment

[Charles Guest]

The Primus' bed is made to contact the cutter on three points, since three points define a plane. The bolt and other items have to be installed correctly and tightened to make this work. I have a PDF I can upload that might help though I'll have to scrounge for it. It explains all of this much better than I could. It's a brilliant, but subtle design.

[Peter Pedisich]

The Primus' bed is made to contact the cutter on three points, since three points define a plane. The bolt and other items have to be installed correctly and tightened to make this work. I have a PDF I can upload that might help though I'll have to scrounge for it. It explains all of this much better than I could. It's a brilliant, but subtle design.

I would be interested in this PDF !

[Gene Pavlovsky]

The only issue for me is keeping the spring from rolling off the bench as you unthread the rear knob and remove the bolt. Oh yeah, and there are two washers buried in there that try to jump off my bench into the dust bin as well.

You're creating an extra hassle for yourself by unthreading that rear nut. It should be loosened but left on. See step 2 in the instructions from ECE:

Removing the plane iron
1. Turn the adjustment screw backward a few turns.
2. Loosen the tension screw nut at the back of the plane body (Do not remove).
3. With your fingers, take hold of the opposite end of the tension screw in the chip box and turn it 90°.
4. Lift the lower end of the plane iron off the tension screw and gently draw the iron out of the body of the plane.

Full instructions in English can be found on ECE's website: https://ecemmerich.de/wp-content/upl...ne-english.pdf

[Gene Pavlovsky]

As for the OP's problem, we should keep in mind the following paragraph from the instructions:
A truss is formed: tensioning rod pin plus canted bed pulls the cutter edge left while the regulator pushes the iron to the right. This truss prevents any lateral movement. It assures an even chip ribbon. – Tighten the tension screw nut more, if necessary, to retain parallelism during use.

So the first thing to try would be to tighten the big nut at the rear a bit more. If it's not easy to tighten, you can back off the top adjustment screw to retract the iron, tighten the rear nut a bit more, then advance the iron once again.

The instructions don't mention the nut that holds the regulator lever to the cap iron. However, as mentioned previously in this thread, it also plays a role. It should be reasonably tight, just loose enough that the regulator can actually be turned. The toothed washer under the nut provides some friction. It's through that friction that the regulator can actually push the iron to the right. If the nut is too loose, the regulator can't do it's job. I assume they tighten this nut appropriately at the factory, but in case it was mis-adjusted, or perhaps it was disassembled by the user, it might need further tightening.

Finally, with a deep cut and/or a dull iron, the forces involved may be too much for the adjusting mechanism to keep position.

To summarize: sharpen the iron, don't take too deep cuts, tighten the rear tensioning nut, check tightness of the regulator nut.

[Jim Koepke]

Hopefully this helps Steven to get his plane working. It has only been four and a half years…

Maybe today in the shop my Stanley/Bailey planes will be given a pat on the cheek and a little thanks for their simplicity.

jtk

[Gene Pavlovsky]

Jim, I appreciate your sarcasm

My info won't help Steven, who had sold his Primus in 2017, but it might help other people with similar issues - considering that this thread is one of the first results, when searching Google for: ECE Primus adjustment

Stanley/Bailey planes may be called simple in terms of adjustment or removing the iron for sharpening, but overall they have more individual parts than a Primus plane, so I wouldn't call them entirely simple.
In terms of simplicity, the traditional wooden-bodied wedge type planes are the simplest of them all.

Anyway, I'm not here to advocate for or against Primus or any other plane. All types of good quality planes work very well, when properly set up. I just wanted to share what I know about how the Primus planes are adjusted.

The Primus English Pattern Jack (model 741P, with Lignum Vitae sole) that I have was a birthday gift from my parents a few years ago, and I'm using it and liking it a lot.
I learned rather quickly how to adjust it, and I do enjoy it's backlash-free adjustment (not that backlash bothers me much on my Stanley planes, but it is nicer without backlash).
Having said that, if I would be looking to buy a jointer, I would get a regular wedge-type ECE Jointer (model 101S) which is 25% cheaper than the Primus model, and works just as well.

P.S. I've noticed that ECE planes with Lignum Vitae sole have disappeared from most stores. I've been told by Dieter Schmid Fine Tools that "Currently Guaiacum wood is not available on world wood market. That‘s why ECE can’t produce planes with this kind of wood at the moment."

[Thomas Wilson]

I have a Primus smooth plane that must have been purchased before ECE saw the need for the extra page of adjustment instruction. That post is helpful to elucidate ECE’s design intent. I figured out the adjustment procedure pretty quickly from trial and error. I would add for those who come across these planes in the garage sales that the bed is 50 degrees in contrast to Stanley, Sargent, Miller Falls, etc. that are all 45. The chrome vanadium blade edge durability benefits from a slightly steeper secondary bevel particularly on hard woods like maple and oak.

In use, with a really sharp blade, the steeper bed angle, and the precise fine adjustment afforded by the Primus mechanism, you can smooth very hard, squirrelly grain that other planes have more difficulty with.

[Jim Koepke]

My info won't help Steven, who had sold his Primus in 2017, but it might help other people with similar issues - considering that this thread is one of the first results, when searching Google for: ECE Primus adjustment

Gene, you are right about the sarcasm. It is often a thought we should be thinking about people who will find these posts in the future.

From the time of my post it indicates it was made before my morning breakfast & coffee. My mind tends to be more in tune after those two daily events.

Sometimes the simplicity of use requires a few extra components. Then again it can all be in the eye of the user. Most of my molding planes have only three parts: body, blade and wedge. They may be simpler than a Stanley/Bailey plane, but usually not as easy to get working for a beginner.

jtk