ECE Primus Plane Lateral Adjustment

[Steven Mikes]

Dear All,

I am just starting on trying to learn basic wood working. I build a simple work bench and bought an ECE Primus jointer plane off E-Bay to flatten the top. I searched online and found some information about how to set up and adjust the blade properly, but I still can't get it to work correctly.

I attempted to follow the directions, which say that during initial blade setup the blade will contact the plane body on the left side. I tightened the nut on the regulator until the blade just pulls away, then advance the blade to cutting depth and finally adjust the regulator until the blade is straight. My problem is that the blade keeps going askew after just 1 or 2 passes, gouging one corner into the surface I'm working on. Does anyone have enough experience with these planes to tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[Patrick Chase]

Dear All,

I am just starting on trying to learn basic wood working. I build a simple work bench and bought an ECE Primus jointer plane off E-Bay to flatten the top. I searched online and found some information about how to set up and adjust the blade properly, but I still can't get it to work correctly.

I attempted to follow the directions, which say that during initial blade setup the blade will contact the plane body on the left side. I tightened the nut on the regulator until the blade just pulls away, then advance the blade to cutting depth and finally adjust the regulator until the blade is straight. My problem is that the blade keeps going askew after just 1 or 2 passes, gouging one corner into the surface I'm working on. Does anyone have enough experience with these planes to tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Snarky answer: Using a Primus. I love my ECE planes (I have 2) but they're both classic tap-to-adjust designs. I'm not a fan of the Primus adjuster, as it's alway struck me as a lot of complexity to solve "problems" that become nonissues with a tiny bit of practice.

Real answer: Sounds like you need to either tighten more or do something to reduce the cutting forces (shallower cut, sharper blade, camber, etc).

[lowell holmes]

Dear All,

I am just starting on trying to learn basic wood working. I build a simple work bench and bought an ECE Primus jointer plane off E-Bay to flatten the top. I searched online and found some information about how to set up and adjust the blade properly, but I still can't get it to work correctly.

I attempted to follow the directions, which say that during initial blade setup the blade will contact the plane body on the left side. I tightened the nut on the regulator until the blade just pulls away, then advance the blade to cutting depth and finally adjust the regulator until the blade is straight. My problem is that the blade keeps going askew after just 1 or 2 passes, gouging one corner into the surface I'm working on. Does anyone have enough experience with these planes to tell me what I'm doing wrong?

You might try tightening the hex nut to increase pressure on the iron. Don't be timid.

[Patrick Chase]

You might try tightening the hex nut to increase pressure on the iron. Don't be timid.

Lowell is right of course.

You might also consider cambering or rounding the corners of the blade, if your sharpening technique is up to it. Doing that will eliminate the "hard" corner that is probably catching and twisting the blade.

[Allen Jordan]

I concur with tightening the regulator bolt. I camber the blade in my ece primus jack.

[Jim Koepke]

Howdy Steven and welcome to the Creek.

Not being familiar with the ECE Primus planes my answer reverts back to the physics of hand planes in general.

As others have mentioned, the blade should not be able to move in use which requires force from the wedge or lever cap (or in the case of the ECE Primus the regulator bolt?) to hold the blade in a fixed position.

On planes with a Bailey style adjuster the setting needs to be enough to prevent the blade from moving in use while still allowing for adjustment. When it gets to the actual situation the difference can be as little as 1/16th of a turn on the screw holding the lever cap.

An old post of mine may help, it is in the secret archives:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...al-wisdom-FAQs

Scroll down to section 4 and click on "Getting Started in Hand Planes" it is based on Stanley/Bailey planes but applies to other makes and kinds of planes.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

I suspect you haven't tightened the black knob at the rear snug enough. Also, be sure that the orientation of the draw bolt is proper; if it's upside down it'll drive you nuts (DAMHIKT).

I never thought the hex nut had anything to do with the blade security. It is only there to form a pivot point so the regulator can push off the sides of the plane body. It's the tension imparted by the rear knob that resists unintentional skew.

I love those planes, but what a pain to resharpen. It's like taking a gun apart.

[Stewie Simpson]

An overly complex design.



This is what our customer Peter Austin in Devon, UK wrote:

After taking it apart, I have only just realised how it works. The instructions tell you how to adjust the plane, but not why it works. The diagram is clear, but again, there is no explanation as to why it works. I think that E.C.E. have assumed that "Well, there is a clear diagram, it's obvious how it works. It's a brilliant plane, we will just wait for the orders to come in".


The give-away that there is some shortfall in customer knowledge is an extra piece of paper included in the package headed "Additional instructions to adjust the plane iron parallel to the sole". But, again, they do not tell you why you should need to do this except that you need to do this after turning the tensioning screw nut.
If you'd like to be bored, please read on. I shall attempt to explain how this plane works - if only to get it clear in my mind:
Look at the diagram on the above web page headed "Operation Instructions for the E.C.E. Primus plane".
At the back of the plane body, there is a knob. The knob is attached to a piece of steel that is in turn attached to the plane blade via the chipbreaker. The piece of steel is always in tension - through the use of a large spring just behind the knob - and is trying to pull the plane blade back against the blade-bed. However, since the blade-bed is at 50 degrees, the effect of this tension is to force the plane blade upwards away from the plane-base. This is where the chromed adjusting knob comes into play. This is attached to a threaded rod whose far end presses down onto the piece of steel under tension.

There is enough vertical give in the assembly to allow the chromed adjusting knob to raise and lower the blade. The clever trick is that this assembly is always in tension and so there can never be any backlash ie. slack. After a number of turns of the chromed adjusting knob, the tension in the piece of steel attached to the blade needs to be adjusted so as to keep the system in equilibrium. https://www.fine-tools.com/G301047.html

[Jim Koepke]

There is enough vertical give in the assembly to allow the chromed adjusting knob to raise and lower the blade. The clever trick is that this assembly is always in tension and so there can never be any backlash ie. slack.

This seems like a lot of extra fiddling just to be rid of backlash.

How much of a hassle is it to set up after sharpening a blade?

jtk

[Patrick Chase]

An overly complex design.

Indeed. As an engineer I have a higher than average tolerance for complex gadgetry, but that design manages to offend even my sensibilities.

It's a pity IMO, because I think that ECE makes solid, cost-effective, and ethically sourced (i.e. not made by slave labor) planes. I've tried the Primus versions a couple times and I always end up going with their classic adjuster-less designs instead. While I have no qualms about tapping my irons to adjust, I think that their potential market in the US would be larger if they went with something like a Norris adjuster, that gets the job done with relatively low complexity.

[Steven Mikes]

I suspect you haven't tightened the black knob at the rear snug enough. Also, be sure that the orientation of the draw bolt is proper; if it's upside down it'll drive you nuts (DAMHIKT).

I never thought the hex nut had anything to do with the blade security. It is only there to form a pivot point so the regulator can push off the sides of the plane body. It's the tension imparted by the rear knob that resists unintentional skew.

I love those planes, but what a pain to resharpen. It's like taking a gun apart.

lol I did have the truss rod upside down at first, took me awhile to figure that out. You're correct though, the nut is just a pivot for the regulator. I tried last night tightening it more but that doesn't prevent the blade from twisting back and forth if I torque it from the top by hand. I made the back knob moderately tight but I'll try increasing the tension when I get home and give it one more try. If I can't get it to work I might give up and sell it, and buy their not-needlessly-complicated model because I do like the length and feel of the wooden body.

Thanks all for the comments!

[Prashun Patel]

I have the jack and the smoother. Both work extremely well. While the design my offend some, I find them both to be high quality performers. So much, that I strongly considered a Primus jointer.

I experience no blade backlash on these planes.

FWIW, I experienced none of the skew issues that the OP did.

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.

I have to say that despite their set up troubles, I still reach for the Primus jack because it is quite a joy to work with as a scrub or roughing plane.

[Steven Mikes]

Update: I ended up selling the Primus and got the simpler wedged one. Much better!

[Patrick Chase]

Update: I ended up selling the Primus and got the simpler wedged one. Much better!

So your wedged ECE works fine but your Mujingfang doesn't?

Knowing that changes things a bit in the other thread...

[george wilson]

I hated the adjustment system on a Primus plane I bought for the toolmaker's shop. I never did use that plane. And,I actually gave away an Ulmia plane that I'd bought before I came to Williamsburg back in the 60's. Gave it to the wheelwright. He was Austrian anyway. So,I guess was more fond of those designs than I was.