Using a #4 plane as a scrub plane
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If I buy an extra blade for my veritas #4 smooth plane and hone it to a small radius would it work like a scrub plane? I’d set the frog so it would have a big mouth opening. I can buy some white oak and walnut that is 20% off but it is only skipped planed so I’d have to plane it smooth.
I’d say that’s really not worth the bother. Not scrub-planing, but fiddling with the veritas which should stay as a fine smoother.
Attached is an image of my scrub plane and its blade. The blade is apparently self-made, a bit thicker than Stanley blade; no chip breaker. Width is much less that for the #4 blade (the other blade in picture). It’s a rough tool but it likes to eat wood, does that quite fast. I’m quite sure that you can source some older “coffin” for much cheaper than a suitable blade for a veritas #4.
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Anonymous20 December 2012 at 12:12 pm #5335You need a much bigger camber on the blade / Iron to compensate for the low bedding angle, and it being bevel up
20 December 2012 at 4:42 pm #5347If you have money to buy Veritas low angle jack, keep it tuned and spend tenner or two and buy an old No. 5 and dedicate it to hoggin’ . You will need only one scrub plane in your life, so it’s worth to have one. And the spare iron for 5 is definitely cheaper as well 😉
(there is ALWAYS reason to buy another plane, right?)
Anonymous20 December 2012 at 7:13 pm #5358Hi Dave,
Like Frank said, I’d much rather throw funds at a cheap #5/#05 and give it a specific task, rather than needlessly cambering a comparatively expensive bevel up iron and tasking an expensive plane with scrub/roughing work. Scrub irons needn’t be expensive, plus a decent old #5 can be picked up (With iron and cap iron complete) for less than a new Veritas bevel up iron. 😉
Anonymous20 December 2012 at 7:35 pm #5363These make good scrub planes Dave 😉 Much of the time you’ll find scrubs are used to clean old or rough sawn timber to expose fresh surfaces. There must be something like the one nearest my #04 near your location.
Anonymous20 December 2012 at 7:37 pm #5367I would go for a No. 5
It is traditionally used diagonal to the grain with a heavily cambered iron and a fairly coarse set, performing a similar function on sawn timber as the scrub plane does on riven boards – removing wind, cupping, bowing etc to leave a level furrowed surface that is then brought to final dimension and finished with other planes.
Like every thing it comes down to personal choice 🙂
28 February 2013 at 1:21 pm #8661I rescued a Handyman headed for tool heaven, rounded the edge, and it’s made a fine scrubber.
I know that some are buying the HF #33 $9.99 plane and turning it into a scrub plane by just cambering the iron. No need to flatten the sole on a scrub plane.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/ljimg/m6qp8k0.jpg
28 February 2013 at 7:38 pm #8680As mentioned, you have several options. If you want to use your Veritas as a scrub, I’d just radius an extra blade, separate from your smoothing blade. You shouldn’t have to mess with the frog, assuming your plane has an adjustable mouth. I have a Veritas 4.5 and it has an adjustable mouth. Try leaving the frog alone and just open the mouth. Maybe it opens enough.
Ideally, you could have a dedicated scrub plane. I spent a lot of money and got the LN scrub. This was before Veritas came out with its version. The Veritas is significantly cheaper and is probably as good.
Prior to having the LN, I used a modern Stanley #4. It was one of first planes I owned and quite frankly it was more suited as a scrub plane than as a smooth plane. All it needed was a radius modification of the blade and a little backing off of the frog. It’s sole was no where near flat. A mouse could ski down either side of the hump right in front of the blade. However, a modified #4 works great as a scrub. Smaller and lighter than a number 5-like plane. Of course, a #5 works well too, but you already have a very nice #5. I’ve got the LN version of the BU jack plane and I reserve it for a little further down the line. Those planes are extremely versatile and easy to set up. Probably my most used plane.
I consider finding a cheap #4 on ebay or somewhere. Modify the blade and the frog and go to town. The other options are out there as well. If I found a better deal on a #5 I’d probably go that route. Seems #4s are usually cheaper the #5s in same condition.
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