I'm struggling by with my Stanley 40 1/2 -- the one I found in the bottom of an old tool chest -- and my Stanley 12.
I've looked somewhat longingly at the low angle jack planes, but haven't found one in my (low) price range.
Hi Branson,
When you say you're struggling with your scrub plane, what do you mean? Are you having trouble using it, sharpening the iron, what exactly? Can you be more specific? If it's a problem using it, I considered trying to describe that process to you, but did a little poking around on the web, and came across this ten minute video on the Lie-Nielsen (LN) site. The instructor in the video does a first rate job of demonstrating the scrub plane's applications and the various techniques for using it. The process the instructor goes through is exactly the same process that was described to me several years ago on the telephone. Who knows, that may have been the same man that I spoke to back then. If the link doesn't work (because I'm a computer novice and don't know how to post links), follow these steps to the video: Go to the LN site, click on hand tools, then click hand planes, then click special purpose tools, then click scrub plane. Below a photo of the scrub plane is a link to the video that says "here" in blue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6osskqppymU&feature=youtu.be&noredirect=1If you're having trouble sharpening the iron, I can probably help you with that. The same goes for your Stanley #12 scraper. Are you having trouble getting a burr on the iron? I can describe the process and/or point you in the direction of an existing writeup on that procedure. It takes a little practice, but it's well worth the effort to get it right and it's a couple hours out in the shop tinkering. That's never a bad thing. It sounds like you have two nice old planes that need to get back to work. Even if you don't currently have a specific project in mind for them, just learning a new skill using old tools is rewarding all by itself.
Low angle jack planes are very useful tools to say the least. They're easy to use, having no frog or lateral adjustment. They're really just big block planes that are versatile in so many ways. With the iron bedded at a low angle and with the adjustable throat set for a light pass, they're great on working end grain. Their length makes them wonderful to use on larger surfaces with irregular grain, particularly during the stock flattening process, and they're not bad as short jointers either. The immediate problem with low angle jack planes is their cost. This is a situation where buying an old Stanley #62, or opting for a currently manufactured LN #62 (modeled after the Stanley) gets you to about the same place when the time comes to pay for one or the other.
The big problem with the Stanley #62 is its throat. The section of the sole, immediately behind the cutting iron is VERY thin. If one is aggressively planing stock and a thick shaving, or several shavings get jammed behind the cutting edge protruding through the throat and the sole of the plane itself, a good chunk of that sole just behind the iron will crack out and the plane is done! I've seen several Stanley #62s in this condition. Consequently, they're moderately scarce even in user condition, and can easily cost $200 or more. NOS (New Old Stock) examples are significantly more. Sargent also made a low angle jack plane, the #514, that's equally fragile for the same reasons I described, and it's equally as scarce, again, making it costly. Under most circumstances, I'd like to use antique planes when possible. When it comes to the low angle jack plane, however, the LN is the better choice. It's heftier than the original Stanley, and is made to withstand aggressive planing. For around $250, the LN will deliver great results, and pretty much eliminate the apprehension of using, and possibly damaging an antique Stanley.
Jim C.